Yz85 vs kx100

[Braapstustu]

Hey guys i was just wondering which would be a better bike for me, a yz85 or a kx100, i found one of each in my area and both for $1300 CAD, The yz is an 03 and more clean, some aftermarket parts and rebuilt 6 hours ago, now the kx on the other hand (which im leaning towards) has a missing brake lever and a few other very small things, he says it has 130psi but was rebuild last year, that seems quite low to me tbh, i heard after a rebuild they should be at 180-190psi, so ill likely have to rebuild it this year yet (which ive never done) but seems easy enough, now before you ask, im 16, 6ft and about 140 lbs, i know i know, i need a full size bike (125 2t) but thats out of the question financially and i would feel better on a smaller bike tbh-no i wont be racing it, just for trails and around the farm with my buddies, maybe some practice days at the track a few times a year for fun, ill use it more as a pitbike than an mx bike.. The kx is an 02 btw. Here are pics didnt have a better pic of the kx, just two videos it wouldn't let me attach. Just want to know your thoughts on which would be the better buy: yz-cleaner/newer/rebuilt recently. Kx-bigger/more low end power. 

[mlatour]

To me, that KX screams 'walk away'...

Honestly I'd say save up for an older but maintained 125,

at 6' you are almost a foot too tall for any mini, including 'big wheeled' versions with 19"/16" wheels.

It's not only the seat height but the bars/pegs/seat ergonomics, forcing you to sit way back and upsetting the balance.

(no weight on front wheel = crash while cornering)

 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by mlatour

[Braapstustu]

19 hours ago, mlatour said:

To me, that KX screams 'walk away'...

Honestly I'd say save up for an older but maintained 125,

at 6' you are almost a foot too tall for any mini, including 'big wheeled' versions with 19"/16" wheels.

It's not only the seat height but the bars/pegs/seat ergonomics, forcing you to sit way back and upsetting the balance.

(no weight on front wheel = crash while cornering)

 

 

Yeah i thought that aswell about the kx, yeah ive been saving up for quite a while, so far ive only ridden pitbikes quads and bigger china bikes, so i figured id go for a "smaller" and cheaper real bike just to learn the skills with clutch and 2 strokes, i was planning on keeping it for maybe half this season to learn etc then sell it and upgrade, worst case scenario i blow it up and spend $100 on a top end then sell it for the same i bought it for. Which isnt too bad. I always figured i could get a different top clamp that allowed me to move the bars forward and upwards, which looks to cost about $80-100. My dad is a good welder too so if foot position is a huge downfall i could always get him to fab something up, someone has to have done it before. My parents are very against dirtbikes aswell, and they would be alot more pleased to see me on an 85 than a full size ring ding machine.. (125 2t) just let me know what you think, be honest:) 

[mlatour]

A mini is not a wise investment for you IMO, again better to save up an buy a proper fitting bike to begin with.

As mentioned due to the ergonomics forcing you to sit further back, you have a better chance of being flipped off the back of a mini than a 125.

 

If you mostly plan on trail & off-road riding and only very few occasional visits to an MX track with recreational fun in mind and not serious lap times,

perhaps a more trail oriented bike is a better choice for you, say a CRF230F which is much tamer and doesn't require much maintenance.

(but will likely cost more than your current budget allows)

These bikes a great to learn on and, unlike most others keep a very good resale value when it's time to upgrade.

Edited May 2, 2017 by mlatour

[Braapstustu]

1 hour ago, mlatour said:

A mini is not a wise investment for you IMO, again better to save up an buy a proper fitting bike to begin with.

As mentioned due to the ergonomics forcing you to sit further back, you have a better chance of being flipped off the back of a mini than a 125.

 

If you mostly plan on trail & off-road riding and only very few occasional visits to an MX track with recreational fun in mind and not serious lap times,

perhaps a more trail oriented bike is a better choice for you, say a CRF230F which is much tamer and doesn't require much maintenance.

(but will likely cost more than your current budget allows)

These bikes a great to learn on and, unlike most others keep a very good resale value when it's time to upgrade.

Yeah that all makes sense, another reason i want an 85 is just cause i want to RIDE, my buddies have raptors and 250 2t, and i hate not being able to ride with them (have a china pitbike but how would that do against raptors?) so i kinda figured id buy a cheap and well maintained 85, save up for a few months then sell the 85 and purchase a *nicer* 125 right away, that way i can still ride in the meantime and learn the mechanics of a 2t while i wait for $$$ for a 125 2t. As for a 230f or ttr goes, no, ive ridden one and they aren't slow, but far too heavy and "boring" for me, just for putting around i could possibly consider it, but not bombing trails with a bunch of friends. As for learning on a 230, im not sure what i would learn, i feel like ive learned everything on how to ride a 4 stroke already, (quads, pitbikes, trail bikes etc) another reason i want a 2t now. And yeah the ergonomics wouldn't be fit, the main reason why i wouldn't track it, just for backyard and trail use. I hope im not sounding "stubborn" or planted to my thoughts. 

[Bron-Yr-Aur]

Yeah that all makes sense, another reason i want an 85 is just cause i want to RIDE, my buddies have raptors and 250 2t, and i hate not being able to ride with them (have a china pitbike but how would that do against raptors[emoji51]) so i kinda figured id buy a cheap and well maintained 85, save up for a few months then sell the 85 and purchase a *nicer* 125 right away, that way i can still ride in the meantime and learn the mechanics of a 2t while i wait for $$$ for a 125 2t. As for a 230f or ttr goes, no, ive ridden one and they aren't slow, but far too heavy and "boring" for me, just for putting around i could possibly consider it, but not bombing trails with a bunch of friends. As for learning on a 230, im not sure what i would learn, i feel like ive learned everything on how to ride a 4 stroke already, (quads, pitbikes, trail bikes etc) another reason i want a 2t now. And yeah the ergonomics wouldn't be fit, the main reason why i wouldn't track it, just for backyard and trail use. I hope im not sounding "stubborn" or planted to my thoughts. 

A KX100 is always a better choice than a YZ85. It's just a better bike (bigger motor, bigger wheels, and a power valve)

 

That being said, at your height, there is NO reason for you to be on those bikes. That's like a circus bear riding a tricycle. It will be uncomfortable, under sprung (most likely causing a crash at some point), and will loop out quicker than you can say "hey guys, watch this." I hate threads where people, instead of answering the question, give the OP their own ideas on what they feel they should do. But in this situation, I've become just that. Simply because I can almost guarantee you will regret that decision. You should be able to find a 125 for only a little more money. And some say the late 90's YZ 125's were their favorites. I bought a '99 for only $1,100 USD in very good shape.

[Nevada Al]

^^^^^^ What he said.......My 11yr old daughter trail rides a kx85 with a k100 engine in it...  I strongly suggest you wait for a good deal on a 125.   Btw, that kx100 looks like it's had a hard life.   Last one I bought was an 04 that needed a top end but was otherwise in perfect condition I paid $600 for it..

[Braapstustu]

6 hours ago, Bron-Yr-Aur said:

A KX100 is always a better choice than a YZ85. It's just a better bike (bigger motor, bigger wheels, and a power valve)

 

That being said, at your height, there is NO reason for you to be on those bikes. That's like a circus bear riding a tricycle. It will be uncomfortable, under sprung (most likely causing a crash at some point), and will loop out quicker than you can say "hey guys, watch this." I hate threads where people, instead of answering the question, give the OP their own ideas on what they feel they should do. But in this situation, I've become just that. Simply because I can almost guarantee you will regret that decision. You should be able to find a 125 for only a little more money. And some say the late 90's YZ 125's were their favorites. I bought a '99 for only $1,100 USD in very good shape.

Kx100 is better, yes. But not in this scenario, i think im going for the yz... 

Now hear me out, i know im too big for an 85, but to me its just a learning curve, a 125 obviously is the right bike for me, but once you factor in my budget, area (sw ontario) and ability, i dont see why an 85 is such a "horrendous" choice, i will use it as a pitbike until i can afford a proper bike. You really think it will loop out just from hitting powerband? Even if i sit closest to the tank as possible? I will be test "driving" the bike before i purchase, if it really is as bad as you guys make it sound i wont go for it. I see lots of topics on here about 20-40 year olds using 85's as playbikes/pitbikes, and saying they love it after a few tweaks/mods, how is this different? I wouldn't plan on keeping it for long term, one season at MAX, most likely around 3 months though.. Finding bikes in sw ontario isnt too easy, either they have been raced to death, are asking $3000 for an 02, or pre-90's. And whenever there good ones, they disappear in a day, now if i could drive, itd be a different story, i would need a ride from Parents and they arent willing to drive me far at all. Am i crazy or does anyone halfway agree/understand where my thoughts are coming from? Thanks for your input. 

[michaelchristie207]

I'm 5'4 and 110 the yz85 is too small for me... I paid more for it than my mint yz125 my dads 220 and he liked to ride my xr100 then my yz85 more space and easier/ more fun to ride plus it's cheap and only thing I have to replace are tires and brakes 

[Braapstustu]

On Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 11:18 AM, michaelchristie207 said:

I'm 5'4 and 110 the yz85 is too small for me... I paid more for it than my mint yz125 my dads 220 and he liked to ride my xr100 then my yz85 more space and easier/ more fun to ride plus it's cheap and only thing I have to replace are tires and brakes 

Ended up getting the yz85, paid $1200, when all 125's are $2000+, yes its not perfect size for me, but i wouldn't say its uncomfortable, a little undersprung, i think its great for trail and field riding with my buddys, keeps up to a raptor 700 and 125 2t no problem, i plan on upgrading to a 125 end of this season, but for now im learning and have zero complaints on the yz85, other than the amount of gas it chugs, lol. 

[Bron-Yr-Aur]

I can't really understand the purpose of this thread. It seems you had your mind made up from the beginning, and ignored all the subsequent advice. Why even bother?

[BushPig]

48 minutes ago, Bron-Yr-Aur said:

I can't really understand the purpose of this thread. It seems you had your mind made up from the beginning, and ignored all the subsequent advice. Why even bother?

For reaffirmation. which was not received.

[Bullfrog123]

Another question for all the responders since you guys seem like a pretty knowledgeable group ?. 

My question...which bike, between the 2022 YZ85LW and a 2018 or newer KX100, has the most distance from the top of the foot pegs to the top of the seat?  The dealers near me don't have either bike so I can't go measure and I am sure a regular YZ85 has the same distance from the foot pegs to the seat as the "LW".  I can grow the rider triangle using bar risers but changing the distance from the foot pegs to the seat is tough to do.

I am in my early 60s and have ridden and/or owned a boat load of bikes over the years including everything from an Aprilia RS50 to a BMW K1600 so I do have a clue what I am getting into.  I am 5' 10" and shrinking...due to age.  My dilemma, I want to buy either a new 2022 YZ85LW that comes with 19" front/16" rear wheel as well as the new YZ85 engine that includes a power valve or a KX100 that has the same size wheels as well as a power valve.  

Any info, opinions, or data that will help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Guys...I appreciate the help. 

[mlatour]

What is your intended usage?  (MX track riding or, recreational trail riding which neither will excel at)

You would have to 'shrink' to about 5'4" or less for any of these minis to fit you correctly.

While not comforting at first, keep in mind that a 'properly' sized dirt bike will always initially feel too tall for new dirt riders.

Edited February 5, 2022 by mlatour

[Bullfrog123]

5 minutes ago, mlatour said:

What is your intended usage?  (MX track riding or, recreational trail riding which neither will excel at)

You would have to 'shrink' to about 5'4" or less for any of these minis to fit you correctly.

While not comforting at first, keep in mind that a 'properly' sized dirt bike will always initially feel too tall for new dirt riders.

Use of the bike will be general purpose so not too worried about keeping up with the KTMs/Huskys. 

I agree, I am a little too tall for the minis...but I already have bigger bikes, this is just going to be a toy for me ?.

 

[slowmoto]

I'm 5'4" and my KX100 is too cramped stock. I made it comfortable to ride with Rox Risers and moving the pegs back.