Dirtbikes-Any Oldies but goodies?

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Ottobon

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Looking at replacing my 100cc 4 wheeler with a dirt-bike of maybe slightly better performance. I wouldn't mind something that can be converter to street legal (125cc+ 4 stroke i think??) but otherwise i don't care too much about power, actually if i care at all its about NOT having alot of it. What i would honestly like is the Mazda Miata equivalent of a dirtbike, I.E. very intuitive handling that can teach even a complete idiot how to drive properly. As well i'd love to know about any trends in engine sounds so far as manufacturers and engine series go, as i'm a complete sucker for a nice exhaust note.

Anyways the plan is to possibly pickup something that i could get for less then $1000 (maybe with need for a little work), I'd like it to be easy as possible to work on (especially in regards to fuel managment, so massively tunable carburetors would be great) and besides easy handling i'd love something that would be indestructible. Seat comfort would be nice, but i'm not sure i really have alot of options, so forget that if you have to. I'll probably be taking it to the Dunes if i get a chance (Sleeping Bear) and occasional trail riding. I would say milage, but i have a Diesel rabbit and unlimited supplies of wasted cooking oil, so if i can get a biodiesel station properly rigged up then i really wont have to worry about expenses there.

If you need me to put down more criteria i'd be happy to answer, as i am pretty clueless when it comes to bikes.
 
^125 4-stroke is WAY to small.. If you want to use it on the street you need you need atleast a 350cc. I have a Husaberg 450cc 4-stroke, but that one is a racer so it requiers lots of maintanence.. So if you don't want lots of power you should go Japanese.. Maybe a Suzuki DR 350? That's an excellent beginners bike..

http://www.suzukidr350.com/ <-- check it out
 
Good suggestion but can you get one under $1000?
Yamaha DT200/230/250?

Or how about diesel?

diesel05112801.jpg
 
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any supermotard would do the trick
91833_f_9d199c8cf666603cf0b4b25df76260c1.jpg

and they look awesome as well!!

will be hard to find under $1000 though
 
^I still can't get over the fact that BMW owns Husqvarna now..
 
Ottobon said:
Looking at replacing my 100cc 4 wheeler with a dirt-bike of maybe slightly better performance. I wouldn't mind something that can be converter to street legal (125cc+ 4 stroke i think??) but otherwise i don't care too much about power, actually if i care at all its about NOT having alot of it.
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I don't know what the laws are like where you live Otto, but here in Kansas you can't make a dirtbike street legal. If it wasn't originally intended to be a dual purpose bike, it can't be registered. There are probably ways around that though. So if you can, start with an enduro bike.

As for power, I'd agree with others that a 125cc 4 stroke is way too small for the street. It may be enough umph for you, but some douchebag in a Taurus will inevitably wind up running you over. My Yamaha's a 250cc two-stroke, and I find it just adequate for street use. IIRC, it's got about 25hp, a 5 speed and weighs 280lbs wet. It will cruise 65mph without issue (on or off road), but I'm thinking of putting a 400 2-stroke in it :evil:.

I bought mine for $600, and all it really needs is a little TLC (brake shoes, minor electrical work etc) but I wouldn't recommend getting something so old, if you can help it. It's very easy to work on (you can disassemble the whole bike with the tiny tool kit under the seat), but parts a bitch to come by, and expensive when you do. Get a later model 250cc+ 2 stroke or 350cc+ 4 stroke and I don't think you'll be disappointed.
 
^Lets hope so.. But it will be wierd seen a BMW team out on Enduro-races.. :p

On topic: If you can't modify a dirtbike to be streetlegal, go with an off-roader..
The Yamaha XT660 is damn near bulletproof but a bit boring, A KTM Supermotard would also be a good choice because it is a Dirtbike with 17" wheels and bigger brakes fitted.. And the KTM has a 5000KM service interval, The Husqvarna above has a 5 hours service interval..
 
okay so maybe 250cc two stoke it is then. So far as handling or exhaust sounds, anything you guys can recommend?
 
^A 2-stroke won't be very reliable.. My advice would still be the Suzuki DR350... :)
 
Karoug said:
^A 2-stroke won't be very reliable.. My advice would still be the Suzuki DR350... :)
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why is a 2-stroke unreliable????

around here there are quite a few people who drive 2 stroke bikes/quads, and none of them ever had any major trouble.

you say the husqvarna need a 5 hour service interval. we change the oil after 10 hours of driving, and change the pistons after 90-100 hours of driving. those high reving 4 stroke pistons have trouble lasting that long

then, modern 4 stroke bikes are from factory almost tuned to the limit, piston is as flat a s a pancake, piston rod is as light as possible. where a 2 stroke with roughly the same hp, will have less cc, and the engine will be a lot less stressed.

plus, there are a lot less parts on a 2 stroke, less can break, and if sth does, repairs will be a lot cheaper than with a 4-stroke engine

at last, if you can work in it yourself, they're a lot easier to work on, and there's still a lot left to squeeze out yourself

2-stroke for life :p
 
I didn't mean that a 2-stroke will breakdown alot. But it does require attetion..
But I race Enduro/Supermotard, so perhaps overly anal about these things (I tear down my bike completely after every competition)..
And there is quite alot you can do to a modern 4-stroke, even such an extreme bike like that husqvarna, if you know how to do it..

edit. The KTM's has a 5000km service inteval..
 
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I'd stay away from Huskys and KTMs though. It may be OK if you live in Sweeden but outside of Europe you're better off going Japanese. A friend of the family faced divorce unless he sold his European dirt bikes, too much of a money pit. (he did love them though)
 
I suggest getting a 70s vintage Honda or Yamaha enduro. A Honda Honda XL250, Yamaha DT, Yamaha XT, etc

http://img120.imageshack.**/img120/4166/1002490a04a0ewo4.jpg

http://img120.imageshack.**/img120/8356/69b63a2f26abs8.jpg
 
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bone said:
2-stroke for life :p
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Ditto, my bike doesn't have too many miles on it, but it is 35 years old and it starts second kick, every time.


I don't think you'll be too impressed with the on-road handling of most older enduro bikes, Otto. Surprised maybe, but not impressed :lol:. The big vinyl monster of a seat on my Yamaha is comfy at least, and handling is ... predictable. The drum brakes are a little lacking on mine, and the dual-sport tires tend to whine and vibrate enough to notice. But then again I've got the ability to hop a curb and ride through muck and mire; a crotch rocket or a Harley can't pull that off.
 
When i said "handling like a miata" i meant predictability over speed, so thanks for clearing that up. Any unpredictable old enduros i should avoid?


One more thing, where the hell do you find Motorcycles for sale?? Craigslist?!?


PS: i think i'm somewhat of a Yamaha fan, no good reason besides the fact i loved what they did with the head design on the old 4age my MR2 had, made such a crisp sound for a Japanese i4.
 
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Karoug said:
I didn't mean that a 2-stroke will breakdown alot. But it does require attetion..
But I race Enduro/Supermotard, so perhaps overly anal about these things (I tear down my bike completely after every competition)..
And there is quite alot you can do to a modern 4-stroke, even such an extreme bike like that husqvarna, if you know how to do it..

edit. The KTM's has a 5000km service inteval..
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a lot of raptor 700s, yfz450's, yzf426's (all yamaha) around here, and they at least need as much attention as my banshee

and sure, you can still tune them, but better parts cost as much as the bike/quad did in the first place, and the only room for home-improvement, is the heads.

a while ago we equiped a raptor 660 with high compression piston, and tuned the head, and he killed all banshees around, we were fucking pissed! :mad:
but then the gearbox decided to much is to much and said bye bye to first gear <_<
and since he only changed 3rd gear shortly before (trashed due to wheelies), and already had the timing chain smash a hole in his valve cover, and there was already a crack in the piston in the 500km he'd driven it, he sold it... the block simply couldn't take the extra power (true it's a yamaha, not a husqvarna, they'll be a bit better, but still...)

another guy i know who drives a ktm lc4 640, has his engine more open, than you can find it under his bike
the only problems i hear off, are with 4 strokes

and 4 stroke is fucking expensive...i predict a return of 2 stroke in amateur racing....
 
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