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A good rider on a 2t 250 will smoke some scrub on a 4t 450.
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When I saw that video of Grant recently where he jumped about the length of the stadium in two jumps, and he was more like an airplane than a motorcycle- I was glad I am not trying to race on these modern bikes and tracks. Especially when he faced the landing. We're starting to exceed what the human body can handle.
Racing has always been dangerous but in the old days the tracks were slower, they didn't spend 60% of the time in the air, and the bikes were lighter and less powerful. I don't have any solid data, but the gnarly injuries seem to be much more frequent these days.
Douche bag guy who calls your number to the gate starts talking shit. Saying the near stock 06 cr 250 he was riding was like bringing a knife to a gun fight. My friend got 3rd overall went 2nd n 3rd for his motos and he hadn't ridden in a long time wasn't even his bike borrowed it from my other friend.
My buddy and I were talking today. In 1998 he was borrowing a 1996 YZ125 from the Yamaha shop he worked at while his 94 was having a tranny issue. Both bikes got stolen. The owner made him pay back the $2500 the 1996 was priced at. He then bought a used 1997 YZ125 the shop took in on trade for $2500. He paid them both off within a year while making $5.15/hour. $2500 in 1998 equates to approximately $3800 in 2018 money. For $3800 today you'll buy a 2 - 3 year old 250F that needs a lot of work. You're more than likely buying a used 125 and sinking a grand into it to get on the track for $3800.
My point is that once upon a time your money bought you more and put you on the track easier. Now a kid working at a Yamaha shop can't afford to buy one of them on minimum wage. You're kind of left buying a 5 year old bike that needs the attention of someone who isn't just starting out.
Its ironic that so many 2 stroke lovers say how inferior their beloved 2 strokes are to the 4 strokes, then can't understand why OEMs and elite racing teams push for them..
Also, find it weird that people on here keep mentioning this peer pressure to have the latest greatest or "coolest" 4 stroke bike when many seem to put a higher value and cool factor on old 2 strokes now a days.
I think the real issue with the four-strokes are the speeds and jumps the bikes are capable of. The crashes and injuries tend to be more severe. Why take a sport that is dangerous and make it more dangerous? How does this benefit the participants and industry?
Once at a local indoor track I was doing a moto and saw a young guy on a YZ250f with his elbows down and almost stopping in the corners. He was surely a beginner, but still doing all the jumps. Lo and behold he ragdolled a few minutes later on a single to tabletop. I had to help his dad load up his bike, and felt bad for both of them. The young guy looked to have dislocated his shoulder.
I don't think the kid would have been jumping everything on a 125, and may have kept it on two-wheels while building skills and confidence. Maybe, maybe not...
Pit Row
This price point IMO is more troublesome for the 125 buyer. I see a ton of ragged 125s that were actually raced (and raced hard) out there as compared to a 250F a kid bought because he likes Eli Tomac, or someone who decided to try racing but its not for them, or a practice rider type).
For guys like you and me $3800 buys you a good 2012 - 2014 YZ250, a new set of tires, and a new top end that we install ourselves and we can go race, ride, or just stare at the bike. Or you could get a 3 year old 450 in pretty good shape (I sold a 2014 CRF450R with 15 legit hours on it last fall for $4500).
No way Id be ok with riding that bike without freshing up bearings and suspension but thats bc i actually jump and ride a bike at a lot different pace then he does so any bike i ride has to be in a lot better shape then what he requires.
Funny story about that too is the first time he hoped on it he about shit his pants and said its crazy how much power it had. I laughed my ass off
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