Dirt Bikes?

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 10:52 AM

Ive decided I want to get a dirtbike to bash around the bush and Ive got a few questions.

Can any bike be Rec Reg'd if it has a front light, brake light, and exhaust system noise under the required limit?

What is the going rate for Rec Reg these days?

Im pretty sure I want a 2 stroke 250 or thereabouts, I love the rush of a 2 stroke and they appear to be less expensive when they need a rebuild. Ive only ridden rental dirtbikes which I imagine are restricted but the TTR's were fairly boring, the DT230 2 stroke was way more fun.

Can anyone recommend a good 250 2 stroke that I should be looking at? I dont really want to spend more than $4k on the bike atm. Its ECU money from the EA which can wait Ive decided.

I was thinking an RMX 250, does anyone have one? What do you think?

Any other suggestions?

gtfpv · 12-12-2006, 11:38 AM

no any dirt bike cannot be upgraded and registered . it has to meet adr regulations for road use . and thertefore be designed accordingly . there are cheap chinese dirt bikes such as MARSHALL . that have everything fitted for road worthyness . but they dont come anywhere neeer australian standards in form of everything . emmissions . structure. durability . performance . tyre ratings etc etc etc . safety ...

chevypower · 12-12-2006, 11:45 AM

have a serious look at 4 stroke 250s like the Yamaha WR250 and Honda XR250 i think the WR250 is better than the DT230

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 11:49 AM

How do those ones go compared to the TTR? The TTR was not that exciting to ride.

apolloxbgt · 12-12-2006, 11:54 AM

A wr250 will smoke a ttr250,they are the top selling bike in aus,road or dirt.But I don't think you'll get one for 4k.

I've got an 03 ttr that I've changed the sproket and put on a $400 sports muffler and it made a huge diffrence.I took my little ttr up to Dargo in the high country and it went anywhere the 450's went.

Ford_V8 · 12-12-2006, 11:55 AM

RMs are great bikes, I have been on a 2 stroke RM85 and even that was enough to get the adrenaline pumping. An RM250X would be the way to go if you are after raw power but a 4 stroke would be alot more ' useable ' on trails, another 2 stroke option would be the Kawasaki KDX200. As far as rec rego goes I think you need to have a horn, mirror, chain guard, headlight/s and a brake light but I'm not 100% sure. You might also want to try buying a normal bike and converting it to a registerable bike. I have a 200cc 4-stroke bike from fx racing www.fxracing.com.au (imported) atm which I will be selling soon if you are interested. The guy I bought it off had another of the same model bike but he had added a few bits and pieces to make it roadworthy. Didn't look like too much drama.

mcnews · 12-12-2006, 12:03 PM

Rules vary from state to state. If you are in Victoria you are lucky as you can get rec-reg on virtually any dirtbike and thus ride in designated areas where rec-reg vehicles are allowed.

If you are in most other states you need full ADR registration to go exploring off the beaten track legally.

RMX250 is a good choice for a two smoker. Just change the pistons and rings often. The more modern the 250cc two-stroke the more bottom end and mid-range it will have compared to top end scream. The most modern two-strokes do not have a high end powerband like the bikes of yesteryear, they instead have thumping great gobs of mid-range torque that is instantaneous on tap virtually everywhere in the rev range. Modern two-strokes really have to be ridden to be believed, even the latest little Husky 125 two-stroke enduro has good mid-range. Two strokes these days are nothing like the top end powerband banshees of yesteryear, and thank christ for that.

If you go four-stroke get something like a DR-Z400E with electric start and will go forever with any amount of abuse with enough power to still have some fun. A DR-Z400 will make very close to 40hp at the rear wheel, in comparison A TT-R250 will make around 22, an XR400R around 28. The latest lightweight race styled 450cc four-strokes make nearly a genuine 50hp at the rear wheel but are maintenance intensive. The DR-Zs tread the middle ground ideally between the two worlds, it has enough performance to cluthc up monos in 3rd and 4th gear but without the ultra lightweight internals of the race derived 450s. It is a similar story with the race derived 250s that make around 32hp at the rear wheel, they go like the clappers and have all the performance a trail rider needs but are high in maintenance. DRs are going out for the moment brand new for around 8k and a really tidy second hand one can be had for around 5k if you are lucky. The engines are virtually unbreakable. I have owned three and current one makes nearly 50hp at the rear wheel and is heavily modified and still no reliability problems. I also have a CRF450X and these days mainly keep the DR in Supermoto trim with RM forks, Ohlins shock internals, KTM Supermoto rims and EBC big brake disc kit, 440 big bore kit, hot cams, etc.

Out of the latest premium dirtbikes I like the CRF450X and the KTM 250 EXC-F best but they are both high maintenance performers. But I can live with that these days as I no longer ride DRs from Perth to Melbourne in 3 days and then back again and head off on 5,000km round trips of the North-West.

But yes any dirtbike will go anywhere. An XR100 will get you pretty much anywhere :->

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 12:10 PM

Thanks for the reply mcnews. Very informative.

Ill get online and check out some DRZ 400's as well.

Do you think a DRZ 400 would be much chop at commuting on the freeway? I can stretch the budget a bit if I can find something to replace the cbr 250 and commute with it as well. Im not sure how well a dirt bike would be for commuting though. I imagine the extra kilometres wouldnt do it any favours. I do 350kms a week.

apolloxbgt · 12-12-2006, 12:23 PM

The problem I have found with drz's,is despite the power they have on tap,the are too fat,and electric start only???? I've ridden with a few guy's with dr's,and have seen them break down,get flat batterys etc etc.

I would put the dr in the same class as the ttr,soft roader,if you want to have fun in the bush get somthing sportier.Wr 400's can be had for as low as $3500,and will kill a dr in stock form,add a pipe and they will keep with almost anything.

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 12:27 PM

Had a quick look, WR's are approx $4500 which I can probably stretch to. DRZ's are still closer to $6k which is a bit much.

Which is the better bike WR400 or RMX 250?

How do they compare in size? Is an 8 year old WR likely to need a rebuild any time soon? I want to avoid expensive rebuilds if possible. After a bit of searching 2 strokes seem much easier and cheaper to rebuild.

apolloxbgt · 12-12-2006, 12:40 PM

I've ridden both in the bush,but you can't compare aplles and oranges.The wr will be faster,torquier,and should be more reliable.My best mate has his 00 wr400 since new and hasn't even adjusted the valves.

2002auxr6 · 12-12-2006, 12:49 PM

hey mate i have a wr400f 2000 model, there a great bike with plenty of power and good on the road, i may be selling mine for $4500 with all the gear, new helment, boots, goggles pants all brand new, it also has barkbusters and staintune muffler, if your intersted let me know
cheers

2002auxr6 · 12-12-2006, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dansedgli

Had a quick look, WR's are approx $4500 which I can probably stretch to. DRZ's are still closer to $6k which is a bit much.

Which is the better bike WR400 or RMX 250?

How do they compare in size? Is an 8 year old WR likely to need a rebuild any time soon? I want to avoid expensive rebuilds if possible. After a bit of searching 2 strokes seem much easier and cheaper to rebuild.

Ive never had any problems with my wr and alot of my mates have them and have no dramas, in regards to rebuilding 2 strokes you will have to rebuild all the time where a 4 stroke is built to last and also has great power to match the 2 strokes these days

chevypower · 12-12-2006, 01:04 PM

never ridden the WR450 but if it's mainly for trails, you would do good with the WR250 (and for L's) - 450 might be better for on-road, but even a 250 will give more than adequate performance on road. If you are gonna have mud tyres, not much point in the extra power for on-road in my opinion, as u wont get the grip for on-road performance. Other than that, heard nothing but good stuff about both bikes.

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 01:53 PM

I got off my restrictions a few months ago so that isnt an issue.

What do people think about riding the bigger 400 4 strokes as a commuter?

Changing wheels and sprockets isnt a huge job and it would benefit me as I dont have much space at home. I would be able to sell my CBR 250 and use the extra cash to get something a bit newer. Is commuting too much of an ask for a single cylinder?

As I said before I do 350kms a week and travel on the freeway for most of it so Im on usually doing 100+km/h. I notice that a lot of couriers use dirt bikes so they cant be that bad but I guess they dont do much highway work.

My CBR has seen better days as well so I wouldnt blink at getting rid of it.

AWD Chaser · 12-12-2006, 02:02 PM

Hi. I used to use my XR250 on the dirt all the time. In NSW, AFAIK, you need full rego. I have since put road tyres on this bike and commute to work on it everyday. Fuel in the falcon was $50 a week to get to work and back, and now on the bike its $8 - $9. More then an 80% reduction in fuel costs. My Dad has got a TT600, and that hammers through the bush, but it is very heavy. 250's are great because you can throw the bike around a bit more easily...

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 02:14 PM

Do you ride on the freeway or do 100km/hr with your 250? How does it go?

AWD Chaser · 12-12-2006, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dansedgli

Do you ride on the freeway or do 100km/hr with your 250? How does it go?

Yeah - I go on the parkway all the time (100kmh). I have since changed my cog (gear ratios) for dirt. With the dirt cog on the road, I'm about 50% up the rev range doing 100kmh, but with the factory gearing, I was doing 140kph in 5th, and still had 6th gear.... (6 spd gearbox). If I was to put the factory cogs back on, doing 100kph would be fine. 5th and 6th would just be like overdrive - i just find a bus to slipstream behind, and I can get a good speed to overtake - lol.

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 02:26 PM

Awesome! That sounds alright. I was worried a dirt bike would be crap on the freeway but if you can get up 140 in 5th then that is plenty for me.

Thanks for that.

dansedgli · 12-12-2006, 02:56 PM

This would be nice for work duties.

AWD Chaser · 12-12-2006, 03:19 PM

For some good shots of dirt bikes - check out this:

http://kaicooling.id.au/wp-gallery2.php?g2_itemId=128

jason71 · 12-12-2006, 03:42 PM

I love the super-moto setup!! was very tempted to do that to my RMX-250 when i had it. One of those bikes you wish you never sold!!

dave351cid · 12-12-2006, 08:30 PM

i think a well setup dirt bike would be great on the motorway because they are a lot lighter then the road bikes and are easy to chuck around.

a dr400z with the right gearing and a set of road style tyres :1syellow1

when you want to go bush just change the wheels and sprokets.

as for being able to do 100kmh on the road, that should not be an effort for most decent bikes.

i had a `95 DR500 that would do 160kmh .......

: proberly wasnt the smartest thing to do on knobbys :yeees:

schmidty · 12-12-2006, 11:13 PM

I have a WR 426. Wouldnt even think about riding it on the road to commute.

A WR 426 or 250 or 450 is just a yz with quieter exhaust, different spring rates, geared a little taller and with lighting. Its still just a dirt bike.

If you want to ride in the bush you're better off keeping it a dedicated off road bike. To ride on the road you need to have road trail tyres fitted. They suck in the bush. Plus if you ride on the road with good nobby on, they will be stuffed in no time.

The wr's are a great bike, but they are pretty racy compared to say a honda or suzuki. The are a bastard at low revs, need to be ridden hard or not at all. The likes of the honda will pull away smoothly from below idle. You'll be flogging the crap out of them at highway speeds though.

If you do decide to get an all rounder, i dont think you can go past a Honda XR400. Bullet proof bike. Great for road trail. So reliable and well proven. Just dont expect it to be as much fun in the bush.

And as far as rego goes, i think bike rego is up to about $380 this year, and rec reg is only about $40. So if you dont need to ride it on the road and just keep it for the bush i'd get a WR with rec reg. If you want to be able to have full reg and ride it around the xr400 and full rego.

If you are more interested in jumps and throwing it around, or are wanting a 2 stroke, i know someone who's selling an 03 CR250, great nick, rec rego kit, full alloy frame. so so light and easy to throw. they are selling for between 5 and 5.5k, this guy will take 3.8k for his, with rec reg. Bargain

We should have a ford forums ride day!!

ROOSTA · 12-12-2006, 11:26 PM

Hey man.. i have a KX-250.. Full race worked engine and exhaust.. Rec Reg in victoria.. I been so flat out with my other toys i haven't started it in over 4 years.. LOL.. i might try that this weekend.. Or not cos it will be a real nasty.

For general trail riding unless you have a fair bit of experience a dedicated MXer (KX,RM,YZ,CR, etc) can sometimes be a bit to much.. A few of my mates have had YZ/WR'S and KDX's.. they were really good for up bush.. nice power delivery and good handling..

I also have a 2001 Aprilia RS 125 for general commuting round town on the cheap..

Good luck wit it..

Cheers,
Nik

dansedgli · 13-12-2006, 08:46 AM

Thanks for your help guys, I think a DRZ 400 is the bike for me, I want to give one a go on the freeway before I decide though. Ill try and get a test a ride of one. They are a bit out of my price so it will have to replace the CBR if I get one.

nugget378 · 13-12-2006, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dansedgli

Thanks for your help guys, I think a DRZ 400 is the bike for me, I want to give one a go on the freeway before I decide though. Ill try and get a test a ride of one. They are a bit out of my price so it will have to replace the CBR if I get one.

Great bike,Ive ridden one,they go like a 400 but handle like a 250,check the weights in the suzuki add book,theyre only 1kg more than the DR250.
I have an older model DR350 and its tough as,although a little heavy,when I have some spare cash i reckon ill go for one of them too.

dansedgli · 14-12-2006, 12:22 PM

Im pretty convinced that I want something like this to commute with a wheel and sprocket change before I go on the dirt. I dont really have enough room for my Maverick, EA, CBR250 and another bike so Ill have to ditch the CBR and only have one bike for work and play.

oneredED · 14-12-2006, 12:44 PM

Personally I'd go a Yamaha WR (be it 400,426,450 or whatever). The DRZ is in the XR/TTR style bike sector, a little too "trail-bike" in my opinion (soft susp, heavier, doughy power). The WR's however can be alot of fun if ridden hard

I think you'll enjoy the power delivery a bit better on the WR if you end up going motard style.

Someone before me mentioned a husky 125 having midrange? I had a Husqvarna WR125, and it was a great bike. Weighed in at around ~95kg and so it was VERY nimble, probably the most agile bike I've ridden. Compared to other 125's, they have WAY more bottom and mid and that made it very easy to ride quick, but compared to a 4-stroke, they have none at all. Brilliant bike though.

oneredED · 14-12-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

If you do decide to get an all rounder, i dont think you can go past a Honda XR400. Bullet proof bike. Great for road trail. So reliable and well proven. Just dont expect it to be as much fun in the bush.

Have to totally agree with that one! My brother still has the one he wrote off (broke his neck too haha), and still rides it every day. The forks are bent, as are the triple clamps, but the motor after a light freshen up, is good as gold. It was seized (wet sump, top gear, mono for about 2 mins...) He never maintains it anymore at all because it's not worth anything, but it just wont die now! If it does though, it's EASY to fix and there's a mass of parts available.