What is the best and worst bike you've owned?

Sonny
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NYC, NY US
2/5/2018 5:20pm
JWACK wrote:
Loving this beast right now. The Psf-1 kit forks and 2 piece shock work really good. Kinda just makes you want to ride ride ride. Not...
Loving this beast right now. The Psf-1 kit forks and 2 piece shock work really good. Kinda just makes you want to ride ride ride.
Not sure if it's my favorite ever but right now it is.
My least favorite was my 06 kx250 smoker, great engine but horrid turning. I spent more time picking that bike up off the ground than riding it.


Amen, My 05 KX250 was a vibrating, bad handling....and seemed to get worse as I resprung the forks and shock.. My best was an 05 RM 144 with a big bore kit from PC made for a 125. Cornered like a champ and was nice and light.


WDSRCR
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308
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7/10/2017
Location
OH US
2/5/2018 5:40pm Edited Date/Time 2/5/2018 5:40pm
My best was an 05 KX250. Followed by a 2015 KTM 200XCW and 2017 KTM 250XC

The worst was a 2012 Gas Gas XC300.
ben5020
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874
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1/9/2016
Location
Malvern, PA US
2/5/2018 5:49pm
worst: 2015 yz250f pos grenaded a rod at 56 hours
Best: 2017 fc350
Kenny Lingus
Posts
1022
Joined
9/9/2016
Location
Watkins Glen, NY US
2/5/2018 6:02pm
Worst: 1986 Husky 250. Fixed it more than rode it
Favorite: 2001 Honda CR250. PC engine FC suspension. Bike fit me like a glove.
Best: It better be the one I just bought.Laughing

The Shop

yz133rider
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4472
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Location
Avondale, PA US
2/5/2018 6:14pm
Best 2017 fc350.
Worst 2015 kx450f.

The kawi feels like it was 280lbs on the track, fork was awful and power was so abrupt out of corners it was just tiring.

Fc is smooth feels like a 250f handles amazing, brakes and suspension are phenomenonal, engine just builds and builds and pulls longer and stronger than the kawi. Many straights can be second only on the fc where the kawi would need a 2-3 shift in same sections..

Can ride the fc twice as long and faster the entire time.

Timo_2824
Posts
553
Joined
12/19/2016
Location
Wichita, KS US
2/5/2018 6:35pm
Worst: 1998 YZ250, I bought it blown up as my first real MX bike. The power was like a strong 125 and the suspension was awful, had headshake for days. If only I had known about suspension tuning when I owned it...

Best: I may be in the minority, but my 2004 KX250 was a great bike. I could turn that thing on a dime and the strong bottom-end power was a blast.

Most Reliable Bike: Yamaha WR250F, it doesn't turn as well as the KX, but after 8 years of light MX, sand dunes, and single track this thing keeps going! I run the topends 100 hours and the only thing that ever shows any wear is the wrist pin.
dan.karp.5
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106
Joined
2/1/2013
Location
Pahrump, NV US
2/5/2018 6:51pm
dan.karp.5 wrote:
1996 KTM 550[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/02/03/241930/s1200_320199t.jpg[/img]
1996 KTM 550

I am guessing this is your worst?
Good catch, yes the worst by far, ironic that my best is also KTM but a 2017 500 EXC

2/5/2018 7:06pm
Knobbyjake wrote:
Best KTM 450 EXC or 300 EXC
Worst new 1972 TM 400 Suzuki
Wait, you rode a TM 400? And you're still here to tell us about it?
2/6/2018 1:39am
Best 96 RM 250 ( Probably better because I was alot younger)
Worst 2009 kxf 450
snape99
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193
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4/25/2014
Location
Picnic Point, NSW AU
2/6/2018 2:06am Edited Date/Time 2/6/2018 8:10am
I thought my 2015 Ktm 250sx 2t was the worst bike I’d ever owned for the first month I’d owned it.
Then once i got used to the 2 stroke again, it was my favourite. Even still after having CRF450R 2017/2018 models
make1go
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905
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2/3/2018
Location
BF
2/6/2018 2:31am Edited Date/Time 2/6/2018 2:32am
I dont have a best or worst, cause simply, i know i can turn best into better and worst into quite good and so can many many other people. Very few bikes IMO cant be sorted and many peoples worst is a bit of time an effort away from a very good bike...but hey i called groundhog day on the js7 thread today and here we have another repeat rearing its ugly head again.. have at it..:D
Motofinne
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Location
FI
2/6/2018 2:34am Edited Date/Time 2/6/2018 5:16am
Worst: KXF 250 2009. The valves had to be adjusted constantly, the typical Kawasaki chain guide problems, header cracked without crashing etc. Good performance back in the day but the reliability wasn't the best.

Best: SXF 450 2017, 55h on the bike with zero issues and one of the better performing bikes on the current market.
305FC250
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428
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9/18/2016
Location
Miami, FL US
2/6/2018 3:54am
Best- Tie between my 2017 Husky tc125 and 2018 yz250f. Both completely different bikes but both awesome.

Worst- 1996 KX125. Never even got to ride it. Bought it as a project to trick out. Couldn't go a day without finding something new wrong with it. Eventually gave up and sold it in pieces for a couple hundred bucks.
RussB
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GB
Fantasy
1164th
2/6/2018 5:12am
Best - 2008 RM250

Worst - I really disliked my 15 RMZ450 in stock form. The air forks and stock valving were horrible and it was not nice to ride. Showa A Kit forks and a revalved shock and its awesome now. But still, very disappointing to get a new bike and it be so far off out the box.
2/6/2018 5:30am
Worst by far 01 Cannondale MX400. I wanted that bike so bad, loved it til the 2nd day I owned it, downhill bigtime after that! Favorite is my 03 YZ250 Smoker, love that bike.

Spagina767
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912
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8/27/2013
Location
Fredericksburg, VA US
2/6/2018 5:52am
Best - Either my 2013 RMZ 450, or 2015 RMZ 250. They are both incredibly reliable, handle great, and feel... predictable.

Worst - 2013 CRF 450. I never gelled with that bike, it just felt horrible. Or, my 2004 CRF 250. I liked it, but man it liked to eat valves.
pmshortt2
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653
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VA US
2/6/2018 6:21am
mxcolin wrote:
Worst - 1992 KX250. The motor had grunt, didn't turn very well tho, and I'm pretty sure it was made of recycled tin cans. I called...
Worst - 1992 KX250. The motor had grunt, didn't turn very well tho, and I'm pretty sure it was made of recycled tin cans. I called it a Kawasackashity.

Best - 1997 YZ125. Felt like I could do anything on that bike. I still have it, and probably always will.
Post a pic of the 125 please
ehr400
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2613
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Location
Britton, MI US
2/6/2018 6:33am
Best Bike Ever: 2007 RMZ450, best handling Suzuki ever owned. Loved the 4 speed on it too. Had a 155 hours on it when I sold it. Never had engine apart.

Worst Bike Ever: 2005 CRF450, valve eating POS. Cracked header pipes with no damage, smallest airbox known to mankind, all kinds of weird shit broke on it, rear axle sheared off between bearing and spacer, gas tank split for odd reason, frame cracked, steering stem bearings went bad at 25 hours. Never had a bike with this many issues below 50 hours. Sold this turd and bought the RMZ.
2/6/2018 6:52am
Best: tie between 2000 XR600 and 2013 YZ250.

Worst: 1993 Husqvarna WXE360. Never got along with it. Dad let me ride it on the weekends while in college. Ergos were terrible, front end feeling was non-existant, and the engineer that came up with the 3.5 inch long kick starter should have been summoned to be shot at dawn. Was surprisingly reliable, but terrifying in the handling department.
mxcolin
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Huxley, IA US
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2/6/2018 7:18am
mxcolin wrote:
Worst - 1992 KX250. The motor had grunt, didn't turn very well tho, and I'm pretty sure it was made of recycled tin cans. I called...
Worst - 1992 KX250. The motor had grunt, didn't turn very well tho, and I'm pretty sure it was made of recycled tin cans. I called it a Kawasackashity.

Best - 1997 YZ125. Felt like I could do anything on that bike. I still have it, and probably always will.
pmshortt2 wrote:
Post a pic of the 125 please
She's burried in the garage for the winter. Nothing special to look at, all stock on the outside.
bigmaico
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Kingwood, TX US
2/6/2018 7:35am Edited Date/Time 2/6/2018 1:50pm
Best: Tie between my 81' Maico 490 & my 2014 KTM 450 Fe

Still don't know which one is my favoriteSmile

Worst: my 1974 Penton 250, I was just too inexperienced to know better, But it was solid as a rock !

BTW: this doesn't include my first 2 trail bikes. A Yamaha YL2C & a Suzuki Ts 125.
Canoe589
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Location
Plymouth, IN US
2/6/2018 8:09am
Best (to ride) is my current 2017 KTM 300 (like a bicycle with 45HP)
Best (reliable) 1996 XR400 I call it my Zombie Apocalypse bike; starts right up with a million hours

Worst 1999 Yamaha WR400 (biggest pos ever) (my 1995 KTM 300 had serious issues too)

Forty
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Saint Paul, MN US
2/6/2018 8:15am
If we're talking stock form, from the crate then the worst is my 2013 RMZ 450.....the fork as delivered made it unrideable.

The best was my 2009 yz450f.....broke it in, made a few clicks on the suspension....raced...did everything well and was bullet proof.

The RMZ has turned into a great bike but it took some work and $.
WCRider
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BE
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2/6/2018 8:25am Edited Date/Time 2/6/2018 8:25am
Best : YZ 250 2 strokes, 450 CRF.

Worst : all 250F.
potatoflake
Posts
474
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Location
Kennewick, WA US
2/6/2018 8:25am
Best: 2004 yz85 that thing seemed bulletproof and was always a blast to ride no matter the conditions, rode it from age 11-14

Worst is probably my 12 kx250f, as far as riding it I love how it rides but the thing seems to always have some sort of issue and random bolts and fasteners coming loose gets old fast. So old in fact that I went and picked up a 2001 YZ250 and this thing has been better in every aspect, taking me back to my yz85 days Smile
Mixer up
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Location
Middle, TX US
2/6/2018 9:11am
Best : 2008 YZ 250
2000 CR 250- was awesome as well

Worst : 2013 KTM 450
aharper33
Posts
69
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12/13/2016
Location
Laramie, WY US
2/6/2018 10:40am
Worst by far 01 Cannondale MX400. I wanted that bike so bad, loved it til the 2nd day I owned it, downhill bigtime after that![img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/02/06/24233/s1200_Cdale01.jpg[/img] Favorite...
Worst by far 01 Cannondale MX400. I wanted that bike so bad, loved it til the 2nd day I owned it, downhill bigtime after that! Favorite is my 03 YZ250 Smoker, love that bike.

Have to agree on the Cannondale. Got talked into a deal with a dealership and some backing from the factory. Worst mistake I ever made. Good thing we didnt get rid of the CR250 I had because usually I would have to ride it the second moto.
2/6/2018 10:58am
Worst - 1972 Indian ME74 - Italian engine in a Pacific Rim frame - What could go wrong???? Thank god for the XR75!

Best - Several...1974 CR125, truly a game changer. 1980 Kaw KLX250, great woods bike! 1981 Maico 490, the stories are true. 1981 RM465 Great suspension and never a problem in 2 solid years of racing
2/6/2018 1:29pm
Best bike for reliability was a 1985 cr500, although the compression kickback almost blew my ankle to bits a few times. Worst bike was a demon 250cc pit bike i had from the usa, very fast but shook its self to bits lol.

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