Posts
1677
Joined
4/15/2019
Location
League City, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
5/1/2019 5:26am
At 63 I recently bought a Honda 2019 CRF250F. Found out real quick trails bikes are not my deal. Although a good fit to get my legs back under me. Even though I am 63, I still remember my youth racing motocross.
Didn't take my long to realize I know nothing about trail bikes. Dang trees, rocks and slick ass East Texas pine needles are sure enough dangerous and not my deal.
I plan to keep the CRF250F, its it fun and trail bike or not, quite impressive. So my plan is to get something I can get back to the track on. Give my self a reason to get back into shape. Although hunting and bass fishing is fun, I would love to smell a two stroke.
With all that said, I could go out and buy a new YZ but I want to make sure I am not to far over the hill along with my wife that would not understand I just dropped dime on a trial bike and now something else. Along with my bass fishing, hunting, guitars, guns and you name it.
My plan is to buy something used. Decent but used. My gut tells my to buy a CRF250R. One part of me says buy a good used YZ250, the other part says make the best of my money and buy an RMZ450.
The good part, I am in no hurry, I have to get in better shape. I've let my self get out of shape and gain some weight.
All I know is reading things on this site have brought back many memories from the past. I don't want to race, just get out to the track down the road and play some.
Thanks, Billy
Didn't take my long to realize I know nothing about trail bikes. Dang trees, rocks and slick ass East Texas pine needles are sure enough dangerous and not my deal.
I plan to keep the CRF250F, its it fun and trail bike or not, quite impressive. So my plan is to get something I can get back to the track on. Give my self a reason to get back into shape. Although hunting and bass fishing is fun, I would love to smell a two stroke.
With all that said, I could go out and buy a new YZ but I want to make sure I am not to far over the hill along with my wife that would not understand I just dropped dime on a trial bike and now something else. Along with my bass fishing, hunting, guitars, guns and you name it.
My plan is to buy something used. Decent but used. My gut tells my to buy a CRF250R. One part of me says buy a good used YZ250, the other part says make the best of my money and buy an RMZ450.
The good part, I am in no hurry, I have to get in better shape. I've let my self get out of shape and gain some weight.
All I know is reading things on this site have brought back many memories from the past. I don't want to race, just get out to the track down the road and play some.
Thanks, Billy
I think a new RMZ250 or left over 17-18 model would be ideal but you may need to get the suspension done for you. Wont be too much to hang onto and those things are some of the cheapest MXer's on the market.
https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Bike-Builds,46/The-Vital-MX-2018-RMZ450-…
The Shop
You sound like my kinda guy haha
I would get a 350, you can grunt around the track but not have your arms ripped off by 450 torque
On a 2t you use your rear wheel to steer. You enter the corner, gas it through the apex to bring your rear around then counter steer on the way out. The 4t is very similar to a street motorcycle and you have to use the front end to steer more that a 2t. Remember turn left to turn right. Once you enter the corner you have to just roll the throttle on. Once in the apex of the turn you use the handle bars to kinda get you pointed in the direction you need then counter steer out.
The difference between the CZ250 I raced in High School in mid 70s and the YZ250 I had in mid 80s were day and night. That YZ was bad fast and hard to ride, it was all or nothing. I was much faster on my old CZ.
I’ve thought about picking up a good used RMZ450, take it up a tooth on the sprocket and install slow turn throttle.
Motorcycles have changed a lot. I was surprised how much snap this new CRF250F I bought has. It is pretty zippy for an old man trail bike. I can imagine a new 250T would be off the chart. What ever I get I have to be able to manage it.
I spoke to one of the owners of Ultimate Motocross, a track in Alvin Texas not far from my house. He said lots of guys my age ride. He said quite a few have 450fs and ride around in second and third gear. He said clutch and gears might be the hardest part to get used to. I grew up on a CZ, didn’t use a clutch half the time.
First thing I have to do is get back in shape.
Shoot me a message if you are headed to Rio one of these weekends and lets ride.
Two strokes- actually feel fast.
I got on the scales this morning. I've gain right at 20 pounds. Started my diet this morning. Will be working out this afternoon after work. I need to be working out instead of reading about fun stuff on the internet!!!!.
I do appreciate the info, good stuff. Lots of things have changed, these modern MX scooters are way different.
My plan is to ride my CRF250F around my place near Lake Sam Rayburn and logging roads at the hunting property I have leased to get the feel of things best I can. I would have never though it would be so odd getting back on a dirt bike. I though I could throw my leg over and off I go. After all these years I needed Training Wheels !!!!. Well not that bad but it sure was not second nature anymore.
I am starting to get my gear lined out. I have Gaerne boots, also bought a good set of googles. I do not like the Helmet I have. I found a bell I like plan to buy that this week. Will be get getting other gear as I go forward. My plan is to have an MX scooter in the next two months. That will give me time to grease the skids with my wife, she does not understand!!!
I thought about buying another Honda.....................!!. She told me once about my tournament bass fishing and I quote. I may not be able to count all the high dollar rods and reels you buy because they are all black, but those orange ones are new, you are busted. I said you are saying, women can't count but they are not color blind, that did not go over good.!!
So If I buy another Honda, she may not know the difference!!!.
You know how they always say if you're gonna suck, might as well look good doing it?
Well, you can sound good too! And the exhaust can smell good too if you run some Klotz or Redline! And reallly good mixed with Av gas.
There is no upside to a 4 stroke. Not unless you're getting paid to ride one.
And then you don't talk about it.
Pit Row
We get all focused on weight; but, what ya really need is "mobility". You need to be strengthening & stretching all those muscles that you'll be using out on the track.
Sure, losing weight is important.
Sure, a better diet is a "good thing".
But, again, set some stretching and cardio rolled into each and every day. It'll make your riding days soooooo much better.
Manny
I was riding yesterday on my two-stroke and I was doing a lot of bombing the outside and trying to keep momentum while the 450s just torque through it the middle of the turn with a shorter arc. Two strokes are a lot more fun for me.
I know a guy in his early 60s that recently sold his 450 and bought a 250 xc and loves it. Another upside is that it is also a great trail bike. I have a feeling that if you rode a KTM xc on the trails the CRF250F would quickly go up for sale.
I am about to be 56 and I laid off for a while to focus on my buisness so I am following this advise too. I just go out and try to ride 1 time for 1 hour and man, am I off of my old pace.
15 minutes of hauling and 45 minutes of recovery cruising..
In the last couple of years, I tried riding some 4 strokes and hated how heavy they felt, but loved how easy the motors were to use. But at the same time, I knew I was working harder to go the same speed as the guys I was racing against. Fast forward to this year, and I decided to give the 19 KX450 a shot this race season to see if I liked it better. Such an awesome bike. Took a bit of getting used to, but I can go as fast or faster on the KX than I can on my YZ using a lot less energy. And if I make mistakes, which are constant, I pay far less of a price. I'll caveat all that by saying the 19 KX450 is thinner and lighter feeling than any 4 stroke I've tried in the past, including a KX250F. But your mileage may vary.
Bottom line is, I think you'll be happy no matter what you do. Just try to bum a demo ride off of anyone you can so that you can make an educated decision for yourself. And long term, it's cheaper to own a 2 stroke when it comes time to rebuild engine components. So factor that in too I guess.
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