Buy New! or continually improve your Dirtbike

wisey
Posts
365
Joined
2/6/2018
Location
Mission Viejo, CA US
1/16/2024 7:23pm

Expensive used bikes are not easy to sell

Gator 4
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340
Joined
12/31/2021
Location
Southern California, CA US
1/16/2024 7:33pm

Either works.  I used to buy a new Honda every year or two until they stopped with the 2 strokes in 2007.  Now my 2007 CR 125 is 17 years old and still rips like crazy.  New piston now and then and a fork seal or two.  Plenty of inexpensive fun and can still pass a 450 now and then.  lol. 

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AH387
Posts
1632
Joined
8/29/2019
Location
Bridgeville, PA US
1/16/2024 8:41pm

This is always an interesting topic. As I've gotten older and slowed down a bit, my preferences have changed. Most of my life it's been every year or at least every 2 or 3 years. That always seemed to work great for me as far as hours, from a financial standpoint etc. Right now I have 3 mx bikes for different purposes. A 98 YZ250 that I recently bought from a friend (so I know the whole history etc.) I'll keep that as a Vet National bike and to ride at my turn track and single track. I have a 19 YZ125 that is still fresh and my fav play bike. I'm not in a hurry to get a new one. The tough one is my '21 YZ250F. Probably the best overall bike I've owned, for my prefences. I have it pretty dialed and it's almost perfect. I'm at this weird point where I want to do a Twisted dual injector set-up, which I think would be amazing. But then I for sure need to keep it, for it to be worth doing. There is still a part of me that wants to scratch the new bike itch and get a '24 though. But it would be purely for that reason. Because I think I will actually prefer the 21-23 frame with how rough tracks are out here. I think for me, continuing to keep/mod is the way to go right now. But every situation is different. 

BigRedMachine
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692
Joined
1/29/2023
Location
Grants Pass, OR US
1/16/2024 9:19pm Edited Date/Time 1/16/2024 9:24pm
wisey wrote:

Expensive used bikes are not easy to sell

That's not necessarily true, just depends upon what used bike it is.  Put a nice 1981 Maico Mega 2 490 and you'll get a lot of hits on it.  I have a mint 1987 Honda CR500 that I've gotten a lot of offers on, but I just haven't been able to let it go, because I'm afraid I'll have regrets when I'm old, sitting in my Man cave drinking beers with my buddies and wishing I could just put around the yard on it and feel young again.  Us older guys remember the good ol days.   I still have a dream of owning a 1977 Bultaco pursang 250 or 370.  Just something about them that brings back good memories

Bultaco.jpg?VersionId=nuJzCsy4egLQjsNfOS

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wisey
Posts
365
Joined
2/6/2018
Location
Mission Viejo, CA US
1/16/2024 10:04pm
wisey wrote:

Expensive used bikes are not easy to sell

That's not necessarily true, just depends upon what used bike it is.  Put a nice 1981 Maico Mega 2 490 and you'll get a lot of...

That's not necessarily true, just depends upon what used bike it is.  Put a nice 1981 Maico Mega 2 490 and you'll get a lot of hits on it.  I have a mint 1987 Honda CR500 that I've gotten a lot of offers on, but I just haven't been able to let it go, because I'm afraid I'll have regrets when I'm old, sitting in my Man cave drinking beers with my buddies and wishing I could just put around the yard on it and feel young again.  Us older guys remember the good ol days.   I still have a dream of owning a 1977 Bultaco pursang 250 or 370.  Just something about them that brings back good memories

Bultaco.jpg?VersionId=nuJzCsy4egLQjsNfOS

Well yes, some expensive bikes are certainly worth every penny!

 

1/16/2024 11:50pm
Chance1216 wrote:
I’ve held onto my bike for several years. It’s an 01 CR 250. With parts availability becoming the biggest issues, I’m finally looking at purchasing something...

I’ve held onto my bike for several years. It’s an 01 CR 250. With parts availability becoming the biggest issues, I’m finally looking at purchasing something new. I’ve done my best to keep it up but, it’s becoming  a bigger headache each year. 
ADFECFE8-3B83-4277-ADD2-C0EB5568206C.jpeg?VersionId=ZL. NQFklc.bFdQ3T4B910lxJEyOPhp
At the end of the day, it’s still a 23 year old bike. 

sumdood wrote:
Yeah at some point parts become an issue. This is my wifes 90 CR250. It's one of my old race bikes. I've tried to get her...

Yeah at some point parts become an issue. This is my wifes 90 CR250. It's one of my old race bikes. I've tried to get her on a new or even new(er) bike but she wants no part of it. "I love this bike just keep it going" A couple years ago it needed a cdi, after tons of searching we found one on ebay and luckily it worked. Now the bottom frame rails are looking thin, I'm not sure how to tackle that problem yet.  Tell you what though this thing starts 3rd or 4th kick after sitting for months and idles like it's brand new. She lugs and tractors it around in too a high a gear and it never fouls plugs, has never been finicky, it runs good at sea level and runs good in Kennedy meadows at 8,000 feet. She loves it, and I love it too cause it save me thousands that I'd have to spend on a new one LOL. That bike has given us a lot of "Yuck for our Buck" and owes me absolutely nothing. This weekend it had sat for quite awhile, the gas smelled funky and varnishy, I poured in some fresh gas, kicked 3 or 4 times and it settled into a beautiful idle pang pang pang pang. I keep my bikes for several years but not that many. For a 34 year old bike it runs great. SUES CR.jpg?VersionId=kwKjNDJpsqpooUzvAp7pvbTj   SUE CR.jpg?VersionId=Q0Fqb

I had the same bike I always said it was a 90 & it said that on the frame but it was a late month. It had a 91 seat so I think it was a 91. I rebuilt the bottom end. Rad valve , pv& fmf pipe, Answer silencer, Noleen did a great job revalving it. The bike had big hrs on it when I bought it.  I ran it out of the garage & on to the Fox River a few miles to the bay . Downtown Green Bay was open water in the middle. Stay closer to shore 4,5th gear not much ice is needed.  I would do sharp carves then get off the gas. And listen for the echo off the buildings.  I would make it back home make a pizza . Fill up & hit the ice again. I Loved that bike such a great engine & the handling was great. I never washed the front end out. DV12 has 1 also.   Now I just Love my 04,s cr125.  I wouldn’t think of riding another bike. I need to get the DBP mod bike squared away. Trying to make some dough out here so I can race.  Millville 55a if it pays cash or 50a, 125 big gates big fun. Wi. 125 class is my main 1.  But I would like to race 250 c , 30,40b , 2-st a couple times . Then chase points in 125, 50+.  All depends on how the injections go this yr.  If I can run I,m doing some pro ams. Mn. , Wi. Has a short start on concrete if it’s at pine ridge. The ama & the district 16 hv the Pa at 2 different tracks on the same day with the same promoter. Not including Aztalan they get a big gate for there Pa.  If it goes ok red Bud pa.  The 125 class is about the same speed as the 250A  at some tracks. Might as well try to  make some money. 

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js256
Posts
360
Joined
9/14/2022
Location
AU
1/16/2024 11:56pm

Buy the time you spend money on parts fixing up a 2nd hand bike it ends up costing the same for me as anew bike every 2 years. You spend the same amount roughly and always have fresh working equipment

Chance1216
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8422
Joined
4/1/2018
Location
Carson, CA US
1/17/2024 12:55am
r_outsider wrote:
Kind of the same boat as Chance, have my 2002 CR250R I bought new. Never did a lot of mods, just kept it up and did...

Kind of the same boat as Chance, have my 2002 CR250R I bought new. Never did a lot of mods, just kept it up and did some minor tweaks to it over the years. Fairly low hours too. I love that bike, but I need to do a crank seal on it. Checked the crank, clutch plates, stuff like that, everything is still in spec but do you just do it while it's apart or run the old stuff because it's probably still as good or maybe better than what's around?

But yeah, she's still old enough to take to the bar.

If you can, grab a new crank and, seals. Oem is still available (fortunately). 

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Sandusky26
Posts
3393
Joined
7/28/2021
Location
Eastern, NC US
1/17/2024 1:44am
Every 2 years (about engine 50 hours). I stay on the Japanese 4 year update cycle, get good money for my bikes when I sell them...

Every 2 years (about engine 50 hours). I stay on the Japanese 4 year update cycle, get good money for my bikes when I sell them, and don't have to worry about big repairs, or random stuff starting to break. 

So you buy 2 "current gen" Jap bikes every 4 years?

Yup. EG got my 2022 CRF250R for 9,000 OTD. Will sell it for 7,000 once winter is over. I am even selling the FC linkage and...

Yup. EG got my 2022 CRF250R for 9,000 OTD. Will sell it for 7,000 once winter is over. I am even selling the FC linkage and suspension to someone who is going to swap it out for stock stuff for $1,000, so not much loss for that upgrade. Was stock otherwise. 

50 hours is when I would want to do a top end, clutch, suspension service. I can do the clutch, but nothing else, so cheaper to sell and have new everything. 

Might not be for everyone, selling bikes these days is annoying, but overall it works for me. 

I would like to do this myself, I'm tired of losing so much money every time I want to upgrade. My problem is I put about 50 to 60 hours a year on a bike. I hate selling bikes, so I run mine to about 100 and end up giving it away.

1
1/17/2024 5:10am
r_outsider wrote:
Kind of the same boat as Chance, have my 2002 CR250R I bought new. Never did a lot of mods, just kept it up and did...

Kind of the same boat as Chance, have my 2002 CR250R I bought new. Never did a lot of mods, just kept it up and did some minor tweaks to it over the years. Fairly low hours too. I love that bike, but I need to do a crank seal on it. Checked the crank, clutch plates, stuff like that, everything is still in spec but do you just do it while it's apart or run the old stuff because it's probably still as good or maybe better than what's around?

But yeah, she's still old enough to take to the bar.

I watched 02 red Bud a few days ago. I forgot how awesome RC,s cr250 sounded. Holeshot against 550 ktm was impressive. There was 4 cr125,s at the track last yr.  I always get people asking what yr is that bike . Man that thing sounds good.  Stock 04 with a new coil & ikat, runs best with the stock pipe & a shorty. It pulls new 125,s out of corners with a steep hill.  

1/20/2024 4:31pm
I bought my 03 CR125 for $900 a few years ago, and another one again for $900. Parted out one and in the end got a...

I bought my 03 CR125 for $900 a few years ago, and another one again for $900. Parted out one and in the end got a free bike, fully rebuilt. But as others have mentioned, parts are less common and I am getting more problems now. It is probably due for another overhaul.

Went and picked up a brand new CRF250R and it is the best. Amazing bike. The riding experience is so much more enjoyable. I love the 125 but the 250 is such a better bike; no amount of work would get it to the same level. And I would have purchased second hand however the prices are sky high; rather spend an extra grand and go new. Also, Honda offered $1200 off.

mvd61 wrote:

You need the double boost port for the 125. Pro125? Help this guy out. 

The power wasn't too bad. The CR is down on power compared to basically.... any other 125 (even the 98 I had) but still heaps of fun. The problem is newer tracks mean the 125 has to work, and I am not at a Carson Brown level to seat bounce a 80 ft double right out of a corner. Also, I never bothered fitting the Keihin Airstryker and just put up with the Mikuni (which works alright-ish as long as it is pinned). Still think the 250 is so much better.

I should also mentioned the Aussie dollar is way down and the days of buying from MotoSport (the golden age of the $30 shipping) are over. So engine overhauls for $400 won't ever happen again! With that said, I have a box of new parts, mostly OEM, from those days. But a current day overhaul would cost a fortune.

1/22/2024 1:21am

IMG 6248.jpeg?VersionId=FwikIMG 62443BE1FD99-86CC-4D62-924C-0EDBE3B450F9.jpeg?VersionId=V9D5e3R8QSad6G85DtgsWccRCZkqD2FD0C4E-DBEB-431C-A3D8-CEFA2077B79F.jpeg?VersionId=I
I took some years off and came across this 2001 KX125 in a customer of mines barn rotting away, $250 later I loaded it up in my truck and spent 2 years rebuilding it, I put waaaay to much money into but have never had a bike as nice as this one. I’m still currently riding it and it’s a blast to ride, but maintence on it can be a pain sometimes. When I bought it i didn’t realize cylinders, cranks and some other things aren’t avalible for these anymore so only choice I had was send crank to be rebuilt, cylinder replated (which is better than the stock cylinder bore coating anyways, of course some of the stud threads pulled so bad to have some helicoils installed). I like to race but this bike in stock form isn’t very competitive and needs some engine mods to pick up the slack, I’m currently debating on whether to sell it or bore it to a 134 and keep it and build a 250 2 stroke, or just buy a freshie (probably honda 250f). 

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