Posts: 1534
Joined: 2/4/2013
Location: Schaumburg, IL USA
My favorite:
2014 YZ250. Easy to work on and gives me the old feelings of riding a smoker. Couldn't find this on a KTM.
2013 Honda CRF250. Great chassis for the 250F (not as good on the 450). Turns great and a perfect bike once set up
2008 Honda CRF450. Same thing as everybody else. Nothing to explain here
2017 KTM450SXF with cone valves/ traxx shock. Great bike that never gave me any issues.
Posts: 776
Joined: 10/5/2017
Location: Bradenton, FL USA
2003 XR250R. Wasn't the fastest, suspension sucked, Brakes were OK. Bike could take a beating though. I barely ever did any maintenance on it, I swamped it a couple times, and it was pretty much just a bike to mess around on. Thing never skipped a beat. Wish I didn't sell it. Would've been a good buddy bike for a day on the trails.
Posts: 20618
Joined: 3/26/2015
Location: Ontario, CAN
Moderator
Posts: 2526
Joined: 10/20/2011
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
87 yz250
90 cr125
93 Z50
99 rm 250
2003 cannondale x440
all 6 aluminum frame yz 250s i had
2008 crf 450
17 kx 450
Posts: 139
Joined: 2/5/2019
Location: Edwardsburg, MI USA
Posts: 97
Joined: 3/8/2009
Location: Bristol, GBR
2005 honda Crf250r, thing was slow but i could ride that bike hard all day and never fatigue. Suspension was revalved and easily the best suspension i've ever ridden.
2002 yz125, just epic. back in 02 this was the bike to have in my eyes.
i've loved all my bikes for different reasons but these bring back the best memories
Posts: 128
Joined: 12/19/2018
Location: CAN
2002 RM125 never had as much fun or felt as comfortable since.
2006 YZ250f. Took me awhile to get it set up right. rad lowering kit applied triple clamps FC revalve lots of jetting changes later, fastest I've been.
2018 YZ450 couple small tweaks and this things money.
Posts: 262
Joined: 12/22/2011
Location: Omaha, NE USA
Edited Date/Time:
I have three bikes that I probably can't and don't want to get rid of:
2005 KX 250 smoker: know this thing like the back of my hand. Been to hell and back with it; been a pain in the ass at times, but fun as shit to ride.
2004 KX 125 smoker: last years winter project. Never in my life have I seen a bigger piece of shit used motorcycle, which only got worse as I framed it. Spent way too much money on it trickin it out to ever sell it, plus....its fun as shit to ride.
2015 RMZ 450: tougher than a tank. It's there, sitting on the stand in my garage, in case I ever feel the need to ride it again.
All paid for and the two Kawis have way more money into them than I could ever get out of selling them.
I think the dumbest bike I've ever had was my 2004 CR 250f. Honda's first year with the "lites" 4 stroke.
Other notables that I liked: 1994 KX 125 and Denny Stephenson's 1996 GW KX 125 outdoor mx bike. I really wish I still had that one!
Last gear pinned.
Posts: 70
Joined: 10/28/2018
Location: Yuba City, CA USA
08 crf450 once again no explanation needed here
2012 crf450, that bike was so dialed it was hard to get rid of
2017 yz250. No explanation, sold it to put down payment on a boat. Oh well. My boat is bad ass.
2018 yz450f. This bike might be long term.. 72 hours and about to do a top end. Zero issues.
Posts: 8376
Joined: 7/6/2015
Location: Santa Clarita, CA USA
2005 YZ250(Current)- Love this bike! So glad I bought it last year! Easy to work on, fast and FUN!!!
2014 YZ450- Loved this bike too. Unreal motor and handled really well.
2017 RMZ450(Currently riding)- Motor is so smooth and usable! Still breaking it in, about 90 minutes on the bike. Turns like a dream. Good handling. Feels planted and I feel confident riding it.
2017 RMZ450
2005 YZ250-sold :,(
1998 YZ250
2005 KX250F
80% of the time it works every time
IG @hamdaddyof2 & @2HRacing
Thanks to : Factory Effex, N2Dirt, Acerbis, DT1, Fasthouse, Matix, FMF, ASV, 100% & Mika Metals
Posts: 1996
Joined: 11/2/2011
Location: Chapin, SC USA
Edited Date/Time:
I was supposed to get a 1989 RM 125 but the 1979 YZ 125 got to the dealer first, so we went with that. Logged my first win on that bike, moved from C to B and basically rode the hell out of it most days of the week for two years. I had one ignition failure and that's the only mechanical I had the entire two seasons. Always fond memories of that bike.
My 2005 CRF 450 is a close second- I joined the four stroke movement and also started racing in the vet +30 class on that bike with a lot of success. Great bike for its time.
Posts: 2258
Joined: 11/10/2015
Location: San Clemente, CA USA
Posts: 328
Joined: 4/1/2017
Location: Granbury, TX USA
01 RM125 a little slow but handled awesome! 15 YZ250F graet engine and suspension I just wish the frame hadn’t cracked. I’d rather be riding that bike than my 18 kx250f
Posts: 2529
Joined: 3/4/2014
Location: Cottontown, TN USA
Posts: 2047
Joined: 8/17/2006
Location: Adger, AL USA
First big bike was an '86 CR125. That bike was bullet proof. I raced motocross, harescrambles, and rode trails and hill climbs for three years on that bike. The water pump rot started and my dad sold it out from under me while I was off at college. I was pretty po'd about that for a while. The bike did everything well.
My 2005 CRF450 was also a great bike. I did a lot of work on it and took good care of it. Won a lot of races on it and hated to see it go but I sold it to get a 2009 CRF450. I liked it a lot but not enough to put on the list.
Most memorable was a 2009 Service Honda CR500AF. That bike was the most trick two wheels I ever threw a leg over. Conversations for days. It took me a solid year to learn to race it so it's not here because I loved to ride/race it but it was special.
Lastly, my 2012 KTM250SX. After ten years on big four-strokes that thing was a breath of fresh air. Plenty of power and light compared to the thumpers. Pulled a lot of holeshots and won some races on it too. On a motocross track, it did everything well.
Posts: 2642
Joined: 11/3/2014
Location: Charlotte, MI USA
I really liked my
2005 CRF450
2017 KX250F. - very confidence inspiring with a pipe.
2017 CRF450
Posts: 1070
Joined: 7/24/2012
Location: St. Paul, MN USA
Posts: 139
Joined: 2/5/2019
Location: Edwardsburg, MI USA
Posts: 3343
Joined: 4/22/2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA USA
89 RM250, 94 CR250, 99YZ400, 04 CR450 and my 17 Husky FC450.
The older I get, the faster I was.
Posts: 16560
Joined: 1/6/2011
Location: Ogden, UT USA
i absolutely love my '05 KTM525EXC. right now it is operating as a snow-bike, but in the summer it's fully kitted out for long-distance over-nighters.
Posts: 7039
Joined: 10/31/2013
Location: PA, USA
1999 XR 100
I still have it, and use it to cut new trail on the regular. It has had the absolute shit kicked out of it for years, and the chassis is stretched and shot...But it still gets the job done.
Tomac and/or Anderson for 2020.....
Posts: 19704
Joined: 11/25/2008
Location: Thru-out, CA USA
Short list...
'80 CR125
'81 YZ125
'83 KX125
'83 CR125
'84 CR125
'85-'88 CR125, 250, 500
'89 KX125
'90 KX250
'91 KDX200
'91 KX250
'93-'94 YZ250
'98 RM250
Any year KX500
Any year XR650
Any year CRF450X
2014-2019 FC/FX SX-F/XC-F 450/350/250
2018-2019 RMZ450
I ripped a start from Egypt and I was happy about that.
Posts: 1917
Joined: 7/27/2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN USA
Posts: 329
Joined: 6/15/2015
Location: Whittier, CA USA
Posts: 1158
Joined: 6/18/2008
Location: Dallas, TX USA
Posts: 89
Joined: 7/1/2016
Location: Augusta, GA USA
My '02 RM125. I could do no wrong on that bike. I bought it used, but it was the first bike my old man didn't purchase for me. I still kick my own ass almost every day for selling it. Lot of money was put into it and I got more than what I was asking so that was nice but looking back now I should have never done it.
My '11 RMZ450 is a close 2nd to my RM. I'll have this bike til it says no mas.
Posts: 24607
Joined: 7/22/2007
Location: Portland, OR USA
Man , I can't really think of a bike I have had that I owned and actually hated. I loved some more then other's for sure. But I don't recall ever selling a bike because I didn't get along with it. As far as anything lately goes , I switched from using my Scott Hustle goggle's on over to the Oakley Airbrakes ( picked up 4 pairs ) and I'm really digging those goggles.
Bikes over the past few years that I've owned since I came back after my bad wreck , and really liked a lot.
08' CRF450.....bike was awesome except for the suspension wasn't all that great.
10' YZF450.....Not a bad bike , but I only owned it a few months.
12' KXF450......Bike was super freakin' strong and I really liked that bike!
16' KXF450......Loved this bike , but got to the point where I didn't want / need anything this fast any more.
2006 RM250......THIS bike , made me fall back in love with 2 strokes and the sport! Best purchase ever!
2017 TC125.....Same feeling as my RM , God I love this little bike and will always own a 125!
2018 TC250......New to the stable. Only 1.5hrs on it so far , but I'll be digging it a bunch too.
And there goes Jeffro. One of God's own prototypes. A super high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Pimpin' Ho's , Rollin' fatty's......drinkin' beers , beers , beers!! ~ Ja
Posts: 1141
Joined: 8/20/2006
Location: Ventura/LA County, CA USA
2018 KTM 500 EXC-F ...this bike is insane! My first "dual sport" after owning nothing but MX bikes so I thought it might be a bit mild for me, but after getting it dialed in for 95% offroad riding it RIPS and handles just as good as a MX bike.
Posts: 24607
Joined: 7/22/2007
Location: Portland, OR USA
mark_swart wrote:
I was supposed to get a 1989 RM 125 but the 1979 YZ 125 got to the dealer first, so we went with that. Logged my first win on that bike, moved from C to B and basically rode the hell out of it most days of the week for two years. I had one ignition failure and that's the only mechanical I had the entire two seasons. Always fond memories of that bike.
My 2005 CRF 450 is a close second- I joined the four stroke movement and also started racing in the vet +30 class on that bike with a lot of success. Great bike for its time.
Mark , I made the switch to the big 4 strokes in 2002. Was on Kawi 2 strokes for a long time , and then picked up that 2002 CRF450. I rode that thing for 3 years , and then I remember jumping onto my buddies brand new 2005 CRF450. Wow! That bike was so nice , It honestly felt like a factory bike compared to my 02'. Better in every way. When I got hurt in 05' and got back into the sport in 2011 , I found the last new 08' CRF450 out this way I could find , because I remembered how much I loved that 05'. I still miss that bike to be honest.
And there goes Jeffro. One of God's own prototypes. A super high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Pimpin' Ho's , Rollin' fatty's......drinkin' beers , beers , beers!! ~ Ja
Posts: 241
Joined: 9/11/2018
Location: Chula Vista, CA USA
1995 yz125
First race bike I really had and first bike I rode track on. Before this, it was all just riding when going camping or desert trips, etc. So it kinda started everything. But it had a lot of work done by pro circuit, including the suspension. It carved turned, had a strong mid range pull, just everything about that bike was tits.
Once I get a new 450 sorted, I'm tempted to look for an old smoker project.
A wise man once said nothing
