What's new
By:
Filters

Group statistics

Members:
99
Threads:
56
Messages:
1815
Discussions:
0
Photos:
0

Latest posts

Latest photos

  • There are no photos in this group

Group events

  • There are no events for this group

Irate Motorcycle Group.

Group information Group forum Group discussions Group photos Group events Group members

Enduro/trail/hare scramble bikes

Squamch

Squamch

Canadian
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
93
Messages
1,513
Loc
republic of Vancouver island
I got an 01 yz250f last fall, and set it up for woods riding with lower gears, gummy tires, full wrap bark busters, and an auto decompression cam.

It's a great bike for what it is, but I'm spending an awful lot of time working on it. So, I'm casually shopping for a modern trail bike. 2 stroke, fuel injected, electric start, all that good stuff. But...I don't know where to do the research. Right now I'm finding a bike for sale, then googling the model and "common problems" or "issues."
I'm looking at less than 5 years old, generally looking at 250s or 300s, and mostly orange or white (husky). There is a sherco dealer in town, and the odd gas gas or beta around.

Thoughts, suggestions, bench racing opinions?
 
I bought an 07 300 xc last year. I really wanted an E start bike but the first generation of ktm e start 2 strokes are garbage. So you're looking at 16?+ which, I guess you did say 5 years or newer :homer::flipoff2:

A brand new beta x trainer 300 was barely more than a 3-4 year old ktm.

Also, maybe my 300 needs some tuning, but I kinda miss my old RM250 snap over the lazy 300. Don't get me wrong, it's a tractor, but it doesn't scream anything like the 250 mx bike.

I'd also really look at the yz250x, new price isn't bad at all.
 
Last edited:
Well obviously you need a YZ250 you fawkin knucklehead :flipoff2:
irate4x4.com

'04 YZ250 Woods/Technical Hare Scramble Build

What's up Irate, This is the project I've got going that's going to be getting the most of my attention over the winter, so I figured I'd post up before I got too far ahead and lost motivation to take pictures and stuff. Current goal here is to catalog building out an older bike to be...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com

Love the engines on the new Betas, they run fucking awesome, and I like the chassis too. The suspension on either the rr or the race edition will probably suit your terrain really well too, they're hella squishy.

For the krautercycles, I've never heard anything but glowing reviews about the modern TPIs personally, just that they have slight tuning differences and an overall different feel than a carb. I like that snappy throttle response from the FI though, feels extra cool on a smoker. and the Estart will leaving you smiling ear to ear compared to your 250f. I'd say get an XC-W for your needs.

ETA: It doesn't sound like you were looking in the year range they came on but don't touch KTM/Huskies with 4CS forks with a 10 foot pole. Save yourself the trouble.
 
Last edited:
YotaAtieToo said:
I bought an 07 300 xc last year. I really wanted an E start bike but the first generation of ktm e start 2 strokes are garbage. So you're looking at 16?+ which, I guess you did say 5 years or newer :homer::flipoff2:
Click to expand...
My dad's 07 300xc was a stunner of a bike. He loved it for many years. Don't need an e-start when it fires off first kick every single time.
YotaAtieToo said:
A brand new beta x trainer 300 was barely more than a 3-4 year old ktm.
Click to expand...
Eeeeeh, they're also dorky short person bikes that are more of a hybrid of a trials bike and a regular dirt bike. Everyone I know that rides one is 50+ years old and has a vagina:flipoff2:
YotaAtieToo said:
Also, maybe my 300 needs some tuning, but I kinda miss my old RM250 snap over the lazy 300. Don't get me wrong, it's a tractor, but it doesn't scream anything like the 250 mx bike.
Click to expand...
Sounds like it could use some tuning or some work. It should feel like a japanese 250 but with more off pipe grunt. A little more piston weight sure but it should never feel sluggish. Those years had like the multiple colors of power valve springs right? Maybe start there and see wha's in it.
YotaAtieToo said:
I'd also really look at the yz250x, new price isn't bad at all.
Click to expand...
Other than the lack of a crawler 1st gear the 250x is far and away the best fun to dollar smoker on the market at the moment. Even then, I'm happy it doesn't have that shit. Squamch may disagree though:laughing:
 
Crawler slow first gear is gonna be a necessity. Rode with a guy on a yz250x a few weeks ago and he was struggling in the trials-y stuff.

Buddy recommended a 300 for more low end grunt, coming from a 4 stroke world, but a lighter weight 250 does sound good. He also mentioned that most everyone he knew had cracked the composite subframe on their husky at some point.

Short people bikes are a no go, I'm 6'1", so not tall, but I'm not short.
 
If you have a Sherco dealer in town, I'd say Sherco. Go see if you can test ride some. Everyone I know with one loves it.
 
Sceep said:
If you have a Sherco dealer in town, I'd say Sherco. Go see if you can test ride some. Everyone I know with one loves it.
Click to expand...
I've been really interested in them lately. Not having local dealer support is kind of a bummer for us, I really want to give a 250 SE factory a rip.
I guess everything is all online now so we can still get parts and everything online through the dealers, and RMatv/mc carries Tusk parts and other stuff for them despite not carrying OEM parts. Other than the price they seem like a hell of a ticket.
 
Squamch said:
Crawler slow first gear is gonna be a necessity. Rode with a guy on a yz250x a few weeks ago and he was struggling in the trials-y stuff.

Buddy recommended a 300 for more low end grunt, coming from a 4 stroke world, but a lighter weight 250 does sound good. He also mentioned that most everyone he knew had cracked the composite subframe on their husky at some point.

Short people bikes are a no go, I'm 6'1", so not tall, but I'm not short.
Click to expand...
At least for the austrians, the 250 and the 300 are the same bike with a different piston and jug. Weight difference is pretty much negligible. I'd personally still go for the 250 but that's just my engine preferences, I like bikes that rev faster. From everything I've seen you say here I'd definitely say a 300 will do you well. Just an aside though, if all you can get your hands on is a euro 250, don't count it out, those bikes make plenty of grunt as well.
Sceep said:
Call up Dee and David at D^2 trials and trails in Amarillo. They are the closest sherco dealer that I know of and they come out every month to the NMTA trials events. Good folks.
Click to expand...
Hell one of these days I'll just go spectate one of your guys' events and I can just start there. I found their dealership while searching a few months back, good to know I have an easy in to go talk to them personally.
 
When you decide to come, I'd see if they'd bring you a bike to test ride. Sipapu or roswell would be good venues for a test ride on one. SanYo not so much.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Also, maybe my 300 needs some tuning, but I kinda miss my old RM250 snap over the lazy 300. Don't get me wrong, it's a tractor, but it doesn't scream anything like the 250 mx bike.
Click to expand...

Start a thread, map switch? PV spring color? Main jet? pilot jet? pipe/silencer?
 
Yeah those terrible motorcycles with spark arrestors start fires left and right! All the hikers with joints and cigarettes should always be allowed in though!
 
I tune mine like a handicapped kid is going to ride it :lmao:
My bike is a little special, Slavens Mule ported cylinder 2mm overbored carb with torque divider plate.
"Not enough Snap" is something I have ever said.
I like it "fat" if you know what I mean.
 
CarterKraft said:
I tune mine like a handicapped kid is going to ride it :lmao:
My bike is a little special, Slavens Mule ported cylinder 2mm overbored carb with torque divider plate.
"Not enough Snap" is something I have ever said.
I like it "fat" if you know what I mean.
Click to expand...
That's crazy talk to me. I hate it when an engine lags behind my input. If I need my front tire up I need it up now lol.
I should get off my high horse and try a flywheel weight on the yz250 though just to see how it is and make a better judgement call on it. I don't think it'll be super useful for racing but maybe it'll be handy for some of the desert hard enduro I want to do with it.
 
willis_racing said:
That's crazy talk to me. I hate it when an engine lags behind my input. If I need my front tire up I need it up now lol.
I should get off my high horse and try a flywheel weight on the yz250 though just to see how it is and make a better judgement call on it. I don't think it'll be super useful for racing but maybe it'll be handy for some of the desert hard enduro I want to do with it.
Click to expand...
I probably didn't explain well...
Power delivery is NOW, no lag and revs out with no delay, but it is lazy compared to leaned up and "properly" tuned.
 
Fwiw, my buddy just picked up a new gas gas 250 2st. Makes me want to go get a new beta so we can have pissing matches. :laughing:

I'll report what he thinks of it.
 
Totally dumbfuck uniformed question here. Are 2T/2 stroke bikes still available new in the US market? :homer:
 
CarterKraft said:
I probably didn't explain well...
Power delivery is NOW, no lag and revs out with no delay, but it is lazy compared to leaned up and "properly" tuned.
Click to expand...
My 300 is very lean, still trying to get a better map in it but my local dealer won't touch it.

That being said, it is very smooth and deceptively quick. It never feels like it is trying to kill you like my KX500 did though.
 
FlexyTJ said:
Totally dumbfuck uniformed question here. Are 2T/2 stroke bikes still available new in the US market? :homer:
Click to expand...

Yes, right about when it looked like they were about to totally die, the 2 smoke euro bikes got super popular with trail/enduro type riding and racing. Now a days, probably 9/10 bikes you see on the trail are euro 2 strokes.

Yamaha also held out with the yz250 and recently came out with an x version, that's supposed to be trail oriented. I'm always curious why the japs are so slow to react to the market. Look at sxs's took them forever to come out with a pure sport SxS, and even then, they're half the hp and suspension of the big ones. It would be cool to see kawk and Honda bring back 2 smokers along with yamaha make a 300 to directly compete with the euro trash.
 
FlexyTJ said:
Totally dumbfuck uniformed question here. Are 2T/2 stroke bikes still available new in the US market? :homer:
Click to expand...

No idea, but they're everywhere on this Canadian island. I am the only one in my riding group with a jap bike. Also the only one with a kickstart that isn't a trials bike...and there's only 2 4t bikes, out of probably a dozen.
 
As far as purchase, I've been pretty well sold on a 300 over a 250, for the lower end, I've always ridden 4 strokes, so a more gentle intro to the 2 stroke world sounds good. Gonna get the new tank on my yz, get the carb happy again, and sell it off, then find the best deal on either a te300i or an xcw300. The property my shop is on is going up for sale too, so I've got to part out my project toyota and the whole parts stash, so that will help fund the purchase as well.
 
Squamch said:
As far as purchase, I've been pretty well sold on a 300 over a 250, for the lower end, I've always ridden 4 strokes, so a more gentle intro to the 2 stroke world sounds good. Gonna get the new tank on my yz, get the carb happy again, and sell it off, then find the best deal on either a te300i or an xcw300. The property my shop is on is going up for sale too, so I've got to part out my project toyota and the whole parts stash, so that will help fund the purchase as well.
Click to expand...

You'll be dumbfounded by a 300 2 stroke. I was talking about it with my buddy on Sunday after hitting some loose hill climbs. They have so much low end, I actually up shift at the bottom of the climb and let it lug into the power band. At low speeds, it's like a tractor.

Mine is an xc, and that's my only complaint, I wanted an xcw.
 
CarterKraft said:
Japan has done NOTHING to save them.
Click to expand...
They had no reason to.

They've been making money hand over fist on 4 strokes for 2 entire decades now.

It's only been the last 5 years or so anybody even thought 2 strokes needed "saving", because now it's been 20 years and people are getting nostalgic about them.

It pretty much makes sense that KTM would dump R&D into the kind of racing they actually give a fuck about, given that Austria is home the world's most badass hard enduro event and probably doesn't have a supercross track in the entire country.
 
willis_racing said:
Figured I'd add:
Everywhere but Kalifornia:flipoff2:
Click to expand...

They're still available, but they're trying to make them basically miserable to own. Red sticker bs.

willis_racing said:
They had no reason to.

They've been making money hand over fist on 4 strokes for 2 entire decades now.

It's only been the last 5 years or so anybody even thought 2 strokes needed "saving", because now it's been 20 years and people are getting nostalgic about them.

It pretty much makes sense that KTM would dump R&D into the kind of racing they actually give a fuck about, given that Austria is home the world's most badass hard enduro event and probably doesn't have a supercross track in the entire country.
Click to expand...

Doesn't mean they aren't missing out on sales because of it. I can speak for every part of the country, but almost every bike I see out in the wild or in a truck is a euro bike or older jap bike.

Obviously yamaha has seen the sales potential and at least made an attempt with the YZ250X. Although it's not all that comparable to the Europeans are offering.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh