What is a good trail/enduro two-stroke

[William Davidson]

I have been riding four stroke all my life and it seems more and more people are starting to ride two-stroke around where I live. My family lives in NH and we don't want to be to loud because we have an elderly couple that live next to us. My family thinks that the two-strokes would be to loud so that's why we have four-strokes. I have been looking at two-strokes in Craigslist (within $1400)for about a couple months and went to go look at two kdxs and they both where asking too much and one had an obnoxiously loud pipe. I have been thinking about finding an old 125 and converting it into a good trail bike but I'm not sure if it would be worth it. If you could give me advice that would be great.

[BOAB]

Cue up the orange crowd. ?

[kyleanegus]

If you can afford a newer Euro bike (KTM, HUSKY, BETA, GAS GAS, SHERCO) go for it and you will most likely not regret it. For that price Suzuki RMX 250 if you can find one. I sold a clean '97 in 2012 and have kicked myself for letting it go and not keeping it as an extra/backup bike. Fortunately I bought another '97 this week and am gonna build it to suit my 57 year old dad.(lower the rear end, throw in an efm auto clutch and spring it for his weight). Never should have quit making them.

[bryanaverill]

RM85

[slowmoto]

A KDX with stock exhaust is the quietest 2 stroke you can find. I bought two in the last two years, one for $750 and the other $500. You can get the stock exhaust for cheap since most people swap it out with FMF. Stock pipe is double walled which makes it so quiet. Stock silencer and FMF powercore are about the same. A 125 will be louder since you have to rev it all the time while a KDX you can lug.

[pat22043]

KDX 220 is a nice bike and available for modest prices. Save your money and ride a cheaper bike for a while, then spring for a KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas, Sherco, Beta, etc.

 

[BOAB]

1 hour ago, pat22043 said:

KDX 220 is a nice bike and available for modest prices. Save your money and ride a cheaper bike for a while, then spring for a KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas, Sherco, Beta, etc.

 

I strongly suggest bucking the overpriced Euro trend and going with a Yamaha.

[2strokeYardSale]

$1400 and you are looking at some old beaters. Best bet is a KDX200/220 but you may not find the last generation (better) at that price. You may have to settle for pre-95.

[RawbW]

A yz250 with mods if you're poor, or the newer version that comes with them, the yz250x

rmx250 was a good one

kdx 200/220 

mid 90s Yamaha had a wr250z 2t that was good

and of course all the euro brands have had great enduro 2 strokes for awhile.

2 strokes may be louder than a 4t, up close but the sound does not carry any distance. On my land, with a buddy on a ttr230 with an fmf pipe, and my 2t with a turbinecore2 silencer, my dad can't hear my bike once I'm into the trees, my buddy's bike though he can. If I'm on my rmz my dad can pinpoint me by sound 

[David C]

Really there is only one:


Sent from my LG-H871 using ThumperTalk mobile app

[2strokeYardSale]

You gonna sell yours to him for $1400? Or did you just come in to post a pic of your bike and wave your fanboy banner without reading the OP's needs and concerns?

[Hudson Charlton]

I run a CR 250 in the bush and just love it. Usually you can pick them up cheep.

 

ps   there is a picture of it in my profile. ^?   

[shrubitup]

On 7/20/2017 at 11:32 AM, William Davidson said:

I have been riding four stroke all my life and it seems more and more people are starting to ride two-stroke around where I live. My family lives in NH and we don't want to be to loud because we have an elderly couple that live next to us. My family thinks that the two-strokes would be to loud so that's why we have four-strokes. I have been looking at two-strokes in Craigslist (within $1400)for about a couple months and went to go look at two kdxs and they both where asking too much and one had an obnoxiously loud pipe. I have been thinking about finding an old 125 and converting it into a good trail bike but I'm not sure if it would be worth it. If you could give me advice that would be great.

125s don't make good trail bikes unless you can ride them 100% aggressive all the time. They're quiet at idle only. Open the gas some and they're LOUD. 

Did the 125 experiment this year.... .ya ... no

[BushPig]

2 hours ago, shrubitup said:

125s don't make good trail bikes unless you can ride them 100% aggressive all the time. They're quiet at idle only. Open the gas some and they're LOUD. 

Did the 125 experiment this year.... .ya ... no

It was fun while it lasted.

I am glad to be back on my "over priced Euro Trend" bike. 

Even at 4x the price its better value for money than an XR. That was another failed experiment. Real 250F coming next.

[shrubitup]

3 minutes ago, BushPig said:

It was fun while it lasted.

I am glad to be back on my "over priced Euro Trend" bike. 

Even at 4x the price its better value for money than an XR. That was another failed experiment. Real 250F coming next.

I like my F.I. 250F from Kawasaki much better...

[BushPig]

1 minute ago, shrubitup said:

I like my F.I. 250F from Kawasaki much better...

zOMGz a YZ250 would be so much better??

21 days till I take delivery of 250F. It will be interstate, in city I dont know well. My plan is just to ride around and have a look for the first few days and then to head of to the countryside to ride with family.

[shrubitup]

2 minutes ago, BushPig said:

zOMGz a YZ250 would be so much better??

21 days till I take delivery of 250F. It will be interstate, in city I dont know well. My plan is just to ride around and have a look for the first few days and then to head of to the countryside to ride with family.

Had a few of them years ago. Plenty of fun but I'm just done with smokers at the moment unless it's a Beta 250RR. 

Fun to read about all the upcoming doom ahead of me. Since you're getting a disposable throw away bike, what's the plan for when it grenades at hour 6? ?

[BushPig]

4 minutes ago, shrubitup said:

Had a few of them years ago. Plenty of fun but I'm just done with smokers at the moment unless it's a Beta 250RR. 

Fun to read about all the upcoming doom ahead of me. Since you're getting a disposable throw away bike, what's the plan for when it grenades at hour 6? ?

Rebuild with non genuine parts and continue to thrash the guts out of it IF i'm not sick of it.

If I am sick of it, rebuild with non genuine parts and sell. Would probably replace with a big bore, a dual sport or maybe even a naked street bike.

Personally I think the 250F will hold together and I will love it. Would possibly look at the 250EXC TPI after I am done with it.

[SilvFx]

On 7/22/2017 at 8:21 PM, 2strokeYardSale said:

You gonna sell yours to him for $1400? Or did you just come in to post a pic of your bike and wave your fanboy banner without reading the OP's needs and concerns?

That left a mark and appropriately so.

OP you are getting good advice on this thread at least by those that addressed the $1400 budget and the concern about loudness of 2 stroke vs. 4 stroke.

Good luck.  Might be easier to find something in Fall/Winter given you are in NH.  I'm sure prices are higher just before and during riding season.