Thinking of getting back into Moto

Husky or KTM 350 is my vote.

19 Yz250f. Great bike, easy to handle, and needs nothing out of the crate.

Buy a mountain bike. Better workout than moto, free to ride, comparable initial cost but with MUCH less maintenance, more access to trails, can still race if you want. Buy a bike box and ship anywhere you want and go ride epic trails all over the world.

Biggest question is can a 250f make it all year on little maintenance? Everything I have seen is how unreliable they are and one better expect to do lots of top end and valve work to them. Also want to stay at 250 as it would give me 4 different classes to ride in and I could stay at the top of the rotation list to get home early lol. Classes would be 250 d, open d, +25 b and +30c

Premix wrote:

Buy a mountain bike. Better workout than moto, free to ride, comparable initial cost but with MUCH less maintenance, more access to trails, can still race if you want. Buy a bike box and ship anywhere you want and go ride epic trails all over the world.

Have one, it's ok not really my thing. But plan to use it as a training tool for Moto. Really want a dirt bike again. Thanks for the input thought. Really just looking for info on how unreliable these 250 four bangers are. Just gave my background to indicate that I won't be beating the hell out of it like a fast 250 a/b rider would be.

Good timing, you should be able to get a great deal on a 2019 YZ250F. Have fun!

Insurance

You will go to the hospital,bout once a year for me.

geeZ177 wrote:

Biggest question is can a 250f make it all year on little maintenance? Everything I have seen is how unreliable they are and one better expect to do lots of top end and valve work to them. Also want to stay at 250 as it would give me 4 different classes to ride in and I could stay at the top of the rotation list to get home early lol. Classes would be 250 d, open d, +25 b and +30c

Assuming you have adult responsibilities, and from reading the info you’ve provided it seems you do, a 250f gets 50 hours before major overhaul is necessary. Keep in mind 50 hours is typically the number for someone riding pretty hard. Also keep in mind that 50 hours in a year is riding 2-3 times per month, which is pretty frequent.

Thanks, this is the kind of info I'm looking for.

geeZ177 wrote:

Thanks, this is the kind of info I'm looking for.

No problem. There is nothing on earth more fun than riding a dirtbike. Gauranteed. Enjoy it man! Also heed the advice of the folks up there recommending a 350. They seem like mama bears porridge....

geeZ177 wrote:

Thanks, this is the kind of info I'm looking for.

observeroffacts wrote:

No problem. There is nothing on earth more fun than riding a dirtbike. Gauranteed. Enjoy it man! Also heed the advice of the folks up there recommending a 350. They seem like mama bears porridge....

Yeah if I'm going to a 350 I would just get 450 or possibly a 300 TM two stroke.

What’s your weight? I’d go 250 or 450 four stroke. If you do oil/clean filter often I’ve seen friends on 250f’s go crazy hours (100+!) w no issues. Four strokes are more predictable on tracks if you want to ride your ability but stay “”safe”” and in control. Not that you can’t on a 2stroke just 4’s are more predictable (jumps, hooking up etc). Just my 2 cents.

250 two stroke. It is what you know and you will get in shape and the cost of having fun is so low.

"Will it make it 1 season"? That is funny. A heavy guy on a 250F is going to be expensive.

If I was buying a new or left over 4stroke you're damn right I'd look seriously into a 350...

Rode a friends kids 250f a while back and I just didn't like how high in the revs I had to be to lug my 40+ass around. For what it's worth I can't ride a 125 two stroke to save my ass, so that may have something to do with it.

Oh and STFU NOOB !!

Premix wrote:

Buy a mountain bike. Better workout than moto, free to ride, comparable initial cost but with MUCH less maintenance, more access to trails, can still race if you want. Buy a bike box and ship anywhere you want and go ride epic trails all over the world.

This isn’t vital MTB

Premix wrote:

Buy a mountain bike. Better workout than moto, free to ride, comparable initial cost but with MUCH less maintenance, more access to trails, can still race if you want. Buy a bike box and ship anywhere you want and go ride epic trails all over the world.

geeZ177 wrote:

Have one, it's ok not really my thing. But plan to use it as a training tool for Moto. Really want a dirt bike again. Thanks for the input thought. Really just looking for info on how unreliable these 250 four bangers are. Just gave my background to indicate that I won't be beating the hell out of it like a fast 250 a/b rider would be.

I would bet you could get 100 hours out of a 250F assuming the valves stay in spec before you need to do anything to it.

Talisker wrote:

19 Yz250f. Great bike, easy to handle, and needs nothing out of the crate.

This. Plus estart. Tough to find a better bike out there after a long lay off. The 350 is another option (have one-love it), as it doesn't have that arm pulling torque that a 450 has. A nice safe, perhaps your safest option-a 250F, and the Yamaha is a do it all, durable, needs nothing bike. Welcome back-we need more guys like you back in MX-have fun and stay safe!!

Moto88 wrote:

What’s your weight? I’d go 250 or 450 four stroke. If you do oil/clean filter often I’ve seen friends on 250f’s go crazy hours (100+!) w no issues. Four strokes are more predictable on tracks if you want to ride your ability but stay “”safe”” and in control. Not that you can’t on a 2stroke just 4’s are more predictable (jumps, hooking up etc). Just my 2 cents.

I am 210-215 so yes definitely a lot heavier than the optimal 250 four stroke rider. But that is part of this whole brain fart is to get sub 200.

Are you going to trade in said 250F at the end of the season and buy a new bike each year?

A four stroke can easily go to 100 hours if you don't rev it excessively, keep the valve clearances in spec, and stay religious about filter and oil changes. Ideally you would do some level of top end preventative maintenance around the 50 hour mark.

250 two strokes are very difficult to beat when it comes to maintenance costs.

I would plan keeping it for several years,as long as everything worked out with the bike.

I was in a similar situation and took a break from MX from 2013-2018. Being 33, and a new father I have a similar mentality. You get alot of people that say they are getting 100 or so hours on a 4 stroke with oil changes and filters every ride. When things go wrong, do you have have $3000 to fix it after dropping $9000 on a new bike? I went with a new leftover 18 250SX and don't regret the decesion. I have a blast on that thing and it's a solid bike.

I was in a similar situation and did this but regretted it. Changed to a yz250f and much more fun now

You will be fine on a 250f with your weight, riding ability and reliability. Enjoy!

cdncombatmedic wrote:

I was in a similar situation and took a break from MX from 2013-2018. Being 33, and a new father I have a similar mentality. You get alot of people that say they are getting 100 or so hours on a 4 stroke with oil changes and filters every ride. When things go wrong, do you have have $3000 to fix it after dropping $9000 on a new bike? I went with a new leftover 18 250SX and don't regret the decesion. I have a blast on that thing and it's a solid bike.

No I won't have 3k kicking around for a failed engine. And oil and filters add up quick as well. If I went two stroke was thinking KTM or Husky. But the dealer I would like to buy from sells Yamaha and Suzuki, so chances are good it would end up being a rmz 250, yz 250 or yzf 250. Definitely not set in stone though. I do like the idea of the easy to ride four stroke. But the idea of a major engine failure scare the shit out of me. From what I gather though, is that if you are doing a top end on a 250f that hasn't blown up, it really isn't all that much more than a 250 2 stroke. That's assuming the valves and so forth are still ok.

Pick up an RMZ250 then, great bang for your buck. With all the money you save over a YZ250F you could probably buy a year's worth of chemicals, filters, chain, sprockets, brake pads, grips, etc.

If you do get a 4 stroke, plan on buying a valve shim kit and take the time to learn how to check and make shim adjustments. It's easy once you do it a few times and you'll be able to do it pretty quickly every 3 or 4 oil changes. On a 4 stroke, the big costs are in the head. Be diligent with your valve inspections and you won't have catastrophic failures because you will see the wear characteristics ahead of time. I also recommend doing compression checks at the same time as valve inspections. Keep a log book with all the numbers so you know when it's time for a set of rings or to cut in some new valves. And then yes, you are right, the preventative costs are going to be in the same ballpark when compared to a 2 stroke. The biggest difference is you will have to do a valve job at some point if you keep it 2 to 3 years and that will cost a decent amount, but it doesn't have to be the wrecked head horror story that everyone likes to paint.

cdncombatmedic wrote:

I was in a similar situation and took a break from MX from 2013-2018. Being 33, and a new father I have a similar mentality. You get alot of people that say they are getting 100 or so hours on a 4 stroke with oil changes and filters every ride. When things go wrong, do you have have $3000 to fix it after dropping $9000 on a new bike? I went with a new leftover 18 250SX and don't regret the decesion. I have a blast on that thing and it's a solid bike.

geeZ177 wrote:

No I won't have 3k kicking around for a failed engine. And oil and filters add up quick as well. If I went two stroke was thinking KTM or Husky. But the dealer I would like to buy from sells Yamaha and Suzuki, so chances are good it would end up being a rmz 250, yz 250 or yzf 250. Definitely not set in stone though. I do like the idea of the easy to ride four stroke. But the idea of a major engine failure scare the shit out of me. From what I gather though, is that if you are doing a top end on a 250f that hasn't blown up, it really isn't all that much more than a 250 2 stroke. That's assuming the valves and so forth are still ok.

Nope it's not much more if you do the work yourself. I do not feel comfortable doing a top end on a 4 stroke. 2 stroke I do. For me... I dont want to risk a 3k bill. Simple as that. The horror stories happen. My good buddie runs a shop and its more frequent than I would like to see and what vital let's on.

Buy a used 450 cheap as borscht reliable enough and you can gear it down. You'll love how there is power everywhere all the time and how easy it is to ride. You will also never outgrow it and anything made in the last 10 years is still fast enough to win on.

I cant speak to a 250f but I have a yz450f and a yz250 2t. I dont feel like the yz250 is any less fun to ride and I prefer the narrower size and lower weight and I actually prefer the power band with the top end hit and having to use the clutch a bit. My 250 has a shorty pipe and i feel like there is plenty of power down low but it doesnt have the "luggability" of the 4 stroke.

I primarily got the 450 because I'm over 210lbs and need the extra power. At the tracks I ride, there are many jumps I can only clear on the 450 due to short run ins or corners and I'm not good enough or fast enough on the 2t to carry the corner speed necessary to make it work. In sand and soft conditions, thats when the power difference is most noticeable to me. The 450 always has power to give and you dont need to carry the same type of entry/corner speed.

Between the two, the maintenance of the 2 stroke is much less of a hassle than the 4 stroke. If I didnt need the extra power for my weight I would likely sell the 450. I think the 4 stroke engine is a superior engine in terms of performance and makes sense if you are a professional and need the best performance out there. The 2 stroke is a great engine though and to me is equally if not more fun to ride and is also less hassle.

I currently ride between 2 to 5 times a month. Vet C level. Good luck with your purchase. I think you cant go wrong either way and will have fun regardless.