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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:14 pm 
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80 cc

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:44 pm
Posts: 62
Location: Aston clinton
My bike for trail rideing is a TM450.
I got it for enduros but found it too powerful and jumpy but could not bring myself to sell it.
Its fast, easy to ride on trails, quiet enough (with DB killer!) and believe it or not reliable.
And you wont see another one.
Looks great too 8-)


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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2009 10:46 pm 
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80 cc

Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:52 pm
Posts: 13
For me being vertically challenged my CRF 230 is the best bike for riding legal roads quiet, light and simple to repair it has got to be up there as the perfect trail bike.

Matt


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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2009 9:31 pm 
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200 cc
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Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 7:21 pm
Posts: 259
Location: North-West Kent
I must admit that my XR400 has served me well. Now that I have a black KTM 450 that has effectively replaced my XR for enduro/greenlaning duties, I couldn't bear to sell the bike. I was lucky to find some 17" wheels from a friend of a friend that, together with some decent road tyres, have allowed me to enjoy another aspect of XR ownership.

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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Sat May 23, 2009 7:34 am 
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80 cc

Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 5:39 am
Posts: 19
Location: Anglesey
XT250 Serow, does everything I want, and 75mpg when trail ridig 100mpg on road.
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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2009 8:56 am 
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400 cc

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:44 pm
Posts: 1463
That Serrow looks good. The 250 version is a definite improvement (style wise) on the old model. Is that a grey import or do Yamaha bring them in officially now?

As for my offering, I'd suggest the DRZ400. Here's a photo of mine in its natural habitat (the green lanes of Cambridgeshire).

Image

Cheers

Richard


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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 10:14 pm 
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200 cc
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Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 7:21 pm
Posts: 259
Location: North-West Kent
Glad I wasn't on my KTM on Sunday as my 'off' would have wiped out the rads. All I broke was a few ribs in my back & a front brake lever & hand guard.

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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 3:53 pm 
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50 cc

Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 3:43 pm
Posts: 1
The TTR 250 takes a lot of beating for general trail riding. :D


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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:29 pm 
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80 cc

Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 5:17 pm
Posts: 12
looks like i'm alone so far in my love of CCM's

And before anyone says it's too big and heavy, I agree but then so am I :mrgreen:

Image

And as a "dual sport" also gives hours of fun on tarmac (been down some green lanes like this too :D )

Image

But it's not really that big when you consider what I started green laning on in 1986

Image

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Residing in the quaint rural Parish of St Evenage, with my CCM Tractor


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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2009 11:15 pm 
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400 cc

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:44 pm
Posts: 1463
That CCM looks mighty fine to me mate (errm, sure I've seen that photo before somewhere ;) ).

Anyway, whats wrong with having a "big one" etc, etc :roll: :roll: :roll:

Still, moving swiftly on from the double entendres here's a small one that you certainly wouldn't want!!!!!

Image

It's a Jingaling 125 or something like that. it says XR on th eside but it certainly aint no Honda.

I have to be honest and say that I was open minded about the new wave of cheap Chinese bikes about. I know alot of people are snooty about them but then a lot of people were like that about Jap bikes once upon a time and look what happened next.

Mind you, before Monday i'd never ridden one. Having now had the experienced I can say that if the Chinese are thinking of taking over the biking world in the 21st Century like the Japs did in the 20th there gonna have to do a lot better than this.

The bikes not mine, it's been loaned to my sister in law as a daily commuter. She offered me a quick test ride to see what I thought, how could I refuse. I took it for a spin though town, down the bypass and then because I was passing it anyway along a very easy but pleasant byway.

Verdict?

Ohh dear, ohh dear, ohh dear! What a pile of cr*p.

This bike was one year old and had literally only done 100 miles. It has repeatedly broken down, the wiring melted on the exhaust causing total failure, one of the side panels just cracked for no reason and the starter motor packed up. Sure it has a kickstart but it is so badly designed that at full swing it smashes the footpeg which is spring mounted so can't be folded up out of the way. After a few vigourous kicks this flimsy stick like lever was so bent out of shape that it made operating the rear brake almost impossible (not that the brakes do very much in the way of braking). The battery was dead and refused to charge (not that it mattered of course because the starter motor was knackered anyway) and the front tyre was creeping round the rusty steel rim threatening to rip the valve out despite be run at high "road" pressures.

But thats not the worst of it :!:

Flat out it would only do 45mph and I do mean flat out. Its not so much the motor which was actually quite willing to rev and delivered a nice sort of tourquey power around town but the gear box. There's something missing, like a sixth gear.

That just about sums up the bike. The one good feature (the engine) is utterly ruined by a horribly miss matched gearbox. I'm sure that some sprocket changing would deliver an improvement of sorts but it's still going to be a poor performer even for a 125.

And don't think that I've just got a downer on small bore bikes, I haven't. I started out on a DT80 and did loads of trail riding on a TS125R. Some 125s make superb little trail bikes but from what I've seen of the Jingaling it is an utter waste of money. However cheap they may be just don't do it. Any (and I do mean any) second hand jap bike will be vastly better value if only because they are all (even the old ones) vastly better built.

Of course taking the thing on the trail was always a bit of a joke (even though its the mildest green lane you could ever find) but it did have one saving grace, it was very quiet.

Just to prove I'd done it I stopped to take a couple of photos but despite the fact that the red plastics nicely matched the red byway markers I'm afraid to say that the rest of the bike just sort of spoiled the view.

Image

If there's anyone who's reading this who's got one and likes it I'm sorry. I know that I have been very harsh in my critiscisms but I just can't hide my disapointment. I really had hoped that it would be good in a cheap and chearful two fingers to convention kind of a way.

It wasn't, it was just cr*p.

cheers

Richard


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 Post subject: Re: What options are there for Trail Bikes
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 2009 8:01 am 
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80 cc

Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:34 pm
Posts: 55
'07 wr450f :D

Image

and '81 xt250

Image

Roger

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