What is the best bike for me (motocross)

Love4Moto
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Love4Moto
Edited Date/Time 2/9/2021 7:01pm
6’2” 230 LBS with gear, Intermediate terrain motocross. I have 1 good year experience on a 2015 YZ250f. Looking to keep this bike and add another. What do all you guys think would be the best bike for my weight and height. Don’t mind springing up or having to do suspension work, but would be nice not to have to. What bike do you recommend?
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timobijnen84 2/9/2021 8:04am
2/9/2021 8:04am Edited Date/Time 2/9/2021 8:04am
What dont you like about the yzf that wants you to buy another bike?
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sumdood
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sumdood 2/9/2021 8:11am
2/9/2021 8:11am
Why not get a YZF 450 ? You don’t have to turn the handle all the way you know. At 230 lbs you’re going to need to do springs.
byke
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byke 2/9/2021 9:02am
2/9/2021 9:02am
It's always nice to have bikes with interchangeable parts, but you didn't complain about the power at all, in which case I don't think I'd recommend a 450 to someone that's been riding for a year. Only if you weighed like 400lbs would I maaaaaaybe recommend a 450 to a newer rider, but even then probably not. If you're just out having fun, I'd say "get a smoker!", but something I've discovered is that if you were raised in the 4t generation, you probably won't like a 2t, so my vote is to get nothing and spend a little on your current bike, suspension, maybe a big bore, exhaust, stacks of tires/filters/oil, etc.
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EngIceDave
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EngIceDave 2/9/2021 9:17am
2/9/2021 9:17am Edited Date/Time 2/9/2021 9:18am
Love4Moto wrote:
6’2” 230 LBS with gear, Intermediate terrain motocross. I have 1 good year experience on a 2015 YZ250f. Looking to keep this bike and add another...
6’2” 230 LBS with gear, Intermediate terrain motocross. I have 1 good year experience on a 2015 YZ250f. Looking to keep this bike and add another. What do all you guys think would be the best bike for my weight and height. Don’t mind springing up or having to do suspension work, but would be nice not to have to. What bike do you recommend?
You're a big boy for that size bike, but you know what? Because you're new, it can be a good thing.

How often you go to the track? Being on the little lighter/smaller 250, as a rookie, this is what you should be on to hone your skills How would you rate your skill level right now? How do you feel your progression over your first year has been?

Learn to dial in your skills and more importantly your own personal riding style.
Get the suspension dialed on that 250, take a few classes and hone those skills...drill, drills, drills. Fundamentals.


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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 2/9/2021 9:22am
2/9/2021 9:22am
Last Braaap wrote:
CR500
Ya couldn’t just go with “STFU NOOB!”
Grinning
As others have said, maybe a YZ 450? Just spring it for your weight and go!
Love4Moto
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Love4Moto 2/9/2021 10:12am
2/9/2021 10:12am
timobijnen84 wrote:
What dont you like about the yzf that wants you to buy another bike?
Sometimes I feel like I cant pick up enough speed out of corners to clear some of the jumps at my local track. Besides that, nothing. Some of it could be that I’m not carrying enough speed into the corner, but sometimes I know I am and still run shy of the landing
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Love4Moto
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Love4Moto 2/9/2021 10:17am
2/9/2021 10:17am
Love4Moto wrote:
6’2” 230 LBS with gear, Intermediate terrain motocross. I have 1 good year experience on a 2015 YZ250f. Looking to keep this bike and add another...
6’2” 230 LBS with gear, Intermediate terrain motocross. I have 1 good year experience on a 2015 YZ250f. Looking to keep this bike and add another. What do all you guys think would be the best bike for my weight and height. Don’t mind springing up or having to do suspension work, but would be nice not to have to. What bike do you recommend?
EngIceDave wrote:
You're a big boy for that size bike, but you know what? Because you're new, it can be a good thing. How often you go to...
You're a big boy for that size bike, but you know what? Because you're new, it can be a good thing.

How often you go to the track? Being on the little lighter/smaller 250, as a rookie, this is what you should be on to hone your skills How would you rate your skill level right now? How do you feel your progression over your first year has been?

Learn to dial in your skills and more importantly your own personal riding style.
Get the suspension dialed on that 250, take a few classes and hone those skills...drill, drills, drills. Fundamentals.


I go 2 times a week at least. I’d say I’m doing good for having my bike right at a year. Definitely still novice though. My progression has been amazing. When I started I wasn’t doing well now I feel I could hold my own in a race.
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LKHill
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LKHill 2/9/2021 10:29am
2/9/2021 10:29am
KTM 450 will save you money on forks springs. Tongue
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Spudnut
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Spudnut 2/9/2021 10:34am
2/9/2021 10:34am
Yz250 2 stroke. It has a little more power and will teach you to keep it in the right gear to get the most out of the powerband
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EngIceDave
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EngIceDave 2/9/2021 10:49am
2/9/2021 10:49am
Love4Moto wrote:
I go 2 times a week at least. I’d say I’m doing good for having my bike right at a year. Definitely still novice though. My...
I go 2 times a week at least. I’d say I’m doing good for having my bike right at a year. Definitely still novice though. My progression has been amazing. When I started I wasn’t doing well now I feel I could hold my own in a race.
Glad you're progressing, that's great.
You mention not being able to get enough speed out of corners to make some jumps.
Is horsepower the only way to make that gap, or would better technique get you there?

Having more twist in your grip because of more HP doesn't make you a better rider.

Work on those skills, then when you jump on that 450, you'll have established a solid foundation of skills making you an even better rider.

Good luck and have fun
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sumdood
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sumdood 2/9/2021 11:11am
2/9/2021 11:11am Edited Date/Time 2/9/2021 11:13am
Do you have friends with different bikes you could try before you go all in and spend A bunch of cash on something you might not be happy with ?
Zoer
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Zoer 2/9/2021 11:51am
2/9/2021 11:51am
You have only one ass i guess , otherwise you need a second bike for sure
Leeham
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Leeham 2/9/2021 12:46pm
2/9/2021 12:46pm
If you want another bike with a little more. Get a 350. Softer down low compared to a 450 but more than a 250 in the mid.
Also as a novice, do you actually go WFO? Its intimidating to go all the way for a newer rider. Maybe you arent actually twisting it far enough lol. I say this because I feel like for the first 2 years or so, I never went WFO. Things happened in a hurry and so I short shifted and ran smaller throttle openings. My brother (novice) is 6'1 240 heavy set and hes kinda saying the same thing. Getting over some jumps is tough. I tell him smoother corner speed and actually twist the throttle ALL THE WAY lol. Just a thought
pcm_918
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pcm_918 2/9/2021 1:03pm
2/9/2021 1:03pm
Keep the 250 and work on corner speed. Getting a 450 will make you lazy and have you doing jumps you don’t have the skill for and your corner speed will not progress because it doesn’t have to. Even at your weight there isn’t much for jumps at any track that you can’t clear with good corner speed.
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skeef
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skeef 2/9/2021 2:11pm
2/9/2021 2:11pm
I am 6'3 215 without gear and I have a 20' 450xc-f. It is sprung for 230lbs on the rear. I personally liked the KTM but to each their own. Go sit on each bike and have someone hold the wheels so you can stand up and get into a riding position.

The thing that pisses me off is that some OEM's like kawi, honda, suzuki don't do demo rides, or at least don't do them in my area. The main reason I bought my KTM is because I was able to ride one...
RMT
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RMT 2/9/2021 2:32pm
2/9/2021 2:32pm
Do you know anyone that will let you ride a 450? Try one first, they are not for everyone and your weight is no biggie until you get faster. I see a guy at a local track that is well over 200lbs ripping a YZ125 and clearing any jump that needs to be cleared. Would he clear Larocco's leap, No, but neither do most of the factory 250f's.


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Love4Moto
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Love4Moto 2/9/2021 4:35pm
2/9/2021 4:35pm
sumdood wrote:
Do you have friends with different bikes you could try before you go all in and spend A bunch of cash on something you might not...
Do you have friends with different bikes you could try before you go all in and spend A bunch of cash on something you might not be happy with ?
Not anything newer than mine
TheGetFresh
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TheGetFresh 2/9/2021 5:03pm
2/9/2021 5:03pm
Did you come from street bikes or is the yz250f your first ever motorcycle?
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Love4Moto
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Love4Moto 2/9/2021 5:51pm
2/9/2021 5:51pm Edited Date/Time 2/9/2021 5:53pm
TheGetFresh wrote:
Did you come from street bikes or is the yz250f your first ever motorcycle?
I ride street as well I have a Kawi zx6r. I’ve been riding street since 19 and I’m almost 24

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