BEST bikes you've ever ridden?

FastEddy
Posts
14815
Joined
8/3/2008
Location
💀, FL, USA
3/26/2013 8:13am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2013 8:15am
It's a tie for me between the 87 RM125 & the 88 CR125.

87 RM 125
The stock suspension on these things were great IMO.
Like a Cadillac. Smile



88 CR 125.
These things had great solid motors and with a 87 head and some pipe mods they were mighty quick.
jtomasik
Posts
12895
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
Golden, CO, USA
3/26/2013 8:18am


The red one.
Adam43
Posts
3311
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
WF
3/26/2013 8:33am
'97 YZ125
'06 CRF450

The Shop

Suns_PSD
Posts
989
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Austin, TX, USA
3/26/2013 8:46am
A dead stock 2013 KX450F was the first bike I have ever ridden that I had zero complaints about. What a great motorcycle. It's weird how fast you can go when you don't have to think about the bike.

My goal, is to have a highly modified 2 stroke, that works about as well as the '13 KX450F. I'm currently building it and hope that it works out. Oddly enough I bought the '13 2 stroke after riding both and knowing that I was much better on the 450F. I like orange, I like being lightweight, and I liked saving close to $4K on my new purchase price. I also felt that in 5 years owning a trick 2 stroke would be much more rewarding than riding an old 4 stroke. The 2 strokes just don't really seem outdated, I guess cause they don't advance much these days.
tbanks
Posts
1515
Joined
5/28/2011
Location
Great Mills, MD, USA
3/26/2013 9:06am
Not sure if its the best bike I've ever ridden (and I haven't rode that many), but my bike (kx 125) broke one day at budds and my friend let me ride his beat up KTM 125. I think it was a late 1990's model (maybe 97 or 98) and the motor on that bike was a Beast! The suspension sucked completely but the motor was awesome. I hit every jump that day minus Gulp due to us going backwards on the track in a full gear lower than usual. I felt like I was hauling and the rev's just kept going.

That was one of my more memorable rides and definitely the best 125 motor I've ever ridden.
RandyS
Posts
6181
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Grass Valley, CA, USA
3/26/2013 9:18am
It's not really much of a contest to say that a recent bike is the best you've ever ridden because of course current 2stokes or 4 strokes are better than their ancestors but over the years some of my favorite bikes have been.

1972 Honda SL70. My first spoked wheel bike after 3 or 4 years on Z50s.

1988 CR250. My first bike after 8 years off only riding once or twice a year on friends bikes.

1990 Husky TC510. The first big 4 stroke I ever had, bought it for $1200 with about 10 hours on it in 95. It was raced at a few 4 stroke nationals in 96 and 97 by friends. Was disassembled and put on the rack for 15 years, The engine is being put in a 2002 TC570 roller that I bought. Easily the most fun I have ever had on a motorcycle as an adult is on this bike.

1999 YZ400F, I had a 98 and hated it. Loved the 99, sure they are both pigs but the 400s and 426s were the last of the non arm ripping big bikes.

2003(I think) RM125, the last 125 I've had. I need to get another one.
mx317
Posts
5351
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
3/26/2013 9:26am
83 CR480R and my 2013 KX450F
3/26/2013 10:10am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2013 10:11am
I have had many good bikes as well as a few bad ones. The good ones that come to mind are my 2003 YZ250, stock with a PC pipe, and my 2012 YZ125, bored and stroked to 144cc on which I did all the motor work. This thing flies, and I don't think I'll ever be able to sell it.
LappedU
Posts
494
Joined
2/24/2011
Location
Beverly Hills, CA, USA
3/26/2013 10:18am
'81 RM 125 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2013/03/26/1981_RM125_ad_03_MCA_900_650693.jpg[/img]
'81 RM 125

X2 on the 81 RM125, best suspension of the decade, good engine, and good handling, made my 81 YZ125 feel like a tank!
motosmith
Posts
2046
Joined
11/8/2010
Location
Washougal, WA, USA
3/26/2013 10:23am
Maybe not the best bikes I have ridden but definitely the stand out bikes for me, in each class. 1986 RM 80. This thing was a...
Maybe not the best bikes I have ridden but definitely the stand out bikes for me, in each class.
1986 RM 80. This thing was a bad ass. The only thing comparable were the KX80s because the 87 KX 80 especially was pretty bad ass too.


1989 KX 125. I had mine worked over a little and went to A and ProAm on this bike. I could honestly play with just about any bike on the track with this bike including other KX 125's. In its class and at the time, I truly had one of the fastest bikes. Flowing and riding at will with a 125 that had head shake, now that will make you a good rider.

1997 KX 250. This is my all time favorite bike of all the bikes I've owned. It was just an all around good bike with tons of power that had a thrill factor like no other. I had it well after I quit racing competitively but for a play bike, this thing was a missile and tough as a tank. ProAction gave me a set up for this thing and you could get rude air or over jump anything and just laugh at it. I swear I probably could have jumped my house and landed flat. It was amazing. It was a little bulky but it would do anything you wanted to do. Great all around bike. For me, the 97' 98' far outshined any KX up until the 04 model.


Which I also loved the 04 KX 250. This bike just fit me. I kept the both the 97' and the 04' bikes and still ride them now and again. I have an overbore on the 04' and it is awesome.
Yep, I had an 04 KX 250. Awesome motorcycle.

I got hurt and sold it like a dumb ass.
Scott167
Posts
231
Joined
4/17/2012
Location
CA
3/26/2013 10:31am
My 13 450 sx is really standing out from the little I got to ride it in the fall. That and my 07 250sxf was bullet proof. Wasn't the fastest or best handling but that thing took everything thrown at it for 2 solid seasons and was flawless.
Scott167
Posts
231
Joined
4/17/2012
Location
CA
3/26/2013 10:39am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2013 1:32pm
sorry double post
3/26/2013 10:49am
I think they are remembering how good they were compared to everything else available at the time. Like a 93 CR250. Nothing came close to it until the 97 YZ250.
BDOG
Posts
1327
Joined
1/10/2008
Location
Danville, VA, USA
3/26/2013 10:50am
98 and 99 YZ 250'S. Incredible handling motorcycles.
Scott167
Posts
231
Joined
4/17/2012
Location
CA
3/26/2013 10:59am
My 13 450 sx is really standing out from the little I got to ride it in the fall. That and my 07 250sxf was bullet proof. Wasn't the fastest or best handling but that thing took everything thrown at it for 2 solid seasons and was flawless.
3/26/2013 11:02am
Id say my 09 yami 450 or my 13 ktm 450. It has full ohlins, i dont believe it has a weekness
BD233
Posts
406
Joined
1/7/2013
Location
DFW, TX, USA
3/26/2013 12:03pm
2002 YZ250. Perfect in every way for me. I still ride it bone stock...
3/26/2013 12:20pm
Probably my friend's 81 RM125 , my 84 KX125 and my 86 CR250.
I loved the RM's suspension and handling. I wanted one really bad but didnt have the cash at the time.
The KX was super nice - it was set up perfect for me and had a great motor. It made me a better rider because I felt very confident on it.
The CR was set up for the woods and had an awesome motor and suspension. It had a flywheel weight and a Dyno-Port cone pipe, and the suspension was re-valved by C-Cycle. I stupidly sold it to buy an 88 CR250 which I just didnt like as much.
3/26/2013 12:26pm
Yea, bud, I don't think anything is really chiseled in stone on Vital other than:

1. TerryK hates us all
2. OCScottie hates the_Noob
3. BobbyM thinks everyone has semen in their facial hair.
3/26/2013 12:32pm


i think this is mine.very good overall bike with raw power
rallendude
Posts
2203
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
Adger, AL, USA
3/26/2013 12:39pm
To elaborate a little on a previous post, are there any bikes out there that you feel would be competitive in their appropriate classes today? We saw a RMX250 on here the other day that held it's own. What bikes do you feel could still be raced today?

My BEST bike of all time?



The 1986 CR125 was the best bike I ever had. Raced it in MX and HS and trail rode it. Did everything on it. It never let me down and would go anywhere. I would run up on guys on the trail who had fouled a plug (or thought so) swap my plug for theirs and we'd both go back to riding.
uk125250
Posts
3947
Joined
10/4/2009
Location
Gnome, AQ
3/26/2013 1:08pm
Yea, bud, I don't think anything is really chiseled in stone on Vital other than: 1. TerryK hates us all 2. OCScottie hates the_Noob 3. BobbyM...
Yea, bud, I don't think anything is really chiseled in stone on Vital other than:

1. TerryK hates us all
2. OCScottie hates the_Noob
3. BobbyM thinks everyone has semen in their facial hair.
Yea, things get confusing.
BD233
Posts
406
Joined
1/7/2013
Location
DFW, TX, USA
3/26/2013 2:56pm
^^^ Agree 100% The Yamaha steel framed bikes handled awesome. ^^^^^
mumbles
Posts
877
Joined
11/15/2006
Location
Perry, GA, USA
Fantasy
3/26/2013 3:39pm
'81 RM 125 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2013/03/26/1981_RM125_ad_03_MCA_900_650693.jpg[/img]
'81 RM 125

I agree on the 81 RM 125. I had a brand new 82 Honda CR250 and my friend had the 81 RM 125. We were at E Street track in Yuba City during the winter. The track was a little wet and was perfect. We switched bikes as I had never ridden one before. I was 6' and about 190 at the time but as soon as got going on that bike it was like magic. That was the one and only time I actuallly felt like a pro rider. Even when I stopped my friend said I have never seen you go so fast. I think about that ride every now and then.

Another bike I really liked was the 93 Honda CR250. i had one for about a year and wish I would have kept it. best 250 2 stroke motor ever. I know why MC loved that bike.
3/26/2013 6:20pm Edited Date/Time 3/26/2013 6:23pm
DoctorJD wrote:
I know it's not renowned as a great bike, but I loved my 84' CR250. [IMG]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/DoctorJD/CR250R_84.jpg[/IMG]
I know it's not renowned as a great bike, but I loved my 84' CR250.

A friend took me to my second race in '91 at Echeconnee in Georgia. He rode the 250 B class on a new KX. Some guy rolled up to the gate with a thrashed '84 CR250 and went on to beat most of the field. He came in second or third on a full gate. Don't know his name but it was cool as hell to watch.
3/26/2013 6:22pm
'81 RM 125 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2013/03/26/1981_RM125_ad_03_MCA_900_650693.jpg[/img]
'81 RM 125

I owned one of these for a while.. it was clapped out and had a light-switch powerband. I remember the back suspension being GREAT.
3/26/2013 6:24pm Edited Date/Time 3/26/2013 6:37pm
FastEddy wrote:
It's a tie for me between the 87 RM125 & the 88 CR125. 87 RM 125 The stock suspension on these things were great IMO. Like...
It's a tie for me between the 87 RM125 & the 88 CR125.

87 RM 125
The stock suspension on these things were great IMO.
Like a Cadillac. Smile



88 CR 125.
These things had great solid motors and with a 87 head and some pipe mods they were mighty quick.
That top pic is a '85. The '87s had blue engines and yellow fork boots (and I think they came with rear disks that year.. maybe 88).

edit -- 87 RM125 still had a back drum.. the 87 RM250 had a rear disk (I restored one a few years ago).

Here's a nice pic of an '87

3/26/2013 6:31pm
Because I would have killed myself riding a bike like the 2013 KX450F when I was 15 years old. That '85 XR80 was magic for me at that time.

Some bikes stand out through the years.. that's what this thread is really about.. not which is the absolute best bike of all time. Wink

Post a reply to: BEST bikes you've ever ridden?

The Latest