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Recommend me a midlife crisis dirt bike

I like what I like. I don't singletrack much, but if I want to go check out a trail I can ride there safely and with enough high end to stay safe in traffic then hit the dirt. My point is it's more fun riding with similar riders.
 
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evernoob said:
I'm unathletic and fat, and I do the trails. Of course tall people can do it.

Of course someone should pick a bike and go out, I said as much.

But taller people have a harder time on bigger bikes on 24" single-track.

Jesus fuck someone back me up. I'm saying the sky is blue and IBB is looking at me weird. Buncha couch-driving faggots I guess.

Rock bouncer = couch.
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Dafuq you mean tall people have a harder time!? I’m 6’1”-6’2” depending on what gas station I’m leaving, and am an Open A class woods weapon. Some of the better hard enduro/GNCC racers are taller guys.


As far as OPs question, the bikes in my collection ;

07 YZ250- my race bike, light, nimble, few little mods for my height and bulldog riding style. Bike is stone reliable. Flywheel weight goes a long way to take some of the hit out of the motor if you aren’t a tire spinner.

97 XR200- drum brakes front and rear, lack luster power, suspension is suitable for sub 180lb beginner rider. Fun, reliable as shit, cheap, don’t expect much from it but it is fun.

16 CRF250L- decent motor and ergos, basically the updated version of the XR200, street legal right out of the box. Fun bike, again don’t expect much from it, it is also a beginner oriented bike.

20 XR650L- big, heavy, and loads of torque. Just picked this one up actually. However the big bore XRs are absolutely proven machines. Street legal out of the box, needs a few mods for an advanced rider, maybe a bit big for a beginner.
 
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Something with electric start.
 
Wr250 are really heavy for what they are.

Try to ride a DR400, or an xr400 if you can find one, pretty good compromise of a trail bike.

For woods riding, I love my KX500, but it's a handful. The 2 XR-650s I had both felt much larger and heavier in tighter trails. First gear was too high for tight trails. One day woods riding I didn't get into second until we hit a fire road riding back to the truck. They were bullet proof, never gave me any issues even at almost 13K feet.

My KTM 690 still feels big on trails, electric start and fuel injection is nice. The 6 speed is better than the 5 speed on the Honda, but not perfect.
 
aron82 said:
Wr250 are really heavy for what they are.

Try to ride a DR400, or an xr400 if you can find one, pretty good compromise of a trail bike.

For woods riding, I love my KX500, but it's a handful. The 2 XR-650s I had both felt much larger and heavier in tighter trails. First gear was too high for tight trails. One day woods riding I didn't get into second until we hit a fire road riding back to the truck. They were bullet proof, never gave me any issues even at almost 13K feet.

My KTM 690 still feels big on trails, electric start and fuel injection is nice. The 6 speed is better than the 5 speed on the Honda, but not perfect.
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The XR400 is tall in the seat but it's short and has a sharp rake angle. It's a challenge to ride for a beginner/intermediate like me, and getting on a DRZ or other Japanese bike is like switching from a Scout II to a quad-cab, 8' bed pickup.

The shortness and height makes it both challenging and gives it an edge in the woods.

You can make all the power you need with an XR, they are probably have more mods and support for them than any other bike.

Rear shock setup is essential. They go from a mediocre ride to plush and almost perfect in 1/4 turn of the nut. I had a guy on advrider coach me through the adjustment, and he kept saying to go more more more (loosening it up for me because I was skinny then). That final 1/4 turn changes the bike. It's the most overlooked thing on the XR400.

I have never had a problem re-starting the bike after laying it down (a lot). It's a reputed problem but the worst I've ever had was a couple of kicks to clear it out. Other than that, they start first kick every single time, cold or warm. The carbs are primitive and it will bog if you snap the throttle. People upgrade them with DR carbs or aftermarket mikunis with accelerator pumps.

My 'skill' level, if you want to call it that, is getting up to and keeping 3rd on Big O on stock sprockets. If you can do that the trail becomes enjoyable and easy, if you are wallowing between 2nd and 3rd Big O is almost miserable.
 
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Newest KTM 300 you can afford, electric start is a must have (I think 2011 and up?, not sure). Most fun bike I have ever been on. One of its related bikes would also be fine, Husky, Gas Gas, Beta. Mix your gas and haul your ass.
 
scope said:
Newest KTM 300 you can afford, electric start is a must have (I think 2011 and up?, not sure). Most fun bike I have ever been on. One of its related bikes would also be fine, Husky, Gas Gas, Beta. Mix your gas and haul your ass.
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I was really close to getting a 2T KTM. Backed out because the idea of mixing gas for a road bike seemed like it was going to be a pain.

Not quite my wheelhouse, but be neat if there was some form of oil injection for bikes. I know some of the newer snowmobiles (Yamaha?) uses them.
 
Eman Resu said:
At 45, I'm seeking my first dual sport or enduro to enjoy Michigan's trail systems with my teenaged kids. The kids are each riding a '05 & '06 Honda CRF150F that I got from a friend last year. I'm ~6'5" @ ~275#. I'd plan to buy used this fall-winter or whenever a really good deal presents itself. If given the option, I'd choose reliability over speed. Being street legal is positive, but not a requirement as I won't be driving it to work. Budget, probably somewhere around $5k but preferably less.

What say ye' Irate?
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TW200 the chill tractor? WR250R better fit for your height, fuel injected, bulletproof. Both street legal.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
I think the newer KTM's have oil injection.
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Huh. No kidding. See, that I'd be ok with. I can't see mixing the gas on the road. Like, fill up, dump the oil in, and.....rock the bike back and forth? :confused:
 
RusM said:
Get one that starts with an H, husaberg, Husqvarna and get a big fucker! 500 minimum! Then record yourself riding:stirthepot::flipoff2:
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Combat Wombat!

CLASSIC-1974-HODAKA-SUPER-COMBAT.jpg
 
woods said:
I was really close to getting a 2T KTM. Backed out because the idea of mixing gas for a road bike seemed like it was going to be a pain.

Not quite my wheelhouse, but be neat if there was some form of oil injection for bikes. I know some of the newer snowmobiles (Yamaha?) uses them.
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Oil injection has been around forever on snowmobiles.
 
TiTRD said:
Oil injection has been around forever on snowmobiles.
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Oh, I know that. I grew up with them. I sort of meant they were still making them. Guy that I bought my Sportsman from had I think it was a Yamaha. Brand new. Oil injection.
 
XR400 is pretty much the easiest pick. Buddies had 2 Christini AWD bikes and their secondary play bikes are XR400s. Pretty much bullet proof.

SLOWPOKE693 said:
I think the newer KTM's have oil injection.
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Everyone here has been deleting the oil injection. No one wants to run the risk of it screwing up and blowing the engine.

Beta X-trainers have been popular if you want whiz-bang stuff.
 
scope said:
Newest KTM 300 you can afford, electric start is a must have (I think 2011 and up?, not sure). Most fun bike I have ever been on. One of its related bikes would also be fine, Husky, Gas Gas, Beta. Mix your gas and haul your ass.
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I bought a 19 FI model, super fun bike, the motor is a tractor, you can lug it down to an idle and it just keeps climbing. The suspension is good enough out of the box that I haven't done much more than turn a couple adjusters. Perfect old man bike, electric start and oil injection. The Kansas DMV didn't even blink when I asked for plates.
 
just over 1 year later. . . . I picked up an '01 CR250R for a winter project. PO started a top end rebuild but misplaced the replacement parts. First order of business is splitting the cases looking for metal fragments, which leads to full engine rebuild. This ought to be fun. . . . .
 
I run a old DRZ400E
this is a converted off road version

is it s new KTM, nope

But I have flogged this thing relentlessly. Last trip was 1100 miles in two days. Offroad and pavement return trip.

You can get into the ol Suzuki for what your down payment will be on a new bike, and that includes revolving, steering stabilizers, long range tanks, and old man stuff like grip warmers, and fancy seats

put gas in the top, be sure there is some oil down at the bottom and go
 
crispins said:
Here is my advice.

Find a short set of stairs, like 4 or 5 high.

Throw yourself off the top onto the ground.

if you can walk around the next day then get any bike you want, if you are hobbling around for days then skip the bike your ass it too old.

Get a SidexSide like the rest of us your age
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wow, up beat and chipper one you are

I also have a sxs, but got it so we could go wheeling as a family with a toddler
looks like you should be rocking a Lincoln with blue handicaps tags with that attitude
suck it up and live a little:beer:
 
Eman Resu said:
just over 1 year later. . . . I picked up an '01 CR250R for a winter project. PO started a top end rebuild but misplaced the replacement parts. First order of business is splitting the cases looking for metal fragments, which leads to full engine rebuild. This ought to be fun. . . . .
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unless it was free, sounds like you paid too much. last thing id want to do is to try and pieces together a tweakers project
 
mobil1syn said:
unless it was free, sounds like you paid too much. last thing id want to do is to try and pieces together a tweakers project
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Have you seen what 250 mx bikes go for lately? '01 is the most desirable CR, if he got in it right they don't cost that much to rebuild and all the shit for them is readily available. Can't touch a running '01 around here for less than $3500 unless it's a no title non runner.
 
mobil1syn said:
unless it was free, sounds like you paid too much. last thing id want to do is to try and pieces together a tweakers project
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That's half the fun. My 16yo lives and breathes dirt bikes. He called this purchase a unicorn- a '01 250 loaded with aftermarket for <$1k. I'm hopeful to have total cost at $3k or less when finished. That's more palatable than $5k+ for anything orange or a Japanese 450 based on the current market.
 
I miss my xr440 more than any other bike.
I loved that thing.

My 2010 husqy te310 that replaced it is a close second.

So yup, thats my two recommendations.
 
Will12785 said:
Crf230. I'm 6'4 220 lbs and have no problem with it. A little more power to pick the front end up when cruising would be nice, but by no means a deal breaker.
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Considering selling my WR205R while prices are high and getting a CRF300L and have $1K+ left over.

I like the WR, don't get me wrong but I've always been a Honda guy.
 
Eman Resu said:
That's half the fun. My 16yo lives and breathes dirt bikes. He called this purchase a unicorn- a '01 250 loaded with aftermarket for <$1k. I'm hopeful to have total cost at $3k or less when finished. That's more palatable than $5k+ for anything orange or a Japanese 450 based on the current market.
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every 2 stroke needs a top end rebuild :laughing::laughing: sounds like a good deal to me, idk if i'd worry about a bottem end rebuild quite yet
 
I had the chance to ride the latest WR450 lately and as an all-rounder that bike is hard to beat. Single-track, motox tracks, road riding to work it does it all comfortably.
The bonus is you can tune it on your phone to suit the terrain you’re riding too which is awesome.

For a budget bike I still think the Suzukis are where it’s at. If you can deal with the no button start then they really do have one of the nicest frames for cornering, are virtually unchanged since 2018 and are reliable as gravity.

For ultra-cheap, look at the kdx 200/220. Reliable, tractory (for a 2T), and super forgiving. I’ve seen a pro-level rider on a borrowed KDX spank a mid-level guy around a track on a brand new 300exc. They’re seriously keep-forever bikes IMO. And if you want more, throw the engine in a kx125 frame. :grinpimp:
 
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