any dirtbike recommendations to be on the lookout for? (ride, bike, buy)
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So my type of riding is rocky, smooth flowy trails, and technical stuff with rock climbs/drops some rocks as tall as 2 - 3 feet at most. dont think I will ride anything worse than that lol. anyhow, any good light dirtbikes that can tackle all these terrains.
I think the Older YZ250s are pretty light as well.. was told yz150 but not sure if it has the power to climb steep hill climbs with me on it of course lol
currently have a drz400 but it is heavy esp on the rocky technical stuff
I had some YZ125, 175, 250's in the very early days.
They were light and versatile, and VERY pipe-y.
For light...
the 175 / 185 is a pretty good size for just 'enough' power to get you there, but still very light and nimble.
all vintage for me... (160# 6'-0" self)
I still ride my MR 175 and MR 250s (Elsinore with WR tranny and big tank / street legal)
but I really enjoy my Thumpers XT and TT 500 (tho heavy & tall geared for really tough stuff... We used WR Husky (6speed) for really tough technical stuff (about 40 yrs ago... )
I have (3) TL 250's (not light, but really fun + 100+ mpg.) They also made TL-125 (would be very light and ez to ride)
You can get the above vintage bikes for ~ $500 - $1500. They will get you home (love my magneto 500's for that, just got off one today...) Hadn't been used for 6 months... (stored 2500 miles from home in a REALLY good spot for riding) first kick (good thing!) 2 kicks might kill ya. Had a blast... flew home.
hmm i was thinking of a yz 175. think it will have enough power for a 230lb guy on steep hill climbs? they indeed look cool!! esp if i restore it
i was also thinking of the husky 350FE any experience with them? I was wondering if they are the bike for me, to see if I can hit 70 MPH for a short period of time to trail hop.
So my type of riding is rocky, smooth flowy trails, and technical stuff with rock climbs/drops some rocks as tall as 2 - 3 feet at most. dont think I will ride anything worse than that lol. anyhow, any good light dirtbikes that can tackle all these terrains.
I think the Older YZ250s are pretty light as well.. was told yz150 but not sure if it has the power to climb steep hill climbs with me on it of course lol
currently have a drz400 but it is heavy esp on the rocky technical stuff
any good 250 two smoke with a BIG rear sprocket is the way to go..........
The DR350 is my "go-to", so I'm out of the conversation. However, my neighbor is a KTM nut, and swears by the smaller displacement bikes, like the 200 (he's got a bunch).
They are very well built and have quality bits, so if you can afford them, try that. Like Vf says, gearing is the key. My neighbor has all his set up with the Reklus clutch (which I give him no end of shat ) and that seems to work for him.
I was in the MC Biz long ago, and KTM was a joke back then, but they seem to have the goods now. If I rode more, I'd probably step up. Quality stuff from what I see.
Very rocky out around here, with washes that have 3-5' foot drops and real knargly stuff inbetween. Old Dave does fine with his 200.
If you're light and can sacrifice the torque, KTM200EXC / XC-W. If you're not so light, and you want extra torque, change the 2 to a 3. KTM's suspension is what will set them apart from anything else.
Also, the weight difference between the 250-300 is minuscule, so I would prefer the bike with more torque. If the riding your doing really is that rocky, you will appreciate the enduro suspension over the MX suspension. (And if you're looking to buy new I'm pretty sure the 200 was discontinued for the 150.)
I think after all these months ( i take a very long time to make a decison) I might got with either a beta x trainer or 300 2 stroke husky/ktm XCW / TE
seems the husky 300 might be what I am looking for - it has that very low end tractor crawl for technical sections but power comes on strong when winding up mid range for normal trail rides.
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) and that seems to work for him. 
