After a wee bit of advice, being 18st and 6' could I really get away with a 125cc machine to bimble along our counties finest lanes? the availability of cheaper machines seems to be greater in this catagory (as the 17 yr olds move on) and how bad would a 'road' trail bike be. My last plugger was an XL600R, and my current daily ride is an old T400 Tiger, but want something cheap and cheerful (very in both counts)
I know a lot of you guys are super focussed, but in my advancing years and beginner off road ability I want a good introdution (not that it is likely to be able to be changed for a few years)
You'll find gearing more important than power on the lanes. I'm also a hefty bloke but quite happily ride a twenty year old 225cc Serow which will climb anything. OK, it's slow on the road and riding it on a dual carriageway would be a mistake but that's not what it's for. I, like you, have other bikes for speed and distance so it's never a problem.
A modern(ish) 125 will have similar, or better, performance than my Serow so you should be OK with one but if buying from a 17 year-old check it over thoroughly as I was pretty merciless with my first trail bike and, well, it's what boys do.
There may well be some folk hanging around here who'll say it has to be orange and capable of being ridden for miles with the front wheel in the air but provided you a) don't listen to them and b) don't go riding with them you'll be fine.
If the bike has to carry 18 stone a KTM 400 EXC is the machine you really should look at in my opinion.. I weigh 16 stone ish and a 250 TTR didn't get me through the technical lanes as well as the 400 although riders with more skill and experience of lines do manage well.
Whatever get a bike with electric start
-- Edited by PeterBc on Friday 27th of May 2011 06:35:25 AM
I nearly got a ccm but the Tiger bloke came back to me with a big reduction that I couldn't say no to. My ole Tiger is great and plenty of go, but she is well heavy and don't plan taking her anywhere futher than a gravel car park.
Def would prefer an electric start, my old xl600r left me hot sweaty and nearly sweary on more than one occasion.
Thanks for your comments, needs to be cheap as don't want to have to sell my Tiger to fund a fun machine
Hi Shack, have you had a look at my KTM 400 EXC for sale on the forum, maybe just what you are looking for. Its a good reliable machine with the all important electric finger.
If you want cheap and cheerful try a CCM230 Enough grunt to carry 15 stone up any hill Equally fast off and on tarmac; IE geared for off road and slow on road Not fast but reliable enough and 90mpg Chinese made English assembled copys of reliable Japanese (CG125 style) motors Early red push rod models, later White OHC models Buld quality not up to Honda standards but so much cheaper you would have to be unluckier than Job to lose out. Unlike the Honda you get a disc rear brake. Over 4,500 miles of trail riding I have broken a rear subframe (Moor to Sea section 7), and a chain slipper as well as several rear indicators. Cost £50 or so. Saved a couple of grand on CRF230 Honda price so on balance good value. £2,400 new, less than half that second hand low mileage and above all great fun to ride
I just followed Pete's round Datmoor ride all day for approx 140 miles of varied Lanes the pilot and CCM were faultless - it seems a CCM never requires washing either just wait for the river levels to rise, maybe that's just one owners approach....great day out thanks Pete.
The CCM might need some more thought then, my problem is if I wanted to spend £1000-1400 then I would need to flog the Tiger (and my new bike would need to be able to commute me from Cully to Exeter- and pref back again) so what might be a good compromise?
There may well be some folk hanging around here who'll say it has to be orange and capable of being ridden for miles with the front wheel in the air but provided you a) don't listen to them and b) don't go riding with them you'll be fine.
I say that's not terribly diverse and inclusive on a Whitsun holiday is it old chap?
Casting your unfounded prejudice at us KTM fans and riders...
Shouldn't be allowed.
I spoke to the vicars wife, Mrs Spooner, and she said not to worry there are shining wits everywhere. She is similarily affilcted as the Rev Spooner.
There may well be some folk hanging around here who'll say it has to be orange and capable of being ridden for miles with the front wheel in the air but provided you a) don't listen to them and b) don't go riding with them you'll be fine.
I say that's not terribly diverse and inclusive on a Whitsun holiday is it old chap?
Casting your unfounded prejudice at us KTM fans and riders...
Shouldn't be allowed.
I spoke to the vicars wife, Mrs Spooner, and she said not to worry there are shining wits everywhere. She is similarily affilcted as the Rev Spooner.
The world has gone colourist! First Lewis Hamilton gets criticised for making a joke about black people and now aspersions are being cast about orange bikes. Other coloured bikes are just as capable of travelling on one wheel, 75% of my bikes are red and I seem to attract bulls.
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Avoiding risk avoids excitement, even Snow White turned away Elf and Safety...
You should be able to pick up an old KLX 250 or 300 for that money, and they are a very capable trail bike.
At the end of 2005 I sold my '92 klx for just over £800 on fleabay, should be plenty of older 250's & 300's around for under a grand & they'd be a load better than 125. Problem might be finding one that isn't a wreck though.
wow guys, lots of action since I last logged on, thanks for your imput. Now a little aside but I've always fancied an early 600 tenere, how do you think they would cope with a gentle bit of the green/ muddy stuff (I did a few droves and the ridgeway on my old Dommie) I had a later 660 version but didn't fancy dropping that. Anyone any experience of that?
I did have an XL600R but it was a little bag of bolts! and too many years of abuse on it to cope with a regular commute.
aka CCM doing a CRF copy (made o edam) got that backwards
) so what might be a good compromise?
