My next bike will be....

[daftduc]

So I just recently paid off my Monster.  Thank you... thank you very much... yes it's great... yup... thanks...   
(i'm tooting my own horn because I don't want other peoples' lips on it).

I'm pretty certain that I now want to get an off-road bike.  Does anyone here have some inside connections to a place, or a person, to get a good used, 125-250cc, Honda preferred, but will take almost anything Asian, bike, (sorry I don't think the europeans make good off-road bikes yet)?  I'm not asking about referring me to carsoup or ebay or cycletrader... I know about them and others like it.  Any help would be appreciated.


Otherwise, as the title suggests, do you have your eyes on the next cycle you're thinking of getting?

[cduarte]

KTM's are european and are very capable machines.

[Major Slow]

441 bsa classic offroad http://www.britcycle.com/Bikes/JBakker_B44_VS.htm

[bluemoco]

I've considered a couple of options for another bike. 

I like the idea of an off-road bike, but I know I'd want a dual-sport so I could take it on public roads legally.  SO, a dualie is the most likely candidate to be added to my garage.  I've also been toying with the idea of a large cruiser or touring bike, but I think a dualie is the direction I'm headed.  There are lots of low-mileage Honda XR650L's out there for ~$3000.

If you want an easy-to-own dirt bike, a Honda or Yamaha or Suzuki are probably your best bet.  The Suzuki DR250 would be a good choice - they're ubiquitous and cheap to own/fix/abuse.   

KTM certainly makes capable bikes, but the cost of ownership will be markedly higher than a comparable Japanese bike.  Just like the cost of owning a Duc is typically higher than a comparable Japanese street bike.  YMMV

good luck with your search   

[Desmo Elmer]

(sorry I don't think the europeans make good off-road bikes yet)?

I don't know what Kool-Aid you been drinkin' but just about EVERY european mfg. offers dirt bikes that put the Japanese dirt bikes to shame. Especially if you're taking about a woods/enduro/trail/play bike.  MX maybe not so much, but I'm out of that loop.

GasGas (best ), Husqvarna, Husaberg, TM, Sherco, Beta, KTM are set up better out of the box than the run of the mill Japanese bike. Top shelf suspension, excellent geometry, excellent motors. I would venture to say that at most offroad events you will see more KTMs than Japanese. (maybe not MX, I haven't been to a MX since 1976 )

You will also be fed a line about parts availability, lack of dealers etc. on the "exotics" but that is also a line of bull. The national parts distributor for Gas Gas, Go Fasters, is in Ortonville, MN and ANY part can be had in a couple days. Parts are easily available online for Husky, KTM is everywhere... I can't say about the REAL exotics like Beta, Sherco, TM but people ride 'em and love 'em.

There's a new '09 WR 125 Husky on Mpls. craigslist   http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/mcy/1605589220.html  Check out the Husky board on Thumpertalk or Cafe Husky to see how much people love those things.

I like the idea of an off-road bike, but I know I'd want a dual-sport so I could take it on public roads legally.

A dual sport IMHO is mostly an ON road bike, if you consider fire roads and dirt roads roads. I consider most of the DNR ATV trails roads too. You can bull them around somewhat in the woods, but if you're looking to do any amount of trail riding on single track that XR 650 will live up to it's nickname... big red pig.  Depends on what you're intending to do with the "off-road" machine. The Husky 4Ts enduros all come street legal. I think KTM has some legal big bore 4Ts as well. I don't think the Japanese enduro machines like the Honda CRFs and Yam Wrs come street legal.

Off road access is very limited around here. There are a few annual trail rides held in restricted areas (great time) and only a few designated DNR off-road areas with decent single track. All are at least 1.5 hours away. It's at least a long day's commitment to get in a ride on single track. The closer ORV areas are overrun by 4 wheelers and not much fun on a dirt bike.

You can pick up a good two stroke "play" bike for $1500 bucks or less. That's what I would recommend. WAY cheaper to buy and maintain that a 4T.  Check craigslist or the ARMCA website for sale section.

I actually have a '03 GasGas EC 250 that needs a little bit of work that I might sell for cheap. Ohlins rear, WP forks, bulletproof motor, six speed. Suspension needs fluids changed, fork seals, maybe a chain and sprockets, but otherwise decent shape.

[atomic410]

Wr250f is an offroad stud as are the ktm's.  there are street legal wr's.  I think its the wr250x and wr250s models, the web site can tell you.  check larsons in cambridge i was there last weekend and they have graet prices on used stuff, less than craigs list at the bike i was looking at, which will be in my garage as soon as the money is there, my gf is buying it.  I plan on building a yz250f as a trail bike latter this summer so i can both trail ride it and mx it  elmer is right the ktms rule the enduros  last stat i saw said that the natoinal enduro series had about 8 to 1 ktms to anything else.  google national enduro series racing and check the rider bike listings.  I'm a big yamaha fan, it's the only thing keeping any orange out of my garage.

[djrashonal]

there are heaps on craigslist in this economy, good luck on the search!

[daftduc]

I think europeans make fine off-road bikes in the higher CC range, like the 450+ sizes.  I don't want that heavy of a bike for my off-roading desires. 

And if the europeans are so good at making 'em why don't you see a ton of them on the motocross circuits?  This is a serious and not a cynical question. 

[bluemoco]

I think europeans make fine off-road bikes in the higher CC range, like the 450+ sizes.  I don't want that heavy of a bike for my off-roading desires. 

And if the europeans are so good at making 'em why don't you see a ton of them on the motocross circuits?  This is a serious and not a cynical question. 

There are plenty of KTM's out there.  Very popular on the amateur and semi-pro levels.  Their smaller-displacement bikes are common, and they sell LOTS of youth motocross bikes in the 50-150cc range.

True, the biggest names (like Stewart, et al.) in MX generally ride something from the Big Four, but KTM definitely has a strong presence.

[Desmo Elmer]

I think europeans make fine off-road bikes in the higher CC range, like the 450+ sizes.  I don't want that heavy of a bike for my off-roading desires.  

And if the europeans are so good at making 'em why don't you see a ton of them on the motocross circuits?  This is a serious and not a cynical question.

Well there are many more Toyotas than Mercedes running around too... and Yamahas than Ducs for that matter... and maybe if you want to bring up sheer numbers and koolaid again we can talk about Harleys.  
 
I tried to "qualify" my rant by differentiating "offroad" from "MX" bikes because they are totally different animals. Modern MX tracks are littered with jumps and a bike set up to handle that kind of air will beat the livin crap out of you in a single track offroad situation. And the explosive power delivery required for MX does not play well with greasy roots and rocks.
  
MX is a big money game and the top riders are paid to ride a "brand", sweetens the "koolaid" I mentioned earlier. Truth is all modern dirt bikes are way more capable than 99% of the riders. Some require much more setup to get right. All I'm saying is do your own research. I sense mainstream opinion generated by the PR juggernaut of the "big four" and as in politics money buys influence.  A Japanese MX bike is not the "only" option like many of the dirtbike mags would have you believe. If you look around you will find that the Europeans offer a much wider selection of purpose built dirt bikes especially 2 strokes, which you should definitely consider since you brought up weight. No contest there. Also consider maintenance intervals and cost. A top end on a modern 4 stroke is time consuming, way spendy and IIRC is reccommended at 50 hrs. Oil change every 5 hrs. which would be every ride for me.

You can slap a new piston in a 2T in an hour or two.
  
    



 

[daftduc]

Off road access is very limited around here. There are a few annual trail rides held in restricted areas (great time) and only a few...  

Can you get me some info on those annual rides?  And fortunately I have a friend in Grant with about 6 acres.  He's going to be putting in a 4-wheeler trail around his land so that's where my playground will mostly be.

You can pick up a good two stroke "play" bike for $1500 bucks or less. That's what I would recommend. WAY cheaper to buy and maintain that a 4T.  Check craigslist or the ARMCA website for sale section.

That's exactly the type I'm looking for.  

I know century college has an off-road motorcycle training course.  I wonder if the course they use is open for recreational use.  

[bluemoco]

I know century college has an off-road motorcycle training course.  I wonder if the course they use is open for recreational use.  

Really?  Where is that Century off road course? 

I live about a mile from the campus and 1/2 mile from the site where they do the MSF classes and the truck driver training.  I've never heard of an off-road course at Century.

[Desmo Elmer]

Can you get me some info on those annual rides?

The ARMCA website has a schedule in the Non-Competetive section.

I haven't heard of any off-road course at Century. Sure it's not just "classroom training?" That would be considered a "course" at  CC. 

[daftduc]

I took my MSF course at century and I know I saw something about them offering an off-road course back then.  Maybe they still do.  I contacted the the guy that runs the courses to confirm this. 

[daftduc]

Well now maybe I will go european.

I see an ad for a 2003 KTM 125sx for $1500.  That sounds like a pretty good deal.  I'm doing some research on the bike and it gets good reviews.