New guy looking for bike advice

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sawtoothscream

Hi, new to the site and currently looking at bikes. in my area there are mostly older 2000 cr 250 and a few yz250's. A few 125's as well.Just trying to get a feel of which I should go after, a 05 yz250 just went up for sale and just had the top and bottom rebuilt and is going for $2900, but might be able to get it down some more. the cr's are around $2500 and are 2000 and 2002

Just trying to figure out if I should go for it. It will be mostly ridden in the woods and open fields, maybe take it to a track once and awhile.

My old bike was a xr100, I have rode a yz85 a good amount when I was younger and spent some time on my uncles KTM300 when riding with my cousin. Found all of them to be pretty easy to ride after getting a feel for their power. KTM was a blast to open up and the only big 2 stroke i have experience with.

So think a 125 or 250 would be a good choice? Feel like if I get a 125 I will just want a 250 later on and dont really want to sell and buy down the line. I also float around the 200lbs range so probably so probably to big for the 125?

any advice would be great.
 
2strokesteve89

2strokesteve89

sawtoothscream:
Hi, new to the site and currently looking at bikes. in my area there are mostly older 2000 cr 250 and a few yz250's. A few 125's as well.Just trying to get a feel of which I should go after, a 05 yz250 just went up for sale and just had the top and bottom rebuilt and is going for $2900, but might be able to get it down some more. the cr's are around $2500 and are 2000 and 2002

Just trying to figure out if I should go for it. It will be mostly ridden in the woods and open fields, maybe take it to a track once and awhile.

My old bike was a xr100, I have rode a yz85 a good amount when I was younger and spent some time on my uncles KTM300 when riding with my cousin. Found all of them to be pretty easy to ride after getting a feel for their power. KTM was a blast to open up and the only big 2 stroke i have experience with.

So think a 125 or 250 would be a good choice? Feel like if I get a 125 I will just want a 250 later on and dont really want to sell and buy down the line. I also float around the 200lbs range so probably so probably to big for the 125?

any advice would be great.
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125's are suited for riders in the 120-160 lb range, but you could still ride one, I would suggest you go for the 250 and if you are doing mostly trail and woods probably the YZ. Reasons why is the YZ has a broader easier to handle powerband, the CR's could be made to run hard but usually required some jetting and were more suited for the track.the after market quite possibly has as much available for the YZ's as the other 3 jap manufacturers. Which makes it the most versatile bike in its class. Think I would talk down the price a couple hundered or so on the 05 though.
 
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sawtoothscream

2strokesteve89:
125's are suited for riders in the 120-160 lb range, but you could still ride one, I would suggest you go for the 250 and if you are doing mostly trail and woods probably the YZ. Reasons why is the YZ has a broader easier to handle powerband, the CR's could be made to run hard but usually required some jetting and were more suited for the track.the after market quite possibly has as much available for the YZ's as the other 3 jap manufacturers. Which makes it the most versatile bike in its class. Think I would talk down the price a couple hundered or so on the 05 though.
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agree on price, said he is pretty firm but I think $2500 sounds a little better given its age, although I just noticed another yz250 w/ a light kit thats around $3500 and much newer.
 
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sawtoothscream

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sawtoothscream

the cr's are close by so testing them shouldnt be an issue, the yz I would have to drive an hr away and he wants to meet near a exit, so idk if I would even get to see it ride, which I would have to see or do before dropping the cash.
 
2strokesteve89

2strokesteve89

sawtoothscream:
the powerband on the 250 has me nervous and excited :) But man its hard to knock the smile off your face when when it kicks in.
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it's much easier to decide what bikes best for you if you already have one. Go ahead and get one that generally fits what you want and you can go from there, whether it's making your current bike into what you like or using it as a stepping stone to the better choice. But while you're making your way thru the process you're still riding.
 
2strokesteve89

2strokesteve89

sawtoothscream:
this is whats around here
yz- https://binghamton.craigslist.org/mcy/5489229817.html

cr- https://binghamton.craigslist.org/mcy/5458535393.html

cr-https://binghamton.craigslist.org/mcy/5473855221.html

kx 250- https://binghamton.craigslist.org/mcy/5429434854.html

not sure if I want to go this high but yz- https://binghamton.craigslist.org/mcy/5478854567.html

also 04 rm250 for $3200 and a 99 kx250 for $1600


surprised at the price of older bikes, some people area really proud of them on there
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My daughter has a 99 KX250, it's a great bike for the money.

I like the RM but it's way overpriced, by at least a grand.
 
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sawtoothscream

seems like most are more then I expected for being 10-15 rs old. Honestly I would probably be happy with any of the bikes listed if they hold up decent, cant remember riding a dirtbike or ATV I didnt have fun on.
 
Mihylo33

Mihylo33

I had a 99 kx250. Great bike, owned it for 15yrs. Sold it to a kid on here from Ohio and he loves it. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it steered likes cinder block. It was easily compensated by steering with the rear wheel.
 
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ossagp

I have cr 250's and a yz 250, as well as some yz 125's. the yz 250 is the easiest thing to modify for woods than any of them. the suzuki and the kx really dont have too many options there. the cr has fewer options in that regard than the yz does. the yz has the longest running production time on the engine, so no matter what you pick from 1999 on you will have lots of interchangeability. with the cr up until the 2002 model you have the simpler of the two engines. the cr has one choice for transmission gear modifications from an after market company. the yz has factory gear sets with different (wider) ratios. i like them both. love the yz 125's too, but it is a niche thing. you have to want to ride a 125.

that 2012 looks like it gets "loved"a lot, but heck you buy them to ride and sell them when the love starts to fade.

the man with the cr for 2300 is pretty full of smoke and i have a 2000 that is much sharper than than one. it would sell for much less than he is asking and i am in alaska. mine will smoke his. the things i dont like about the hondas as opposed to the yamahas, steel or aluminum is that you won't know how much easier the yamaha is to get to things around either of their frames than that Honda with the wide aluminum spars. the 99's and older are even worse and handled worse than any of their forefathers did.
 
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