Ultra Budget 250 2T build help?

Edited Date/Time 1/25/2016 8:52am
So honestly I can't afford a bike these days, but I'm not going to let that stop me. Looking to build a 250 2-stroke on the ULTRA cheap. I'm happy to rebuild and I'm sure I'd be upgrading along the line. So what do you guys think. What would the least expensive foundation bike be? Not really looking for a mid-nineties turd as I'm sure it would take as much time/money to rebuild that as a 2000's bike.
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MxKing809
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Fantasy
1/22/2016 9:54pm
eBay search each brand.....

There are a BILLION Yz and Cr parts, and there are large batches of Yz's that take identical parts. I'd shoot for a 05+ Yz/Cr
TeamGreen
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1/22/2016 9:59pm
Pre 2010 YZ250.

Good Luck!
1/22/2016 10:37pm
You can pick up 05-10 yz250s for really reasonable prices!
Cygnus
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1/22/2016 10:42pm Edited Date/Time 1/22/2016 10:45pm
Definetly get a complete bike for a budget rebuild. Trying to build from a frame can get very expensive. CR or RM is what id look for. The 2006-7 RM's were great handling machines.

The Shop

VET176
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1/22/2016 11:09pm
I bought a 06 YZ250 for $800. Spent another $800 on her to get it running. Reckon I have saved $2000 easy.

Parts are cheap and plentful even down here.

1/23/2016 1:33am
If you're smart about it you can save money. For example, getting cheaper wheel bearings from a bearing shop. Typically with rebuilding your own bikes though, the first rebuild is expensive (getting tools and stuff) and subsequent rebuilds are cheaper. I would say keep an eye out for post-00 CR250s and post-02 RM250s and post-2006 YZ250s a they seem to retain the most value. It seems even a well looked after 90s bike won't fetch much money even if it's mechanically A1 unless it is ultra pristine and basically restored, whereas the it's different for those bikes I mentioned. Also, parts for those newer bikes will be common.
CrGuy2T
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1/23/2016 3:01am
00-03 cr 250 or 01-04 rm 250. You should beable to pick either on of those bikes up running for about 1500. Possibly in riding condition. I guess a lot depends on where you live too. As far as ultra budget not sure how much your really wanting to spend. Here in Texas you could get a bike for that price probably ready to ride monies tires and top end.
reded
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1/23/2016 5:16am
My stepson brought this chunk of shit home last winter, all smiles on his face for finding a bike for $800. It was worth half that.


I put another $1100 into it rebuilding the top end and suspension, all new bearings throughout the bike, rebuilt the brakes, new plastic, seat cover, grips, levers, chain/sprockets, tires and new hardware where an old bolt had either been replaced with non OEM or was just plain junked.

I stripped the wheels and polished them back out while replacing some bent or missing spokes and trying them up.

All of the new parts where bought off of eBay or online moto shops who were having a clearance on the stuff I needed.

It turned out to be a nice little bike that he's proud of.






AS64
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1/23/2016 5:41am
TeamGreen wrote:
Pre 2010 YZ250.

Good Luck!
*Pre 2011
Bruce372
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1/23/2016 6:08am
Any late model yz250. They are still in production even 8 years after they stopped making the kx, rm and cr. Plus,they are really good bikes and reliable.

Since so many yz250s have been made there are a lot of parts available.
pete24
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1/23/2016 6:09am
a lot of guys say start with an rm 250 , id stay away from the Suzuki because they have bubble gum tranmissions and clutches, which if your looking for , on the cheap, that those parts will suk up lots of money, go with older Hondas, or Yamahas, and dont be afraid to get something late 90s, just look for something with low hours those bikes are out there, i have a 99 yz 250 that i got real cheap and i race it when its muddy or snowing and tell the truth i dont do any worse on that than my 16 yz

Question
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1/23/2016 6:23am Edited Date/Time 1/23/2016 6:24am
Any YZ from 1996.

Then buy it at a price that is correct based on the condition (i.e. engine running, gear box ok, etc). Most people pay attention to cosmetics things (graphics, plastics); a totally washed up bike with an engine that has never been maintained can easily be hidden. So check more for instance the wheels, a bent subframe, or if the swingarm is highly impacted, those are more correct indicators about how the bike has been ridden. Chain, disk, pipe, spokes, are good to look at to save money on aftermarket parts too, to check if some maintenance has been done. Then in all cases you never fully know, to have a 2nd hand bike with a fresh cylinder is like a head or tales.
Bruce372
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1/23/2016 6:26am
pete24 wrote:
a lot of guys say start with an rm 250 , id stay away from the Suzuki because they have bubble gum tranmissions and clutches, which...
a lot of guys say start with an rm 250 , id stay away from the Suzuki because they have bubble gum tranmissions and clutches, which if your looking for , on the cheap, that those parts will suk up lots of money, go with older Hondas, or Yamahas, and dont be afraid to get something late 90s, just look for something with low hours those bikes are out there, i have a 99 yz 250 that i got real cheap and i race it when its muddy or snowing and tell the truth i dont do any worse on that than my 16 yz

Yep, listen to this guy. Rm250s are really hard to find I good condition
jmc2
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Gilbert, AZ US
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1/23/2016 8:14am
reded wrote:
My stepson brought this chunk of shit home last winter, all smiles on his face for finding a bike for $800. It was worth half that...
My stepson brought this chunk of shit home last winter, all smiles on his face for finding a bike for $800. It was worth half that.


I put another $1100 into it rebuilding the top end and suspension, all new bearings throughout the bike, rebuilt the brakes, new plastic, seat cover, grips, levers, chain/sprockets, tires and new hardware where an old bolt had either been replaced with non OEM or was just plain junked.

I stripped the wheels and polished them back out while replacing some bent or missing spokes and trying them up.

All of the new parts where bought off of eBay or online moto shops who were having a clearance on the stuff I needed.

It turned out to be a nice little bike that he's proud of.






Well done, good looking bike.
Falcon
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1/23/2016 9:15am
The YZ went to a new plastic scheme in 2002. They added an aluminum frame in 2005, but all the bolt holes are the same. Then the '06 added the luscious SSS fork. All those models and even the ones right up to 2016 have essentially the same engine. Truthfully, any YZ from '02 onward could be made to run like a brand new 2016. You could even bolt up the airbox and plastics from a '16 and make it look modern. (not as cheap, obviously.)
kevkx125
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1/23/2016 9:20am
2000's KX,CR,YZ For sure parts are a plenty!!
cayman
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1/23/2016 9:31am
Found a very well maintained '03 YZ and I was surprised how well it works and how "modern" it still feels (except for the front brake).
1/23/2016 9:32am
02-04 yz250. Tons of parts on ebay. Those steel frame bikes sell for a lot cheaper than 05+ aluminum ones. Some argue the steel frame models handle better too. 06+ with the SSS suspension have a pretty good jump in price around here (Central CA).

Another thought, RM parts are expensive, avoid unless you find a super great deal.
mark_swart
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Chapin, SC US
1/23/2016 10:53am
garagedog wrote:
02-04 yz250. Tons of parts on ebay. Those steel frame bikes sell for a lot cheaper than 05+ aluminum ones. Some argue the steel frame models...
02-04 yz250. Tons of parts on ebay. Those steel frame bikes sell for a lot cheaper than 05+ aluminum ones. Some argue the steel frame models handle better too. 06+ with the SSS suspension have a pretty good jump in price around here (Central CA).

Another thought, RM parts are expensive, avoid unless you find a super great deal.
I was thinking the same thing. Have a friend with an 02 and with suspension updates it could have been awesome. He did the SSS conversion but I never got to ride it after that. These bikes are under the radar but very good.
Hcallz5
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1/23/2016 1:01pm
02-04 YZ would be a good bet. A few years ago I found an 02 with probably less than 10 hours on it, it still had all the warning stickers on the fenders. I came back the next day with the $1500 and the guy had just sold it.

Then later on that summer I found a mint '07 for $2500. The guy got three different calls on the bike while I was loading it up. Muahaha

Good luck man just be patient.
1/24/2016 11:13am
Thanks for the input guys. I'd love an RM250, but it sound like the parts would be expensive, especially since whatever bike i find is going to need more than a bit of work. Leaning towards a 2002+ CR250 now I think. Now if I can just find one I can afford...
Pepsi
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GB
1/24/2016 12:04pm
Thanks for the input guys. I'd love an RM250, but it sound like the parts would be expensive, especially since whatever bike i find is going...
Thanks for the input guys. I'd love an RM250, but it sound like the parts would be expensive, especially since whatever bike i find is going to need more than a bit of work. Leaning towards a 2002+ CR250 now I think. Now if I can just find one I can afford...
I've had a YZ250 for a few years now, parts are so easy to come by. In the long run It'll be more fun, more snappy than a CR250.
1/24/2016 2:23pm
I guess it's going to come down to what pops up cheap near me. How are you guys finding $800 bikes in any condition. Seems like I'm finding blown-up dissembled bikes for $1300ish
Andrew337
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1/24/2016 3:56pm
I'll vote for a YZ. I bought this '02 a year and a half ago and did a quickie rebuild to make it rideable and presentable. Since then I have slowly acquired nice parts when I have some extra cash. YZs are easy, so many parts out there with a lot of interchangeability and backwards compatibility of the new bikes.



NHtoWA421
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Bremerton, WA US
1/24/2016 4:25pm
i love me some RM's, but no matter how many i buy, every one i have owned, from my '98 250, '00 250, '02 125, '15 rmz all have pretty shitty feeling trannies.
colintrax
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1/24/2016 4:40pm
If you can't afford a bike then don't buy one. As in, if you're gonna need to use the credit card, the bike can wait. I've been there and life goes on.
Now if you're broke, but legitimately have the money for a bike. I'd suggest a yz250 like everyone else has. Cheap parts, and a good bike.
You're better to invest money in a good helmet and boots than getting something newer. The c class can be won on a 1970 kawasaki 100 if you're fast enough. So don't skip on the gear.
1/24/2016 6:35pm
So I have all the "right" gear etc. from racing mountain bikes pretty competitively. MX has to be a second priority and yeah honestly, if I can't pay cash I can't afford it right now. I have a lot of money tied up in paying off past debt, going back to school etc. I just can't really ignore how much I really want to get back riding moto though.
MxKing809
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Fantasy
1/24/2016 6:57pm Edited Date/Time 1/24/2016 6:59pm
So I have all the "right" gear etc. from racing mountain bikes pretty competitively. MX has to be a second priority and yeah honestly, if I...
So I have all the "right" gear etc. from racing mountain bikes pretty competitively. MX has to be a second priority and yeah honestly, if I can't pay cash I can't afford it right now. I have a lot of money tied up in paying off past debt, going back to school etc. I just can't really ignore how much I really want to get back riding moto though.
Wait on the right bike. I bought this CR for 600 bucks. It was completely black with Monster graphics.... it wasn't on a budget, but I could have done a brand new oem jug, top end, and crank rebuild for $1100 OTD.




Find a blown up 250 for 1k, offer him 800 and put 600 into OEM parts.

The problem now-a-days is everyone can buy a Nemura top end and rebuild a sketchy cylinder for $78 and flip these bikes.
mattman631
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Mcalester, OK US
1/24/2016 7:16pm
I've built several bike over the past few years. 05 YZ250, 05 YZ125 and most recent 07 RM250. My advise is go with the 02-up Yamaha. So many parts available. It's really hard to find RM parts these days. No aftermarket company makes hubs that o can find. FMF and PC don't make the trick silencers for them like they do the YZ. Regardless of how "budget" you set out to be, you will probably end up spending thousands of dollars over time when you see parts here and there...ask me how I know..
ginger969
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1/24/2016 7:52pm
Andrew337 wrote:
I'll vote for a YZ. I bought this '02 a year and a half ago and did a quickie rebuild to make it rideable and presentable...
I'll vote for a YZ. I bought this '02 a year and a half ago and did a quickie rebuild to make it rideable and presentable. Since then I have slowly acquired nice parts when I have some extra cash. YZs are easy, so many parts out there with a lot of interchangeability and backwards compatibility of the new bikes.



she purdyyyyy

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