KTM/Kawasaki/Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha

All good machines, pick your favorite color and let er' fly. Me, KTM. I like orange. Jap bike, Kaw, just what I've always had. Although I've owned several of each through the years, and wouldn't be afraid to buy any of them again.

I've honestly never owned a dirt bike that wasn't a Honda...my dad either (street bikes are a different story...Triumph, Suzuki, Yamaha, etc).

Partly brand loyalty,and the other reason is that in the town where I grew up, the Honda dealer was he best (best prices, best service, best inventory), so we always just went there first...and I've just carried it over.

I've been trying to talk myself no KTM 300 XC for several years (not the switching brands part, but trying to talk myself into spending the money)....

Suzuki all the way

kawi and honda

Mostly depends on if you (still) have a great dealership that cares about motocross.

Pick whatever they sell. If you have the choice of multiple brands, at good dealers in your area, then you have a fun challenge!

They are all good! No, they are all better than any of us on this board!

If you want seriously powerful motors... KTM 2 or 4 stroke. Just really fast. Recent articles say the 250SX outhandles the new crop of 450's hands down.
Kawi also fast 450, good handling but porky
Suzuki, great handling, had some reliability issues in the past.
Honda, 450 lighter than the rest? 09 was problematic. Whatever you do dont google search 09 CRF450 problems... lol. don't know about the 10.
Yami, yz250 great. 450 weighs a ton, but everyone seems to like it. backwards is the new forward.

Pick a color or flip a coin.Better yet go ride them and decide for yourself.

Never listen to magazine reviews they will never tell you anything bad with a bike since the bike makers write their paychecks. Major conflict there.

If you are considering a 2 stroke, which you should be, dont listen to anyone in the industry especially a magazine. Two strokes are perfect for 99.9% of everyone who rides and races. If you are a fully sponsored pro and can get free bikes ride a 450.

If you want to go slow but still spend tons of money on your motor regularly, buy any 250F.

I'm a Kaw / Honda guy, too.

Nothing else ever felt right.

love them suzuki's.....

I like the Suzi, have had a couple of them.....450 and now 250 2t, I have rm 65, rm 85.

I hade yz250 and kx250 in the past. did not like the feel of the yz. But it is all personal preferance at this point, like most said find a dealer in your area that supports the sport and go with them.

I've been on Suzukis since 75 with the JR 50's. My 1st bike was a 73 indian peewee 50cc .With the exception of a few years (because the suzuki wasnt a competitive bike that year) I've been on RM's every since 75. Not because they're better or worse but more because I fear change..lol I currently have an 08 rmz250 and I love it. In all honesty I think they're all great bikes now right out of the crate and the fact that I can't ride any bike as fast at it can be ridden I think it really doesn't matter.

I prefer orange and yellow. I have ridden pretty much everything and never really felt comfortable on anything else. My first bike was a Kawasaki. Some of them I don't like just because of the engineering.

I've only ever rode KTM's except for a PeeWee 50. But I'll be making the switch to Yamaha when the 2011's come out, hoping the 250f is EFI.

My Dad has rode Yamaha's over his 40 yrs + of riding and very rarely had problems with them.

Order from best to worst... Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM, Honda.

I like the reliability of blue.

2010 Yamis are looking quite spiffy. Still no match for old reliable though.....

I've always raced CR 250 & 500's, had Suzuki road bikes RGV 250 &TLR1000 and I,ve got aYammy on the back of my offshore fishing boat .But.... I'd never buy a Suzuki dirt bike,I,d . never have a Honda outboard ,and I've had a couple of Yamaha musical instruments I used to have a Kawa KLR 250 trailbike but it was a shitbox ,had an XR 250 (good) and a XR600 (good). I think Yamaha make the head on my car....... Suzuki outboards are really popular in OZ, so are KTMs .....,road bikes are 4 strokes -dirt bikes are 2 strokes....,my first bike was a Honda...XR 75 and my favourite bike was a 97 CR250 McGrath was wrong about them! My 83 YZ 490 vibrated a lot but my 83 YZ 250 was a pretty good bike (good bottem end power) ,my 83 XR 200 was a bit slow and the suspension was a bit soft ,but it was better for rounding up the cows for milking than a quad bike. I hope this helps with your question and makes your next purchase a bit easier....

When KTM gets the linkage on more then just one bike it may be a coin flip but until then japs have advantage.

No love for Harbor Freight bikes? You people are clueless!!



Kaw would be my second choice!

Please explain the advantage.

The motor

Maico, and ATK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best bike is the one that fits you best. As for me, I rode yamahas from 2002 when I started riding through most of this past year. The 125 and 250f I had were good bikes, but I needed a change. Now I'm on a 2010 250SX and couldn't be happier. Who needs linkage, anyway?

My first choice with the current batch would be Kawasaki. Second choice woud be close for me, and I would probably take a Zuk 250F or a YZ450. Honda would be my last choice and KTM is NOT even an option for me.

But as I said.... Kawasaki all the way right now... 250F or 450F IMO