looking for my first dirtbike

[bmier95]

I need some help on what dirt bike I should buy. I am 6 ft 4 and 215 pounds. I have never rode a dirt bike before but I have no problem picking new things up and I own a suzuki vstrom 1000 and also drive harley fatboy, so I'm not new to motorcycles, just dirt bikes. I would be doing mainly trail riding and if I do all the maintenance on the bike myself which would be a better bike, 2 stroke or 4 stroke? Could someone that has never driven a dirt bike before hop right on a yz250 or a crf450 and learn fast enough for it to be okay or would something like a yz250f be the better option?

[Ivan-the-hunter]

The difficulty of trails and how technical they are should weigh intp this decision. Single track? Dual track? Rocky, muddy, steep, tight turns? What you got in your local area to ride on?

[bmier95]

for the most part it would probably be muddy and tight turns in the woods. I'd just be riding through our farm's wooded area and peoples land that i know. So nothing too exciting but I just kinda want to  know if i could handle a 450 or 250 2 stroke right off the bat

[Ivan-the-hunter]

for the most part it would probably be muddy and tight turns in the woods. I'd just be riding through our farm's wooded area and peoples land that i know. So nothing too exciting but I just kinda want to  know if i could handle a 450 or 250 2 stroke right off the bat

lowv maintenance, go 4 stroke. as for a 450, yeah you could handle it. do you need it? cause the weight of the bigger bikes can get fatiguing. dirt biking isn't like street riding. you do a lot more work throwing the bike around than you do on other bikes. i'd say a 250 will haul you just fine, and if it feels under-powered, you can get a lot from tuning. i'd only go the 450 route if its flat and gentle hills, but the 250 is a learner that can be tuned into a mid difficulty bike. especially the dualsports. also, the dualsports are designed for low maintenance, so check out yamaha xt250, wr250r, or a suzuki drz-400 if you want a 400. DRZ-400 was my first bike in ten years gone from riding. my only experience was a 30 yr old suzuki 125 from when i was 12. the DRZ and the community behind it here have been a great learning experience, and once you get the kinks out of a DRZ, they really shine.

[WWalker]

XR 400. Easy to ride, plenty of power, very dependable.

[bmier95]

thanks a lot! I think i'll look into a wr250r or a yz250f then. is there anything specific to look for when buying a used one?

[Qqqqqqqqqqqq]

The yz250F is a good choice ,a low hour bike is best

[MCVL]

WR250R is a dual sport, it is heavier, underpowered and street legal.

WR250F is a dirt bike, more like yz250f with lights, different tranny, softer setup suspension

 

You could get a 450 or 250 2stroke, but you will probably have difficulties controlling it offroad. I've seen people with a lot of pavement experience fall on 450s somewhere like on turns because they automatically used too much brakes when they already turning, so they fall and sometimes hurt themselves a little. On 2Strokes they were trying to engine brake and then open full throttle, it sometimes fails to rev right after that and they fall or the engine requires a new top end earlier. Otherwise if you can get used to it a 2 stroke that was tuned for trail ridind and not mx would be good too, something like 200 exc. But if you never ridden a 2stroke before you would probably be better with 250F, then when you get a feel for riding dirt you can get a bigger displacement or fewer strokes bike, this way it will be more pleasant IMHO  ?

[bmier95]

thanks for the advice! For some reason i really enjoy yamaha products so I will start looking for either the yz250 or wr250 that isnt street legal and is a 4 stroke

[zderekv]

300 2 stroke. It will lug like a thumper yet you get the snap of a 2 stroke. Personally I think they're better suited for trail riding than anything else out there - personally I say. 2 strokes just feel lighter and more flick-able (if that's a word). There are only a few manufacturers (KTM, Berg, Husqvarnas or GasGas) and they're all good. I'd say pick a color and go with it.

[zderekv]

Sorry - I know we're 4 stroke guys here but if giving my honest opinion I'd recommend a smoker to the OP.

[xcbuckeyeguy]

I always wanted a little more power when I had my yz250f. I switched from an 06 yz250f to a 08 yz450f. The weight difference was hardly noticeable and the extra power was great when needed. I now have a 14 yz450f and it feels more nimble and more power than both of the previous mentioned bikes.