what bike is best for my size?

[Devin4]

I'm 6'3 and 230 pounds and am curious as to what bike is the best fit for me. i am going to be doing a variety of riding on it it will probably be roughly 70% trail riding and 30% track riding. i have a crf150f right now and it just doesn't seem to carry me around very good. (and according to the manual I'm already exceeding the recommended weight limit for the bike) i want to get a new bike sometime this summer but don't know if i should make a jump to 450 which will be more then enough power. i plan to drop in weight to somewhere around 210 to 215 by the end of the summer. i hope i have provided enough information regarding my question. thanks for the help!

,Devin

 

[gordhunt]

Get a 250 four stroke trail bike most guys that ride 450s would be better off on a 250 imo

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[takethebounce]

Me being 160 pounds and wishing my last 250 fourstroke had more jam I would say a 250 is a little on the small side given your size. Not saying that guys who are 200+ pounds can't ride them but depending on your riding terrain you might be wishing you had more power. Also, modern mx bikes are not meant for trail use. Guys get them because they are cheaper than purpose built bikes. Mx engines need airflow. Start lugging a 250 around tight trails and you will most likely encounter overheating issues. Then you start wanting to change water pumps, and rad caps, and run different coolant and add fans...but if your riding doesn't have any tight slow speed lugging, its really a non issue.

If you are not going to actaually race in mx and just ride at the track for fun and will primarily use the bike for trail use I would suggest looking at a true trail bike.
There are the KLX 300, and the WR's which are very popular. You can get a 450 but that is a huge change from a 150. Have you considered 2 strokes at all? A 250 2 stroke is likely a good fit. I would look at maybe as New of a KTM 250 XC that you could afford. Maybe even the 300XC.

The KTM 350's are nice. With the newer bikes you get fuel injection which takes some of the guess work away for guys who don't understand jetting.

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[Iron Horse Racing]

250 2 stroke or a 450....

 

[Bnorth]

Get a 300 two stroke. Ktm/Husqvarna/GasGas/Husaberg all have very nice options with that motor.

 

[sumx54]

I'm 200lbs. I have mainly road a 450 for the past 10 years. My son has a 250f and due to a recent shoulder injury, I just purchased a 250 2 stroke. I find my new 250 to be under powered and my sons 250f is WAY underpowered. I'd go with a 450 if I were you.

 

[Devin4]

Thank you all for you help and advice.

 

[TheMuffinMan]

KTM XC would fit your bill perfectly. I do about the same split riding as you (mostly trail, with the odd track day), and I absolutely love my 250 XC two-stroke. I'm pushing 200lbs and it moves me around just fine. Does it have the roll-on torque of a 450? No...but I saved 3 grand buying it over a 450, and won't cost another 3 grand to fix when it grenades.

My only other advice is...if you are truly planning on a 70-30 split of trail/track, DO NOT buy a motocross bike unless you plan on dropping some serious coin on a suspension revalve. Track suspension will make your life a living hell on an all day trail ride in the bush.

 

[sumx54]

KTM XC would fit your bill perfectly. I do about the same split riding as you (mostly trail, with the odd track day), and I absolutely love my 250 XC two-stroke. I'm pushing 200lbs and it moves me around just fine. Does it have the roll-on torque of a 450? No...but I saved 3 grand buying it over a 450, and won't cost another 3 grand to fix when it grenades.

My only other advice is...if you are truly planning on a 70-30 split of trail/track, DO NOT buy a motocross bike unless you plan on dropping some serious coin on a suspension revalve. Track suspension will make your life a living hell on an all day trail ride in the bush.

I'm sorry but I disagree. Your working VERY hard to clear a long double and a 110' table on a 250 xc. I find them de-tuned grossly and under powered. Great trail putter for a 150 lb kid but no good for a track. You do not have to do any major "re-valving on an MX setup, just some gearing. And compression adjustments.

 

[Joholio]

CR500

Why stop in Olds if you're goin to Calgary?

 

[takethebounce]

I'm sorry but I disagree. Your working VERY hard to clear a long double and a 110' table on a 250 xc. I find them de-tuned grossly and under powered. Great trail putter for a 150 lb kid but no good for a track. You do not have to do any major "re-valving on an MX setup, just some gearing. And compression adjustments.

Is the guy coming off an air cooled 150 really going to be doing doubles and clearing 110' foot tables?

Typically when people say they are going to ride their bike %30 track it means a few rides a year at the track. And 250 xc 2 strokes don't have the jam? Maybe 10 years ago. Even the new 4 stroke 250 xc use the sx motor.

I know where there is a great bike for sale right now. I would pick it up if I had the cash. A 06 KX250 chassis with a KDX 220 motor. Anyone who rides true trail bikes, single tracks and hair scrambles would love it. But no, I wouldn't say it will clear doubles.

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[Joholio]

A kx with a kdx motor hey??? Lol

 

[Lund]

I'm sorry but I disagree. Your working VERY hard to clear a long double and a 110' table on a 250 xc. I find them de-tuned grossly and under powered. Great trail putter for a 150 lb kid but no good for a track. You do not have to do any major "re-valving on an MX setup, just some gearing. And compression adjustments.

Hahahaha......must be METRIC feet.....or its Evil Kenevil jr. kids hehe

 

[sumx54]

Is the guy coming off an air cooled 150 really going to be doing doubles and clearing 110' foot tables?

Typically when people say they are going to ride their bike %30 track it means a few rides a year at the track. And 250 xc 2 strokes don't have the jam? Maybe 10 years ago. Even the new 4 stroke 250 xc use the sx motor.

I know where there is a great bike for sale right now. I would pick it up if I had the cash. A 06 KX250 chassis with a KDX 220 motor. Anyone who rides true trail bikes, single tracks and hair scrambles would love it. But no, I wouldn't say it will clear doubles.

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I ride a 250sx, 250xc, 250yzf and a 450sx. The 250xc is a de-tuned sx motor. It has a lighter exhaust spring and the flywheel is weighted. It's under powered for me. I ride on the top end. tried the 250xc with a Rekluse and was even worse. probably plenty of power though for a lighter rider. I weighed in at 195 this morning and I'm 6' 1". I might have over estimated his ride time. 30% track time for me would be once a week from the first week of may until frost. I ride 4 days a week on average. I guess if you only rode a bike 10 times in a year then ya maybe only a few times a year at the track. Probably wouldn't be jumping tables.What do you ride?

Hahahaha......must be METRIC feet.....or its Evil Kenevil jr. kids hehe

our table tops down here are a 100 feet plus with some 50 foot doubles. The 12 year olds are clearing them.

 

[Maverick800XRS]

Personally I really love 4 stroke torque and power at any rpm, it allows you to "lug" the motor and ride slower through terrain without having to have the motor screaming in the power band. If you have a chance i say ride a few different bikes, you will probably be very comfortable on a 450. Trail bikes are easily rideable on the track so don't go towards an MX bike, Bounce has some good reasoning for that. Because of your size and weight the MOST important thing you can do is make sure the bike setup *suspension* is set for your riding style and weight, I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet as it's not all about the motor. Most factory bikes are setup for someone that is 185lbs and 5' 10" an improperly setup suspension for your weight can be very dangerous to ride as the bike will want to toss you OR just collapse and not be able to handle the terrain. Ride with confidence with a properly setup bike through whoops, jumps, rocks, etc and making mistakes like casing a jump or hitting something too fast but still riding out of it. I suggest Enzo from black diamond. His work is amazing and he has fair prices.

 

[takethebounce]

I ride a 250sx, 250xc, 250yzf and a 450sx. The 250xc is a de-tuned sx motor. It has a lighter exhaust spring and the flywheel is weighted. It's under powered for me. I ride on the top end. tried the 250xc with a Rekluse and was even worse. probably plenty of power though for a lighter rider. I weighed in at 195 this morning and I'm 6' 1". I might have over estimated his ride time. 30% track time for me would be once a week from the first week of may until frost. I ride 4 days a week on average. I guess if you only rode a bike 10 times in a year then ya maybe only a few times a year at the track. Probably wouldn't be jumping tables.What do you ride?



our table tops down here are a 100 feet plus with some 50 foot doubles. The 12 year olds are clearing them.

Me? A newer 200 XCW, not stock, with a trials tire and it climbs like a goat. It will most likely never see a MX track. It's the funnest bike I have owned and serves its purpose. But I didn't even suggest it as a bike to own as you have to understand the true purpose of that bike.

If I was going 4 stroke I would run a 350 XCF or XCFW. But I love my 2 smoke.

Sure guys who run all top end, off the limiter and such and can handle a 450 will get the use out of it. If that is what someone wants, great, but most guys I see on 450's never use them to their potential. I think many people feel you need to be on the pipe to make a 2 stroke work. Just the opposite. I try and tune the bike to stay off the pipe.

Anyways beating up a thread at this point.

People can ride whatever they wish and having something is better than nothing at all.




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[takethebounce]

A kx with a kdx motor hey??? Lol

KDX motors are still highly desired in the single track world. KTM has tried to build small bore 2 strokes to match the KDX motors performance for awhile.

Having a KDX in a KX chassis brings life back to an older well performing motor. There are numerous people out there doing these conversions. I have seen websites dedicated to these bikes.

Just like the CR500's in the newer 450 frames. Those are monsters.



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