Dirt bikes??

[WATEVR]

guys as i am not having much luck selling the TLS i am now going to trade it on a dirty!!

now thumpers are the way to go i reckon and something that i can rego would also be a must so what do you guys consider my good options?

i am thinking WR, klx, drz....dunno actually just sta rting looking and whats the deal with servicing etc i hear KTM's are about 1000kms??

[chopiesel]

i got a ktm 525 exc with fmf pipe and jet kit. its awesome!!!!

servicing it is not bad at all, not any worse than any other modern thumpers. its reliable as all hell too. i highly recommend.

[Billy Bob]

Firstly have you ever ridden a new genaration thumper? I used to own a wrf450 with a staintune pipe and the bitch is lethal in the bush heaps of power, heavy in the tight stuff it needed a lot of man handling, always on the clutch but fuckin goood fun, if your going to do heaps of trail riding i wouldnt go past a crf250 enough power to get you into trouble,light weight so you can ride all day and wont stuff u up, but still be able to keep up with the big boys in tight single trail, just my 2 bobs worth.

[DaveK5]

If I was gonna get a nutha dirtbike (I have 3),It'd be one of these...

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/100584424628870.jpg


..but Iam fuckin nuts:D

[speeddemon]

If you want cheap,good on tight trails and something that could travel around AUS, any TTR DR 250 (with a 300 kit they will be great).

Maybe a WR250 for tight trails as well, and commuting,but not good for travelling longer distance. I think the CRF needs more TLC.

Once at 450 cc the DR is the softest of the bunch and cheapest. If you are after a WR or euro 450, I would bypass and go all the way to a Husky 510 or KTM530 as they are just as light but more grunt. Mor efun with motard wheels too.

Long range trail tours any 600+ thumper, but a 250 goes heaps further on fuel, chains and tyres. Just slower. Forget this capacity on trails unless you are +120kg rider and all muscle.

Then you could just ride 2 strokes for trails like me (after you see the rebuild costs on these new gen money pits). Oh and I still have more grunt and it is lighter (my WR360 that is) and will keep going long after their Ti valves are worn to dust.

Postie bike with knobbies..[?]

[TurboKat]

quote:Originally posted by DaveK5

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/100584424628870.jpg


[:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p][:p]
If money were no object, I'd have a Husaberg FE 650 & one of those ^^ just to see if I could twist the throttle all the way & still stay alive (it's a 700cc 2 stroke single for those not familiar)
& probly a Service Honda CR 2/5 as well... & one of those 2x2 Ohlins/Yammy WR 450s just to see if it was any good.
Remember kids, there's no such thing as too much horsepower. ;)

but it's fun to embarrass those with "too much horsepower" with "no horsepower" hehehehe

[Azrael]

Horses dont mean shit if you cant ride it.. if you are heading to kal, id be going for a 450+ fourstroke
If your not racing motox in kal and your not used to 500 2 strokes go for the reliability, longevity and all round package of the 400->650 range.
Ive raced 400s and xr 600s and 500 2bangers for hundreds of ks round the goldfields as as far north as newman, and the 450s are what your looking for.. trust me. If you dont find what you are looking for before you head over here, take your time, come to perth and ill sort you out with a few bikes to test ride before you shell out the dollars.

[damo1]

quote:Originally posted by Billy Bob

Firstly have you ever ridden a new genaration thumper? I used to own a wrf450 with a staintune pipe and the bitch is lethal in the bush heaps of power, heavy in the tight stuff it needed a lot of man handling, always on the clutch but fuckin goood fun, if your going to do heaps of trail riding i wouldnt go past a crf250 enough power to get you into trouble,light weight so you can ride all day and wont stuff u up, but still be able to keep up with the big boys in tight single trail, just my 2 bobs worth.


I know own this 450 and its the bees knees i absolutly love the fuckn thing.

Get some motards for the road and keep the dirties for the bush best of both worlds and youll never look back.[:p]except to see if your mates are keeping up.

[Bear]

Been riding and racing dirt bikes for over 30 years and what the guys have posted already is on the money IMHO.

I've got a WR450 same as Damo and it's good but would like more horses on the road. If I had a choice in that repect, I'd go 500+cc.

But in the bush, different story. I've ridden a WR250 in the bush and reckon I was quicker on it with less effort. It didn't wheelie enough for me though. :D
For more open or mixed trails, my 450 would be better. Depends on how good a rider you are in the dirt and how big/fit you are.

Take up Azrael's offer and ride as many diff bikes as you can. You'll make your mind up pretty quickly that way.

[Booster]

Picked up a KTM 400 exc couple of weeks ago, forgot how much fun dirt bikes are.and much lighter than my last trailie (xr500)
Only thing i found with buying these second hand is Pressure washers fuck things quickly..
Can't believe the amount of mud blown into the front and rear wheel bearings,passed the fork seals,brake pivot,electrics,
haven't needed to replace all that much but definitely needed stripping and cleaning.

[WATEVR]

cheers guys, you basically said what i was thinking. i have a yamaha dealer close to me that will look after me and will proberly go done the 400+ thumper path. Azreal if i havent purchased anything prior i will see you asap!!

know for the Questions:

do you look for similar things of wear on a dirty as a roadie??

more so what do you especially look for??

what are alot of km's for one ( with service history)

[damo1]

Check wheel bearings they cop a flogging.

Fork seals.

Head bearings

Swing arm bearings.

Tyres.

The biggest thing about most dirt bikes is the speedo will have been removed so relly hard to see exactly how many K's its done.

Dead give away condition of plastics.

Make sure the oil is clean and ask how offten they change it.
If they arm and are about it they have nio idea and probably never changed it.

Check out the condition of the garage and there other toys as well dead give away that they dont give a fuck is every thing else they own if its filthy and the gadga is a mess you can expect the bike has been trated the same way.

Remember Oil is cheap engines are expensive If you get one change the oil every 600-1000ks depending on the riding.

The Wr only holds 1.4 ltrs and has a dry sump if the engine works hard it goes black very quickly.

Hope this helps.;)

[Gix11]

This DR800 has come up for sale for $4k but I haven't had chance to put it up properly yet:

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/14142028281987.jpg


Too big? Too expensive? I don't know shit about off road bikes!

i would like to sale my Suzuki DR800 streefighter.
price $4000.00 ono.
the engine is a Standard DR 800. With 35mm twin carbs
the frame is a chromed DR 750.
the Tank seat and side covers are Yamaha XT. customed
the front forks are white power extreme.
exhurst is a full S/steel system.
Ducati wheels and brembo brakes.
KTM front Guard and Mirrors.
digital speedo
acrobis head and talls
the bike has 10 months Victorian Rego and Rwc.

[DaveK5]

Thats easily the best Dr Big in Oz.

[Bear]

That sounds fair to me. Pretty flash for an adventure motard.
800cc should be enough you'd think, but then I've seen what some people on here do to Busa's. :D

Too big for the dirt, or rather, too heavy.

[Hillsy]

A mate of mine had a DR750. Loads of torque. It was fun to ride on the road, but REAL heavy and not much fun on the dirt.

They tend to chew starter clutches.....there's a LOT of compression in these suckers.

Watching my buddy trying to bump start his DR was pretty funny....

[speeddemon]

Same as Damo but: - look for worn footpegs (rounded/worn spikes on the peg) and wear on the frame where your boot would rub against. This is a dead giveaway.

Chains and all that are replaceable, but I reckon have a close look at the discs cause they are not cheap and again tell you abit about how much the bike has been ridden.

Blowing smoke on startup is common with worn valve guides that happend more regular on a chook chaser. Along with blown fork seals.

[WATEVR]

cheers for the help guys, keep the advice coming as im sure others will read this at some stage.

Si: not for me but thanks anyways

[Booster]

Check the maintainence schedule of any bikes your looking at, some 4 stroke stuff is built more for race only and has like 20 race hr intervals for valve replacement.

[zx12argh]

I've got a DRZ400 - indestructable and certainly has tractor-like qualities - can still beat most stuff across the intersection if i can keep that front wheel down. Service every 6000kms (tho more if you are on the dirt and have any kind of mechanical sympathy) doesn't over heat and keeps up pretty well with the austrians. You'll be servicing it once a month if you go for a high horsepower thumper (i.e. ktm 450/525/530) or replacing engines once a year if you go for an aprillia hand grenade. Last I heard a mate who rode a drz400e (the highest hp drz) had to rebuild the gearbox after 40,000kms but that was strictly motard use which flogs them out faster.