I need help deciding, so many choices!

[woodrowman]

Hello, I would like to call upon the mercy of forum member everywhere (I'm in Akron, Ohio). I have been looking hard at getting back into riding!! Last bike I owned was an 89 kdx 200. I loved it, but now I am drooling over xr250's and perhaps a xr400. My problem is simple, would it be possible for me to test said bikes? Thank you very much to anyone who is willing to help me out!

PS, if you want, I'll have my wife make cookies for you if you let me test ride your bike. Thank you so much! ??

[petedrz]

Look at the CRFX they run like two strokes.An the push button starter is great. Keep in mind the 250 has 30hp. It will give most riders plenty of power good luck an buy the right bike first.

[woodrowman]

Thank you for your reply. I have a question though, dealerships don't seem to want people to test ride their bikes. How would I get to know a bike without a test ride? Thanks for any help you can offer?

[JoeBlow Kokomo]

Same problem we all have now. Read lots of reviews and owner opinions. Rangle a ride if you can, like you're doing.

OTherwise, role the dice.

[woodrowman]

Thanks. So, who is gonna be the hero and step up with an offer. My wife will make cookies for you!

[XRIowa]

I can sometimes get dealer test rides by going to small town dealers they are much more willing to do anything to sell you a bike. I took a brand new WRF 450 for a test ride right thru the mud on accident of course... ?

[sprint4425]

Hello, I would like to call upon the mercy of forum member everywhere (I'm in Akron, Ohio). I have been looking hard at getting back into riding!! Last bike I owned was an 89 kdx 200. I loved it, but now I am drooling over xr250's and perhaps a xr400. My problem is simple, would it be possible for me to test said bikes? Thank you very much to anyone who is willing to help me out!

PS, if you want, I'll have my wife make cookies for you if you let me test ride your bike. Thank you so much! ??

Im originally from michigan, and most dealers that i knew of (unless they were in the middle of a city) would have an "open house"..its a day in the spring or fall, or even sometimes both where the dealers would break out a couple of the new bikes and let people test ride them to see how they liked them. If i were you i would call around to all of your local dealers or even some dealers that are a litte farther away and out of a citie's limits and ask them if they ever have an "open house day", or a day like it.

[SD_CRFX]

So far as I know, the main reason why a dealer generally won't let you 'test-drive' a dirtbike is for insurance reasons. Motorcycle dealerships, much like car dealerships, carry special insurance that cover them during testdrives/etc, but since dirtbikes for the most part aren't street legal they don't fall under the same rules as street machines would. I've yet to find a dealer that won't let you test-ride a street machine, but bikes for the dirt is a whole different ballgame. That said, my suggestion would be to find someone you trust (and likewise) that has a couple different bikes you can hop on and see what you like. If all else fails, thumpertalk is a great place to gain information on which bike is best suited for you.

PS -> Another vote for the CRFX here. Awesome bike, and it's horsepower output is just shy of a XR 400. First bike I've ever owned (first learned on an old-school TT 500 ? ) and it's the most forgiving bike I've ridden. Maintain it religiously though...it's definitely not 'hammer reliable' like an XR. That said I'm over 1k miles with absolutely no problems (valves all in spec/etc).

~Hope that Helps,

Jeff

[dmp437]

it's definitely not 'hammer reliable' like an XR.

Or a Yamaha WR250F.

If my riding area wasn't a swamp (and you didn't mind driving a few hours) you could test ride mine. Then you would be done drooling over an old XR. XR's are great bikes but the suspension is a little "old school".

What kind of cookies? ?

[mucka]

I have always been able to test any used bike. See if you can find a used one and try it out.

Russ

[Ud_Luz]

Any particular reason your not looking at another KDX?

The 220 is a great woods bike. and is easliy modified.

[woodrowman]

So, what is the opinion about the XR400? Would I be crazy to take it around a motocross track for fun now and then? Is the suspension that bad? It seems that everyone says it is soft, but who knows?

Also, Mr Michigan, I would love to try out a WR250!! They sound pretty good too. Since I am new to these new bikes, I was initially focused on "a honda and nuthin but a honda". I guess I could look at the options a little more. It just seems that the newer 4stroke bikes = big buck!!

Thank you everyone

PS. The cookies could be Mrs Fields choc. Chip, or even Pecan Tarts or Apple Dumplings. Its all good.

[smithpa68]

So, what is the opinion about the XR400? Would I be crazy to take it around a motocross track for fun now and then? Is the suspension that bad? It seems that everyone says it is soft, but who knows?

Also, Mr Michigan, I would love to try out a WR250!! They sound pretty good too. Since I am new to these new bikes, I was initially focused on "a honda and nuthin but a honda". I guess I could look at the options a little more. It just seems that the newer 4stroke bikes = big buck!!

Thank you everyone

PS. The cookies could be Mrs Fields choc. Chip, or even Pecan Tarts or Apple Dumplings. Its all good.

If you ever get down to Georgia there is a great place called Durhamtown Plantation. They rent bikes. They have a good selection too. I rented a bunch of different bikes there. I rented a DRZ400 (great motor, heavy, a little soft on the suspension, great trail bike), TT250 (little weak on motor but nice and torquey, suspension soft, nice trailbike, much like an XR), KX250F (strong motor, light, very fast, kinda peaky for a 4stroke, not for the trails, it seemed to run hot in the slow stuff), CRF250F (light, fast great handling, smoother motor than KXF, never ran hot on the trail, nice bike), and a CRF230 (great entry level bike, little small for me, basically like an xr 200.)

Check them out at www.durhamtown.com. Plane tickets to Atlanta are cheap and you can rent a cabin at Durhamtown for the weekend.

In case you were wondering what I settled on.... I bought a KTM450EXC. Amazing machine!!! Worth every penney.

[MrGadget]

There is nothing at all wrong with a Honda XR. They're great bikes and a good used one can be easy to find. The Honda CRF250 is more state of the art and costs more too.

Wish we lived closer. I would definitly trade for cookies and milk.

[Doug.]

Thank you for your reply. I have a question though, dealerships don't seem to want people to test ride their bikes. How would I get to know a bike without a test ride? Thanks for any help you can offer?

Normally, the dealership has a demo bike where they'll at least let you ride it around the parking lot, just to get a feel for it. I know its not the same as ripping up a trail, but its better than nothing.

[woodrowman]

Thanks again for all the advice!

[PumpkinHumper]

Hey Woodrow. I am above you in Muskegon Mi. I have a CRF250X that you could ride if you feel like a road trip. May have to wait a bit till the snow melts up here but the bike is here is you want to try it.

Ya know the old saying though... You break it ya.......lol

The X makes a great track play bike. I have had it at the track a few times and its tons of fun. Not a MX bike by any means but still a lot of fun on the track.

[berkeman]

So, what is the opinion about the XR400? Would I be crazy to take it around a motocross track for fun now and then? Is the suspension that bad? It seems that everyone says it is soft, but who knows?

Also, Mr Michigan, I would love to try out a WR250!! They sound pretty good too.

The XRs are a bit out of their league on a motocross track, but you can ride around some, as long as you bypass the bigger stuff and don't try to hammer the whoops. The extra weight and less suspension compared to MX bikes really is a problem on most tracks.

That having been said, there are certainly some experienced riders who ride the wheels off of XRs. Ranger Mike at Metcalf takes a lot of pleasure in taking the old ranger XR400 out on the MX track "to check out the track to be sure it's holding up okay", and spanking 50% of the riders on the track. It's pretty funny to watch Mike whip that big heavy beast good and sideways over the top tabletop as he passes light 2-stroke MX bikes.

I think that the main reason you might get an XR over a CRF or WR is if you really don't want to spend much time on periodic maintenance chores like oil changes, valve clearance checks and suspension lubing. But if you don't mind spending a little quality time with your toy in the garage each week, then I'd vote for getting a light bike with max suspension. The CRF250X would be a good intermediate choice, or you could go for a CRF250/450R. If you were here in Norcal, you'd be welcome to ride my CRF450 and my XR250. You might try posting in your regional TT forum to help you find more local riders who could give you test rides.