Posts
101
Joined
10/17/2015
Location
Roseville, CA
US
Looking to get back into riding after a hiatus. I just bought my son a Honda CRF50 so we can start riding together and he can start riding with his cousins. With work, in all honesty i won't be able to ride more than a few times a month and i definitely won't be racing. I am just looking for something to go out and have fun with. I stand a towering 5ft 6in so i would be looking at bikes that fit shorter riders. I normally go for the newest and greatest but i just don't see the point with the use this bike will get and my current skill level. I have been looking at some left over bikes, which can be had pretty cheap it seems. I would like a KTM with electric start but from what i am seeing those are at least $3K more money which i can't really justify. I am leaning towards the Honda, then switching out the forks to the 2014 springs. Can you give me your opinion on these bikes? Or any others i should consider? YZ's can also be had fairly cheap however i would have to cut the subframe etc to fit me. Thanks Appreciate.
New 2017 Honda CRF250R $5,000.00
New 2017 Kawi KX250F $4,500.00
New 2018 Kawi KX250F $5,500.00
New 2017 Suzuki RMZ250 $5,000.00
New 2018 Suzuki RMZ250 $5,650.00
New 2017 Suzuki RMZ450 $5,750.00 (pretty mellow for a 450? and people say its a comfortable bike to ride?)
New 2017 Honda CRF250R $5,000.00
New 2017 Kawi KX250F $4,500.00
New 2018 Kawi KX250F $5,500.00
New 2017 Suzuki RMZ250 $5,000.00
New 2018 Suzuki RMZ250 $5,650.00
New 2017 Suzuki RMZ450 $5,750.00 (pretty mellow for a 450? and people say its a comfortable bike to ride?)
Easy choice....
Adjustable YZ subframe
Able to fine tune your ride height.
The Shop
There are alot of brand loyal people that will say buy this bike it's the best.
All ill say is get something fuel injected so u don't have to clean the carb and enjoy the time riding with your son. Make some life long memories.
There are really no bad choices, on any current bikes. Just give and take with each brand. One shines here where the other shines there.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/d/cr-125/6447940154.html
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/d/2004-kawasaki-kx250-2-stroke/64…
https://goldcountry.craigslist.org/mcy/d/price-reduced-clean-2008/64106…
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/d/suzuki-rm-250-ricky/6425504156…
Not knowing your weight but at 5'6", I'd vote 2017 CRF250R or KX250F from the list. Lots of aftermarket availability...Just need to decide if you're a PC Kawi or Geico Honda kind of guy
What are you mostly planning on riding, track, trail, both?
What was your skill level before you stopped?
Are you going to be riding yourself, or mostly just using the bike to chase your kid around for a while?
How much do you weigh?
Also, at 5'6" I don't think you're going to need to cut any subframes, that isn't really all that short to be honest. If you're just going to be chasing the kid around then I would think a smaller bike with electric start would be great, but if you're planning to do any serious track or trail riding then obviously a full sized bike is what you're looking for. If you're a lighter guy and want something that can cruise along with your kid then a 250 is probably the way to go, but if you're heavier and want to do some motoing then a 450 is probably a better choice. Keep in mind that some brands (like KTM) are a lot more mellow on the bottom and make cruising along easier, whereas on a Yamaha you're going to find a lot quicker hit to the power which would make cruising with the kid a major chore. Just some things to consider, but with a little more information I think you'll get a lot more relevant responses.
Edit: Also, if you're at beginner level, don't worry about fork horror stories, any stock set of forks will work just fine for you.
Very underrated bike IMO-
Pit Row
Following someone slow or a kid on a race bike sucks, first gear with the clutch pulled in most of the time it's very difficult.
For example my son and great nephew were 3 last year on and only rode on the turn track in my flat field.
I had a lot of fun just riding my pit bike with them.
If you are not going to a mx track then a pit bike is a cheap fun option.
450s are harder to resell where I am.
If you really need to choose one of the above then a new 17 KX250F for 4500$ would be my choice.
I have other friends and family that ride quite often.
Post a reply to: Which Bike Would You Buy