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 Post subject: newboy with loads of questions
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:58 am 
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80 cc
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Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:42 am
Posts: 50
Location: Portsmouth
hi all

total new boy to greenlaning. Fully intend to join the trf and join my local group in the south (i'm in portsmouth) and have a few questions so here goes.
I am new to greenlaning and have yet to take my m/c test :oops: (though been riding bikes for years) and i am only 5 8" so really need to decise what bike to go for.
I am thinking along the lines of xr250, ttr250 or maybe getting something a bit older whilst i learn on the lanes as i am sure to break a few things so thought maybe a kdx200.
so whats peoples thoughts on my choices and any other ideas or pointers.

many thanks


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 Post subject: Re: newboy with loads of questions
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:25 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:44 pm
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Hi mate and welcome.

To be honest all three of the bikes you mention are good options but they represent slightly different approaches to Trail Riding.

The TTR will likely be the most road friendly. This is because they were always sold as trail bikes (ie fully road equiped with mirror mounts, indicators, full spec lighting, pillion pegs etc). The motors will also be smoother and if your riding is likely to involve a high percentage of tarmac then this could be a very good choice.

Of course TTR 250s are excellent on the trail as well (there are plenty of TTR fans on this forum) but the suspension is perhaps not as great as on more dedicated off road (Enduro) bikes and they are a little heavier.

The XR250 is another great bike and there's a reason why you see so many on the trail. The XR range (inc the 400) all make fantastic trail bikes because they bridge the gap between road biased traillies and full on competion enduro bikes. The down side of their slightly more serious nature is that they're kick start only, don't have indicators and don't have a battery etc. It all saves weight and may not bother you at all. From my experience (mostly on 400s) XRs are actually quite nice on the road between trails but as with most enduro bikes they're not so pleasant around town etc.

The KDX is (or in it's time was) another very popular trail bike. In fact I used to have one. Of the three bikes you mentioned I would say that the KDX was the best off tarmac. This is because it's a two stroke so it's lighter than the others, kick starts easier than a four stroke, has great competion type suspension that will float over anything you'll find on a green lane and is generally a joy to ride in any off road type conditions.

Be warned though! The KDX is a two stroke competion enduro bike. They are not pleasant on the tarmac at all, they are truly unpleasant in town type stop start riding, they won't run cleanly on a constant throttle, they need to be reved continuously at traffic lights etc. They are also pre mix only (except the very rare SR version) which means faffing about with 2 stroke oil when you fill up and leaving clouds of blue smoke were ever you go.

The KDX would be easiest to ride in tricky or technical conditions though and probably the lowest although there wont be much in it between the KDX 200 and the TTR 250 (note there is a KDX 220 that has all the same charicteristics as the 200 but a different fram and is taller).

So there you go, thats my collective wisdom for you ;)

Which is best for you probably depends on how much tarmac you expect to ride. Lots = TTR, a bit to get to the lanes but then mostly just between lanes = XR, very little because your happy to trailler your bike every where will really only be on tarmac between lanes = KDX.

Don't worry about being 5'8" either. I'm 5'8" and I have never had a problem with tall bikes you'll find that you stand up most of the time anyway and when you stop you'll get into the habit of hopping off to one side.

At least that's my view. I'll now sit back and watch everyone else disagree with me :lol:

Cheers

Richard


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 Post subject: Re: newboy with loads of questions
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:37 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:56 pm
Posts: 195
Location: Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Spot on advice Rich 8-)

If I was starting out it would be the TTR - purely for the leccy button :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: newboy with loads of questions
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:52 pm 
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Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:42 am
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Location: Portsmouth
wow, many thanks for taking the time to write that piece richard.
i thought the kdx was a 4 stroke :oops:
have seen a few xr250 with electric start and really like the look of them - maybe the prefered way to go.


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 Post subject: Re: newboy with loads of questions
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:32 am 
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Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:54 pm
Posts: 172
Location: Linc's, originally Mid Wales
Dont let the mixing fuel put you off with a KDX cause they are brilliant bikes.
The 220 is actually the better bike though as the 200 is more peaky/higher revving and less tourqey. The 220 was built to have a 4 stroke kind of low down grunt. It makes the bike almost impossible to stall.
Although the KDX is slightly dated now (they stopped making them in 2005) they have a great race heritage (multiple ISDE winner etc etc) yet they managed to make them ultra reliable so although it doesnt look so fresh it well still be going when all the latest bits of kit are in peices being rebuilt.
The advantages over a 4 stroke are that they are cheap and easy to fix, they are light, good 2 stroke oil smells nice and tey are easy to start hot or cold, it literally takes me a few minutes to change the gearbox oil for example.
I actually sold a DRZ400 to buy my KDX and its still the first bike i get out of the garage when i want to play in the proper mucky stuff (although my Husqvarna is close :mrgreen: ). You can actually make the KDX look a bit more up to date with different plastics etc (Pic of mine in my sig at the bottom of my post).
I've done all sorts of rallies, the Dawn to Dusk enduro etc etc on my KDX and its still a peach.

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 Post subject: Re: newboy with loads of questions
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:49 pm 
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Location: stockport
yamaha serow for sale on manchester group,for sale &wanted thread, excellent go anywhere bike not just for the newbe

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