2003 yz 250

[MR_NST]

Any advice guys? im gonna give this guy a call tomorrow. the bike is low hours apperantly, comes with an extra new top end kit, runs great, sat unused for 3 years, has no need for it. im very mechanicly inclined, have been riding motorbikes for 15 years... rode a dirt bike once. what should i be looking for. friends have told me check the oil, if its really grimy it shows how the overall maintenance of the bike was. check rims, suspension, bearings(greased), go thru the gears. anything specific to the bike i should look for? everything i hear its supposed to be bullet proof. its a 2 stroke.

thanks,
evan...

 

[twistedmax]

yz's are a great bike....................just watch out for the power band. It sucks when youve got it up on a wheelie and THEN hit the power band. good luck

 

[cole2757]

i have an 03 yz250 and i love it. fast, cheap to own, easy to maintain. 2 strokes come cheap nowadays. if you found one in nice shape grab it. the 03 engine is the same as the engine in the new ones.

 

[MR_NST]

any advice on an 05 yz 450 f? these are my two options.... its a 4 speed but thats not too big a problem to me. 3200 comes with an extra top end a front tire and rear sprocket. im a big guy and want the power but am smart enough to learn how to use it.

ive been told you need to rid a 2 stroke hard to be good to the motor. 4 strokes you can be easier on it.

thoughts?

evan.....

 

[maxcruiser]

any advice on an 05 yz 450 f? these are my two options.... its a 4 speed but thats not too big a problem to me. 3200 comes with an extra top end a front tire and rear sprocket. im a big guy and want the power but am smart enough to learn how to use it.

ive been told you need to rid a 2 stroke hard to be good to the motor. 4 strokes you can be easier on it.

thoughts?

evan.....

Power wise the 250 (2 stroke) and 450 (4 stroke) are in the same class. The 250 has a wicked powerband that would not be ideal for trail riding. But they are relatively cheap to fix. Will need a top end rebuild every 20-30 hours of use - non race use and every 10 hours for race use.

The 450 is a better trail bike as the 4 stroke has a more linear powerband that start at low rpm. Not cheap to rebuild tho - especially valve train work gets very pricey.

Both share pretty much the same frame and suspension.

My son raced competitive and we always ran with 2 strokes - never was had brand preference - they are all great bikes and very equal in all aspects.

Mike

 

[TK3333]

When I was into dirt bikes I always preferred the 4 stroke. I wasn't into formal racing, just running dirt roads, hill climbing and just blasting around gravel pits with a bunch of buddies. For stuff like that I would go with the 450f. The 4 stroke should get you further between fill ups on those long rides and you can use straight pump gas. Having to use mixed fuel on a 2 stroke was another reason I liked the 4's. Good luck and have fun.

 

[RaWarrior]

The 450 is definitely a better trail/general farting around bike. The motor is a lot easier to drive, more useable power across the rev range, more torque down low. It's also easier on fuel, and provided it hasn't been whipped too hard, the motor should be essentially maintenance free other than an oil change now and then.

The 250 is probably ultimately faster in the right hands, is a bit lighter, and probably cheaper to buy(but not to own). If you only occasionally ride the motor may last you years, but if you're out every weekend, a top end will probably be a yearly job. Which isn't a real big deal, you can do the whole job in 90min, but expect to drop $200 on it.

I used to have a 2 stroke quad (a Blaster 200cc with a six-speed) and it couldbe pretty damn fast....it's 195cc motor would be dead-nuts even with my buddy's 400EX. The difference is the power is all up top. Get it "on the pipe" and it would scream, but start going up a hill in one gear too high and it just falls on it's face...you really need to "plan" shifts....it had a six-speed for a reason....you have to shift it constantly to keep the motor in the sweet spot. There's nada down low....not like a vmax where you can roll on fifth gear at 3000rpm and smoothly pull away. This can make it difficult to ride slowly, like through the woods, to someone unfamiliar with them.

My 200cc 2-stroke used around double the fuel as my buddy's 400cc four-stroke.

I'd go for the 450. It'll still have plenty of punch, just in a more friendly and use-able package. 2 strokes are great for balls-out performance in small packages, but to me they're better suited to racing than general recreation.

 

[cole2757]

ive only done 1 top end on my 03 and that was cause the gasket at the base of the jug was leaking. cylinder is in great shape. yes the 4 strokes are easier to ride but an 8 year old 4 stroke mx bike is a grenade with the pin pulled.

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

LOL, there is always a strong argument of 2 verses 4 strokes! Both have there pros and cons, and it depends on what your riding style and preferences are. As pointed out above, 4 strokes seem better for casual trail riding with low maintenance. 2 strokes are great for aggressive riding and racing with low maintenance as well, if not abused and kept maintained. Both can get pricey to repair....a 2 stroke with a lean condition can damage the piston, sending crap into the case and tear up the crank and connecting rod assembly. I'd be inclined to go with the 4 stroke bike, but its just my opinion.

 

[a113ycat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqEgN3y7TL0

The RM never really beats the 450 BUT the 125 doesnt seem to have any trouble keeping up either. In my opinion I love the power and all out GO of the 2 strokes. I have a couple of MX bikes that my son and I play around with. The 2 strokers are always seemingly faster but so much more high maintenance than the 4 stroke. Depending on the type of riding is where the real decision lies. If you have room to get out and go get the 2 stroke; If you want torq and hill climbing power tail riding MX cross over get the 4 Hell I have an little RM85 that would blow the doors off of my TT500 in different conditions.

 

[naughtyG]

man that looks like SO MUCH FUN! It's been so long for me I've almost forgotten how good it feels to go off road on a bike... damn

 

[MR_NST]

once again this forum goes above and beyond with advice and info... i cant see myself as a track guy, most riding will be fiddling around trails and blasts in fields. i think im gonna look at 450s.

keep the advice coming as im soaking it in. any thoughts on gear? brands, style for casual riding?

Cheers,
evan...

 

[wishbone]

I bought a 95 Yamaha wr250 and rebuilt the top and bottom end for 800.00. It needed the crank pin, rod and piston along with the lower end bearings and seals replaced. The bike is a screamer for sure. I would look into what a complete engine rebuild will cost on the bike you are looking at. I have never owned a dirt bike yet that was cheap to own always something to fix or replace.

 

[RaWarrior]

For gear, they're all pretty good. I've had Thor, Shift, Fox and had no real complaints about any of it. It essentially just comes down to which stuff you like the look of the best.

I'd suggest a mx style helmet(obviously), goggles, riding pants, gloves, MX style boots, and shin guards for casual puttering around. Helps protect against low branches, sticks kicked up by the wheels, and peg bite should you lay it down.

For more aggressive riding a chest protector might be a good idea.

Go for a jersey if you want the boy racer look, a Carhartt or surplus jacket works just as well. I prefer the 3/4 sleeve jerseys for summer riding, that way the sleeves don't bunch up around your wrist.

At least around me MX gear pops up on craigslist pretty often, especially boots. I've seen $500 top shelf alpinestars boots listed for $75, less than the price for "budget" new ones. Also look on ebay and the DennisKirk outlet section. MX gear has more than a little fashion in it, so "last year's" styles can often be found for huge discounts. I've gotten pairs of gloves for $6(originally $25), jerseys for $9 (originally $40), ect, from the DK Outlet.

 

[cole2757]

i just check the closeouts on rockymountainmc.com and motorcyclecloseouts.com. bought a lot of msr stuff for the kids and its always held up good. always cheap to. kneepads are very important to and dont cost much.

 

[DakRatFink]

Evan, holler at me when you find out what works for you gear wise. I would like to take the wife's KLX through some off road paces and/ or get a dual sport or dirtbike of my own.

 

[MR_NST]

well I did it. I picked up a 2005 yz 450f. is it awesome. the fields are a bit soupy yet but its still a fun ride. hello summer.

peace,
evan.....

 

[Redbone]

Congrats! You should have a blast ripping it up with that 450! Post up some pics of the beast!
I would like to pick up a dirt oriented dual sport, like a KTM or maybe a Husaberg.

 

[RoMax]

Send me some more pics. i one you text to me is too small

 

[MR_NST]

Going to put a real good day in, in 12 hours... ill have pics and vid. gonna test out the gopro hero2 as well. hope i dont lose it. been nice knowing you all!!!!

peace,
evan...