im 22, 11 stone, and have riding experience. i currently have a very old 125 2stroke.
Its time to get back it to mx. as a sport and i'm out of touch with things, I don't need a brand new machine, a couple of years old will do. i have around £2000 to spend.

initially i think a 250cc 4 stroke would be a good option plenty of power and a smooth delivery (i have also noticed most of the main brands are not making a new 125cc model this year)

would i be right in thinking that a 250 4 stroke is the way to go?

with brands the bikes are very similar spec'd is there any particular make that a intermediate rider would be best to buy i.e less to maintain

am i right in saying the 4stroke should be the more reliable bike??


appreciate any help you could provide,

thanks matt

 

if you are used to the 125 2 stroke power,then i would firmly say......dont go 250 2 stroke,a 250 4 stroke is a great bike and personally would look at the honda or yam. the 4 stroke has more bottom end torque and is equally as quick as a 2 stroke 125.4 stroke being what many would think as an easier bike to ride.....
ive always rode 2 strokes and love the power band,but mx has been moving to the 4 stroke scene for quite some time time now.are you intending to race?
depending on what class you want to ride in......then i would say if you are not 100% confident etc...dont go for something bigger than what you can handle.
the step up from a 2 stroke 125 to a 2 sroke 250 is massive.
i class the power like this.
125 2 sroke-equal to 250 4 stroke.
250 2 stroke-equal to 450 4 sroke.
they are all quick bikes.
500cc 2 stroke.....absolutely scary as ****!

 

2 stroke and 4 stroke are both reliable if looked after.
i think the 4 stroke need rebuilds more often and are more money to rebuild.

personally if you want to stay at the same power level bike i would be looking at honda crf250 or yamaha yzf250.
lots of checks ensureing that it has had a recent rebuild is a good start,especially if its a ex race bike.

 

KTM 144/150 sx for the win. 2 stroke all the way! If you do stay on 125 emember 4 stroke 250 is on par to a 2 stroke 125.

2 stroke is making a comeback , sales with KTM and TM prove this.

 

dont buy a TM!
all 2 stroke inc ktm,yam,honda,kwak,suzuki all good bikes.

 

im defiantly not ready for a 250 2stroke i would hurt myself, as a intermidiate rider im intrested what would put the faster time in a 250 4stroke or a 125 2stroke,

im also looking for the most user friendly witch sounds to be a 250 4 stroke.

the bike will be for practice leading onto racing at a later date.

 

double post

 

the 125 2 stroke and 250 4 stroke would be very very close on acceleration.
most user friendly is the 250 4 stroke,i like both bikes and just love the way the 2 strokes rev. nothing better hearing 40 2 stroke bikes on the start! if you are used to 2 stroke and like the ride then stick to it,if you want more controlled power then go for a 250 4 stroke.
i would test ride a 4 stroke first,u may not like it being used to the 2 stroke. both very good bikes!

 

4 stroke bikes are great, but need a lot more maintenence, valve lash has to be shimmed quite a lot, a bit of a hastle, if it just a good bike for fun use then cant go wrong with a 2 stroke, very relaible and not too dear to fix when needing anything, be warned tho if u only used to a 125 2 stroke a 250 2 stroke is a different bike altoghether, but a 125 can get boring after a while, so maybe best with the 250, but hang on tight untill u get used to it lol

 

I'm very split now being turned to the 2stroke again i like the power delivery. a newer machine will be a big improvement, will be around 10 years newer.

i would like to keep maintenance to a minimum another plus for 2stroke, im aware of what goes into the bikes its alot of upkeep as it is.

 

what make 2 stroke do you have?

 

i had my Cr250 2stroke when i was 20,(24now) im only an intermediate rider myself, 5ft 6 and 11stone so not as big and strong as some of the lads i ride with. Ive ridden a lot of 4strokes, crf250's ,yzf 250, rmf 450 (12month old) and yes i really do like a nice 4stroke, torquey as hell less gear changes,great powering through deep ruts etc, but they just dont cut it for me. the power delivery of my cr and the sheer unpredictability of it is what i love. excitment, rapid responce,wheelie as far as you like in what gear you like, seruiously reliable the list goes on for me. i know all my mates have trouble starting their 4strokes,(even witrh the hot start button,their *******s!). as said im only a short *** and find them a struggle after 5+ kicks. the reliability of my honda is great, the last time i rode it (and this is no joke) was august 2010, the bike had been sat in my garage untouched,unmoved all through the winter until last weekend, turned the petrol on, shook the bike around for a 20secs (to re-mix the oil and petrol as it will separate) and she fired in the 3rd kick for me. yes there is a big diffrence from a 125 2stoke to a 250 2stroke but you will get used to it in no time, effortless power and your not screaming the **** out of it!!
Go on,,,you know its right,,,buy yourself a nice 2-stroke 250,,and settle or nothing less than honda!!!!
Just to add i have a trx 450 honda 4stroke race quad, and this is an animal, but as said before can be a **** to start on times, and that has electric start 2!!
hope it helps
rob

 

2 stroke fun all the way,RM 125 OR 250

 

i agree 100% on going for a cr,but dont go 250 2 stroke too soon,stick to a newer cr125.....plenty quick enough!

 

the honda 2 stroke is the one to have.

 

nahh take the plunge and go 250, its like the scoob, in no time youll be used to the power of a decent newish 125 and youll be searching for more power!!!250 a differnt story, as said ive had mine 4years+ and am not looking for any more whatsoever!!!


edited to add; would just like to point out that i accept no responsibility whatsoever if you breaking of limbs of loss of life!!, make sure you got a decent lid and some good boots and armour, i know you end up looking like a power ranger but it really is worth it!!!

 

A cr250 is defo the best bikes i've ever had, tried a few others but the honda has been so reliable and very quick, your arms will be twice as long in no time lol

 

can i be the red 1!!! i like protection.

think the cr125 it the 1 then i can always upgrade to a 250 2stroke if i get power hungry

 

thats just a bit silly,if the op isnt ready,dont go too big too quick,i for one know about this as i smashed my left ankle,6 fractures....pushed bone up my leg an inch and have a permanent large metal plate with 7 3" titanium screws holding me together. almost un repairable and am lucky to be walikng,damged lots of tissue and with another 6% damage my ankle would have been fused,it could have been my back or even both legs.had to have a specialist operation and ill always remember the feel of doing it
to the op,its all good and well thinking just go for it,but stick with the 125 until you are 100% confident,then if you choose to you can then go for a 250.
it only has to happen once and you will pay for it for the rest of your life.....like me!
the only reason im not doing motox now is that my surgeon told me if i do any small amount of damage again,it will be unrepairable.
thats scary when i have a job to keep and a family to support.
be sensible mate!

 

good decision mate....cr125 is an awesome bike and very reliable!

 

Kawasaki KX250 for me I used to race one a few years back Until I broke my leg and decided to sell up. powerband was wicked on it and could out run a 450 4 stroke anyday of the week. Kickstart was a complete **** a few times slipped off and dug the footpegs into my shin lol

 

i alway had yz's but last year when out and got a 450 ktm thumper bloody hell never thought i would say it but its lighter and more fun than any 2 smoker iv ever had

 

fair point, to be honest i was just going on the op's age and experience and comparing it to that of my own(not saying we're the same tho!), id had quite a break from crossers (about 3.5 years) and a 125 was my previous. having decided on getting back into them, i had a rasp on a mates YZ250 and thought that was the way 2go. didnt take long to get back into it with, having a lot of respect for the bikes power and riding very cautiously on my brother in law's farm.
i appreciate that where your coming from,i have been lucky enough to not have any bad injuries like yourself, and it may well be the right decision to start out again on a tuned 125 and move up the ranks, i just think it may be a long way about it if the op already has a fair experience of bikes. might i add i have never raced much due to time/finiancial's, so would consider myself to be an average rider.
good luck anyway to the OP hope you find what your looking for,

 

Ive got a yz125 for riding about on,i dont get to use it much now but i cant bear to sell it,i love the sound of a 2 stroke when in full flight but its getting harder to find somewhere to ride them now.

 

The smell of a good 2 stroke mix when ya following someone,,love it!!!

 

the op would pick up a lovely honda cr125 for £2000.

 

I would go with a 250 2 stroke, cr yz kx rm ktm , they're all good , if you go with a 125 you will be wanting a faster bike within a few weeks, you get used to the power of a 250 quick, also 250 stroke is cheapest to maintain out of the lot in my opinion

 

Here my old honda cr250, ex pro race bike, would never be fit enough to ride it lol sold a while ago

 

id suggest a 250 mate. cr, kx, or rm in that order

 

250 2 stroke for me, I think you will get used to the power of a 125 to quick also the 250 only goes as fast as you make it.

Anoter option is a race quad, after having a couple of 250 crossers and not being very good on one I went for a YPVS Banshee now that was vey fast and very easy to ride, i raced it in Quad Heaven races and 90% of the time it would get the hole shot beating newer machines having 5k+ spent on them.

I would chose 2 stroke over for the maintenance and running costs 2 strokes are a piece of **** to do a topend rebuild on were as the 4 is alot more complicated.