TRF Forums

Hi there, looks like im going to give this a go so whats the best bikes to look for upto £2500 or less?
Must have electric start as im bone idle lol

How much maintenance are you prepared to do? There are a lot of more modern bikes that need to have an oil change every 2-3 rides.

Also, what sort of area do you ride in? If it's somewhere like the Peaks, a 250 would do well, but in the wide open spaces if East Anglia, a 400 seems to be the tool of choice.

DRZ 400E WITH CHANGE.
HEAVY BUT QUICK AND CHEEP.

My advice is have a cheaper holiday this year, or perhaps do some overtime at work for a bit and put the extra cash into buying a band new bike.

I have had low milage, good clean used bikes some years ago. There is still no way of telling how much it will still cost to make a used bike good.

Here's an example :
The last secondhand bike I bought was a 500 miles 6 month old, never trail ridden, as new WR250.

I found out after scratching my head for weeks, why I couldn't ride it very well. It turned out the previous owner was short in the leg and thought it would help if he let half the gas out of the rear shocker. He then removed, all but 20ml of the front fork oil in an effort to also lower the bike. What a moron !

I sorted the bike out once I had spent hours pondering and adjusting. It just shows you that no matter what you do, or how careful you are when buying secondhand, the fact that a complete plonker could have messed around with it, made a new bike purchase my policy thereafter.

I have bought a new bike almost every year since. I now ride my bike in my spare time, I don't spend my spare time repairing it. I never really need to replace or repair anything except tyres, oil and chain lube.

If you do buy secondhand, just remember this post, and the fact I told you so.

Ride it or repair it.. It's your choice.

I simply dont have the cash for a new bike to be honest,
I have had many CCM bikes over the years 644 models and find these great, i know they are a bit heavy but so am i, would this be any good?

If you like CCM's and can find one, the 404 DS is well worth a look. DRZ 400 engine, with WP suspension. I've ridden one and was pleasantly surprised. CCM did let themselves down with certain aspects about the finish quality but altogether it is a sound bike.

To be fair im a big lad and find the 404 small so it was the 644ds i was looking at.

I ride a bike I boiught brand new 2yrs ago and a bike I bought 2nd hand.

Brand new bike depreciated a lot in 1st year (they all do)

2nd hand bike cost quite a bit to get sorted in first year.

Brand new bike needs main dealer service to maintain warranty

2nd hand is serviced by me.

On the whole I'd say get a brand new bike if you need warranty (I commute to work on mine) or the latest tech.

Get 2nd hand if it's just a toy to have fun on.

2 strokes cost a lot less to repair BTW

The chap i know who owns a 404 is 16 stone! He seems very happy with it, he has owned it for 5 years, still your money, your choice.

There's only a months warranty with KTMs. The longest warranty I know of is 6 months warranty with a Gas Gas. There's not going to be much dealer maintainance or service work required even within a year, so I don't see why that's a problem.