2 stroke or 4 stroke. Dont hate me please.

Ranchorat
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Ranchorat
Edited Date/Time 4/10/2020 6:03pm
I've been riding for a decade. I'm 30 yrs old, waiver between 210-230lbs. In Good shape. I ride an ATK605 and ride trails and desert mostly. But I want to get into riding motocross. Not competition but just for fun.

I dont need a 450.. I know that.. but should I go 125cc 2smoke? 250cc 2smoke? 250 4t? I want to be able to fix the bike if I need. I am decent with mechanics but not swimming in $. I want to have fun but dont need a new bike. I've been seeing mid 90s to early 2000s 2strokes that are in my budget.

Ide love some input. (Picture of my ATK605 for attention)


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Last Braaap
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Last Braaap 2/14/2020 12:04am
2/14/2020 12:04am
You need to say the budget you have, bro.

But if you are looking into the 2000-2005 bikes i would wager for 250 2-stroke. early 4-strokes were PIA. If you are looking into 90's bikes i would not look there at all if you don't have money for full proper restoration.

Long story short: If you are really fit dude with big cojones you should buy 250 2-stroke and have a blast.
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Ranchorat
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Ranchorat 2/14/2020 12:15am
2/14/2020 12:15am
Last Braaap wrote:
You need to say the budget you have, bro. But if you are looking into the 2000-2005 bikes i would wager for 250 2-stroke. early 4-strokes...
You need to say the budget you have, bro.

But if you are looking into the 2000-2005 bikes i would wager for 250 2-stroke. early 4-strokes were PIA. If you are looking into 90's bikes i would not look there at all if you don't have money for full proper restoration.

Long story short: If you are really fit dude with big cojones you should buy 250 2-stroke and have a blast.
$2k tops
sumdood
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sumdood 2/14/2020 12:20am
2/14/2020 12:20am
'06 & up YZ250.
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#434
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#434 2/14/2020 12:55am
2/14/2020 12:55am
Yepp, for that budget a 250 2 stroke. Buy one, do a top end, check everything, buy ten air filters and have fun for the next 70 hours. If it hits to hard add a flywheel weight.
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blockhead17
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blockhead17 2/14/2020 1:14am
2/14/2020 1:14am
Get a 3 stroke!
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duckdog77
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duckdog77 2/14/2020 1:27am
2/14/2020 1:27am
Agree on a 2K budget I’d opt for a 250 2 stroke.

If you take money out of the equation I have found I prefer a 2 stroke for woods/off road riding, and a 4 stroke for MX. So in a perfect world I’d have both and one set up for each!
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Buzzard167
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Buzzard167 2/14/2020 5:09am
2/14/2020 5:09am
YZ250 sounds right up your alley.
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Denn700
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Denn700 2/14/2020 6:07am
2/14/2020 6:07am
If you weigh more than 210 pounds and have riding experience I would get a 450.
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bierbower105
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bierbower105 2/14/2020 6:17am
2/14/2020 6:17am
Another vote YZ250.
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motomike894
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motomike894 2/14/2020 7:19am
2/14/2020 7:19am
For that budget a yz or rm two stroke, I would not even mess with buying any used four stroke that is older and that cheap unless you plan on going thru the entire bike and spending lot of money at some point.

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mx_563
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mx_563 2/14/2020 7:24am
2/14/2020 7:24am
I ride a YZ250 now, and I've had plenty of 2-stroke 250s as well as a few 450 thumpers. I love the YZ250. Most versatile bike I've had.

BUT....if you are coming off a Rotax powered big bore 4-stroke, the 2-stroke is going to feel extremely foreign to you. I'm not sure you will enjoy it like seasoned 2-stroke riders do.
So in terms of your comfort and confidence transitioning to MX from trail riding, I'd have to say the 250 4T might be the better choice.

The problem is that most 250 thumpers in your budget are going to be thrashed and engine repairs can be expensive. But if you are patient and keep your ear to the ground, you can still find some gems out there.

If you do get the 2-stroke, invest in a flywheel weight. It'll make the transition from the 605 a little easier.

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Ranchorat
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Ranchorat 2/14/2020 8:03am
2/14/2020 8:03am
Sounds like a pretty resounding point for a yz250 2smoke. I will keep you all updated on my pick.
side-pipe
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side-pipe 2/14/2020 8:12am
2/14/2020 8:12am
Just make sure you have that 2k in hand and are ready to jump if an 05 or newer pops up. Most people think and 05ish bike is worth the same as a say,,,,, a 2015ish bike.

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sumdood
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sumdood 2/14/2020 8:22am
2/14/2020 8:22am
side-pipe wrote:
Just make sure you have that 2k in hand and are ready to jump if an 05 or newer pops up. Most people think and 05ish...
Just make sure you have that 2k in hand and are ready to jump if an 05 or newer pops up. Most people think and 05ish bike is worth the same as a say,,,,, a 2015ish bike.

I'd go 04 or earlier or 06 or later. 05 was the first year aluminum frame but had non sss forks. The steel frames worked better with the old style forks. (IMO) 06 and up have the sss forks.
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Ranchorat
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Ranchorat 2/14/2020 8:23am
2/14/2020 8:23am
Sounds like a pretty resounding point for a yz250 2smoke. I will keep you all updated on my pick.
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ElliotB16
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ElliotB16 2/14/2020 8:24am
2/14/2020 8:24am
450. Everybody needs a 450
Ranchorat
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Ranchorat 2/14/2020 8:25am
2/14/2020 8:25am
mx_563 wrote:
I ride a YZ250 now, and I've had plenty of 2-stroke 250s as well as a few 450 thumpers. I love the YZ250. Most versatile bike...
I ride a YZ250 now, and I've had plenty of 2-stroke 250s as well as a few 450 thumpers. I love the YZ250. Most versatile bike I've had.

BUT....if you are coming off a Rotax powered big bore 4-stroke, the 2-stroke is going to feel extremely foreign to you. I'm not sure you will enjoy it like seasoned 2-stroke riders do.
So in terms of your comfort and confidence transitioning to MX from trail riding, I'd have to say the 250 4T might be the better choice.

The problem is that most 250 thumpers in your budget are going to be thrashed and engine repairs can be expensive. But if you are patient and keep your ear to the ground, you can still find some gems out there.

If you do get the 2-stroke, invest in a flywheel weight. It'll make the transition from the 605 a little easier.

I hear you. Excuse my ignorance, but what will the flywheel weight do for me?

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mattyhamz2 2/14/2020 8:32am
2/14/2020 8:32am
side-pipe wrote:
Just make sure you have that 2k in hand and are ready to jump if an 05 or newer pops up. Most people think and 05ish...
Just make sure you have that 2k in hand and are ready to jump if an 05 or newer pops up. Most people think and 05ish bike is worth the same as a say,,,,, a 2015ish bike.

sumdood wrote:
I'd go 04 or earlier or 06 or later. 05 was the first year aluminum frame but had non sss forks. The steel frames worked better...
I'd go 04 or earlier or 06 or later. 05 was the first year aluminum frame but had non sss forks. The steel frames worked better with the old style forks. (IMO) 06 and up have the sss forks.
Those forks were still really good though. I took the set of 05 forks I had on my 98 and threw them on the 05 I bought from you because they were already setup for me by N2Dirt and they were just as good as the 06+ forks.

OP, even if you find an 05 and don't like the forks, I do see 06+ forks pop up for sale around the $300 mark.
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mattyhamz2 2/14/2020 8:35am
2/14/2020 8:35am
mx_563 wrote:
I ride a YZ250 now, and I've had plenty of 2-stroke 250s as well as a few 450 thumpers. I love the YZ250. Most versatile bike...
I ride a YZ250 now, and I've had plenty of 2-stroke 250s as well as a few 450 thumpers. I love the YZ250. Most versatile bike I've had.

BUT....if you are coming off a Rotax powered big bore 4-stroke, the 2-stroke is going to feel extremely foreign to you. I'm not sure you will enjoy it like seasoned 2-stroke riders do.
So in terms of your comfort and confidence transitioning to MX from trail riding, I'd have to say the 250 4T might be the better choice.

The problem is that most 250 thumpers in your budget are going to be thrashed and engine repairs can be expensive. But if you are patient and keep your ear to the ground, you can still find some gems out there.

If you do get the 2-stroke, invest in a flywheel weight. It'll make the transition from the 605 a little easier.

Ranchorat wrote:
I hear you. Excuse my ignorance, but what will the flywheel weight do for me?
Basically makes the power more 4 stroke like. Most guys love them. I've never ridden with them before, but I enjoy the power of a 250 smoker just the way it is.
mxrose3
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mxrose3 2/14/2020 9:07am
2/14/2020 9:07am
Ranchorat wrote:
I hear you. Excuse my ignorance, but what will the flywheel weight do for me?
Have you ever ridden a modern 2 stroke 250 motocross bike? Most younger people who have ridden 4 strokes there entire life don't like the 'abruptness' of a 2 stroke powerband.
I don't have a problem with it, but I've ridden 2 strokes all my life.
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Brap!
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Brap! 2/14/2020 9:19am
2/14/2020 9:19am
YZ250’s are the best. Versatile, easy to work on, unlimited parts availability. They’re just a good bike.

Good luck finding a used one in the 2k range. They tend to hold value, with most sellers looking for around 3k for even 05’s and 06’s with hundreds of hours. Certainly not as bad as used KTM’s, but still ridiculous.
Sheriff245 2/14/2020 9:25am
2/14/2020 9:25am
Ranchorat wrote:
I hear you. Excuse my ignorance, but what will the flywheel weight do for me?
It will made inertia to the crank. What that does is it makes the engine rev slower but makes it feel more torquey and tractable. It also makes it harder to stall.

In other words, it makes the bike easier to ride, especially for a rider coming from the 4 stroke world.
dadofagun
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dadofagun 2/14/2020 9:28am
2/14/2020 9:28am
Ranchorat wrote:
Sounds like a pretty resounding point for a yz250 2smoke. I will keep you all updated on my pick.
They are fantastic bikes.
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hanzhongluboy
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hanzhongluboy 2/14/2020 9:30am
2/14/2020 9:30am
2k for a good YZ is gonna be tough, esp in Cali. Good luck though.
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Matt Fisher 2/14/2020 9:36am
2/14/2020 9:36am
Don't pass up a good CR or RM 250.
The RM's have the hardest hitting power of the three, but their ability to carve a corner is excellent.
The 02+ CR250's have arguably the best chassis and have a milder feeling powerband with lots of top-end pull when you rev them. Not as snappy as the YZ or RM, but coming from a big thumper that might not be a bad thing.
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loftyair
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loftyair 2/14/2020 9:41am
2/14/2020 9:41am
sumdood wrote:
I'd go 04 or earlier or 06 or later. 05 was the first year aluminum frame but had non sss forks. The steel frames worked better...
I'd go 04 or earlier or 06 or later. 05 was the first year aluminum frame but had non sss forks. The steel frames worked better with the old style forks. (IMO) 06 and up have the sss forks.
This
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The_Major
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The_Major 2/14/2020 10:11am
2/14/2020 10:11am
Yz 250t
Hman144
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Hman144 2/14/2020 4:08pm
2/14/2020 4:08pm
Gonna throw in my vote for an early 2000's KTM 300. Very tractable power, doesn't hit like a 250, but plenty of sing. Adding a flywheel weight not needed. Most used ones are going to be ex-vet bikes, so they may not be as thrashed as a 250 mxer.

Won't be as sharp of a carver as a YZ or RM, but coming off that ATK you'll think it's a surgical scalpel.
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Ranchorat
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Ranchorat 2/14/2020 4:34pm
2/14/2020 4:34pm
Hman144 wrote:
Gonna throw in my vote for an early 2000's KTM 300. Very tractable power, doesn't hit like a 250, but plenty of sing. Adding a flywheel...
Gonna throw in my vote for an early 2000's KTM 300. Very tractable power, doesn't hit like a 250, but plenty of sing. Adding a flywheel weight not needed. Most used ones are going to be ex-vet bikes, so they may not be as thrashed as a 250 mxer.

Won't be as sharp of a carver as a YZ or RM, but coming off that ATK you'll think it's a surgical scalpel.
I've seen a few of these around my parts! How are they maintenance wise? Same as most other 2 strokes?

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