Am I stupid to buy one of these...

[babysteps]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-146397413.htm

Hey Team

So I have another 4 months before I get my full license and I will then be getting a KLR 650. Am I absolutely insane to buy one of those Chinese bikes to learn to ride off road on and then flick off cheaply. I know I'm going to fall off, a lot, so I was thinking something semi disposable would be a good place to start.

Anyone have any experience with these bikes? You input would be appreciated.

Cheers

Mark

[JimO]

Yes dont, a mates son has one and its ok but crappy and hard to sell as well

[CB ARGH]

You would be entering a very eventful, stressful, and depressing time.

These would go down in price like that of a... well, can't think of an example but they will drop like crazy. They will be crap quality (what a guess), you will have to run it in, and I'm sure that the performance of it will be that of a smaller capacity engine.

I'd save the trouble and buy yourself an old XR250, they're indestructable machines that go like... well, I can't think of another example.

For $4000 you can get a bloddy nice off road bike, you don't have to get budget mate.

My opinion anyway.

[toebug]

Stay away form cheap Chinese and buy cheap Jappa instead.

[JATZ]

Perhaps one of thesehttp://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=171788109

If your only going to keep it for a couple of months.

[Pedrostt500]

Go buy a second hand XL or XR honda 250 for the same money, or less at least the Honda, yamaha, Suzuki or kawasaki will have a resale value regardless of how hard a time you give it.
Only buy the china bike if you are fully prepared to write the price of the bike off.

[Padmei]

Unfortunately old xrs are over priced. It seems a lot of people are after a cheap dirt bike so if they actually work & don't need money spent they still fetch a good price. Still you should be able to sell it easier.

I can't comment on the quality of the Chinese bikes. I'd actually like one to hoon about on but not worry about the damage.

When you buy your KLR you may be alright just taking babysteps offroad. Start with gravel then get a bit more adventurous on dry clay.

Beware they are bloody heavy & I've dropped mine (just hit 1000kms) probably more than any other rider on this forum (at least I'm honest & own up to it). Once they start going just get out of the way

Luckily I got crashbars which I really recommend( stuck record padmei) if you want any feedback on how I'm finding it just PM me.

[laRIKin]

I know I'm going to fall off, a lot, so I was thinking something semi disposable would be a good place to start.

Anyone have any experience with these bikes? You input would be appreciated.

Cheers

Mark

It will be cheaper in the long run to buy a better bike.
Buy a good bike and if you do fall off it, it is worth the money to repair it.
A good dirt bike will bounce real good and will normally only break the cheaper stuff.

[meteor]

Like everybody else says... What you save in the price you'll end up spending in loads of other ways. You'll have trouble with finding parts for repairs, getting someone to service it properly, the lower quality and output will nag at you. I bought a little Chinese bike for my son to learn on ($400 new) for manual clutch 125cc. I didn't care if he came of it as I wrote the money off straight away.... a good off on a quality machine may cost that to repair anyway. That's how I thought. In reality it's still as new as his 2 or 3 low speed offs only broke one plastic and he's ready for the next step. Now I have to now buy a Jap 2 stroke and I'm left with the chinese bike I won't be able to sell... Your choice, but buy wisely. My 2 cents worth!

[sosman]

Perhaps one of thesehttp://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=171788109

If your only going to keep it for a couple of months.

will it make it up the cold kiwi hill climb?

[JATZ]

will it make it up the cold kiwi hill climb?

Will if you push it too

Short answer babysteps NO, 4k's a lot for a disposable toy

[CrazyFrog]

I did some research on these bikes (XY250R) a while ago, they are pretty much a copy of an 2004 Honda XR250, with the exception on the rear brake set up. I would be wary of weld quality, but most serviceable parts (brake pads, cables, filters etc are the same as the Hondas.
In saying that, I owned a Hyosung 250RX for 6 months, rode over 2000km mostly on dirt, it was a spongy, underpowered, hard to start, badly welded bike (but it looked modern, okay!!) but hell I had some fun on it. When I only paid $1000 for it, I consider I had my money's worth, and wasn't bothered when I dropped it.. If you buy Chinese, be prepared to have to upgrade a few bits, decent bars, tyres, possibly better rear shock.
The problem with "cheap" used Jap dirt bikes, is a lot of them haven't been maintained well, and can be flogged out, so you end up having to spend money on them anyway, sometimes a false economy. Just do your homework, and always inspect before buying. It all comes down to money.....

[Skinny_Birdman]

Four months doesn't seem like all that long to "learn to ride off-road".... As everyone else says, if you buy a cheap japper, you'll be able to recover more of your investment HOWEVER (and I know there will be howls of discontent from the KTM/DR650 contingent) depending on how mental you want to go off road, don't be in a huge hurry to move to a bigger bike. I sold my BMW F650 and went back to the TT250R, which is (a bit gutless but) lighter and more indestructible, and can be bashed around the river bed, taken to trail rides and commuted on without turning a hair. The missus even rode it 380km to the brass monkey last year. However, I know from bitter experience how hard it is to find that elusive "cheap japper".

[Firefight]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-146397413.htm
Hey Team

So I have another 4 months before I get my full license and I will then be getting a KLR 650. Am I absolutely insane to buy one of those Chinese bikes

Mark

Hi Mark,

the fact that you are going to the trouble to ask on this forum would tend to suggest that you are not stupid !!

IMHO, it would be an unwise move to buy any of those import crap bikes

they are very shoddy in construction, and have limited resale value

the money you spend on it could be used in better ways, some good advice in this thread, good luck with your final choice



F/F

[Crisis management]

HOWEVER (and I know there will be howls of discontent from the KTM/DR650 contingent)
to the TT250R, which is (a bit gutless but) lighter and more indestructible,

Notional "howl of discontent"....

Bloody good idea, learn on a 250 that will do both road and trail and you will have a better idea of the right bike to buy later.
If you do a search you will find that both "Marks" and "Cave weta" have owned and abused the chinese bikes and have posted comments regarding there suitability, look in the off road forum for Cave weta's thread.