hey, im looking for a new bike, and i am having trouble finding one.  i will mainly be doing trails, but i was still thinking about getting the crf250r, but im worried that it wont have enough power to haul my butt around. can you please help me find the way? thanks btw i am 5'11 and i weigh 240 lbs, yes i know i am fat, but i got some muscle                                                                i think


thanks for your help

Im fat too and a ride on a CR500 usually does me right......


But you said 'NEW' bike so..
Personally i like 2 strokes, but this is a 4 stroke forum. The CRF will definately haul you around no problem, my friends TTR-230 does a good job at moving me around but you will probably outgrow the speed of it in the first couple of rides if you have any skill at all, If your a serious speed freak id be looking at 450's (or a big bore 2 stroke)

The Suzuki DR-Z400E is a really good trail bike, not a state of the art race bike like the CRF250R.  If you want lots of power and torque, reliable, good trail manners, and electric start, it's a fun bike.  I sold my CRF250X and have never regretted it.  Post the question on the DRZ400 forum "should I buy one?" and stand back:  owner satisfaction is strong, you'll get a lot of "YES!!!" answers.

you can find a cheap pretty new ktm 450 trail bike...it would deffinetly get the job done

I was just reading that Mike Lafferty, one of the KTM team riders,  races the KTM 400XC as it has enough power to get the job done, but not as much power as the 450, which can wear out the riders.

The downside would be people not wanting a 400 when you go to sell the bike.

A 250 will haul you around no problem.

how is the yamaha yz450f, its on sale for 5,799, and there is also the kawasaki kx450f on sale for 5,299, i know these are race bikes, but would they be good for trails? also, do you think i would get bored of the 250 four-strokes? thanks for your help

Is this your first bike?   You didn't say.  Why not get the X if you are riding trails?   The R is for the track.

i had a pw 80 when i was 7 but thats about it, so this kinda is my first bike.  also, i like the look of the R, i dont really like the lights. but if there is a big difference between the two, i guess i would get the X. thanks for your help

well your in cali, so the X has green sticker, R doesnt.

X is better for trails, a few horses less than the R, and weighs more cause of push start and lights. there not that different, same top speed, r just gets there a tiny bit quicker. if your not gonna race, get the x.

for you, a 250F sounds about right  

mayby a RMZ or CRF or YZF

At 240 pounds and looking for a 4-stroke for trail riding, get at least a 400, even the "lowly" XR400 has better trail manners and usable power for a person of your size than a new CRF250X, or so tells me my 270 pound riding buddy that has both.

Personally, I'd consider the KTM 450 EXC, Honda CRF450X or Yamaha WR450F, with a nod toward the KTM for it's 6-speed and ease of maintenance, not to mention it's out-of-the-box quality components.

For real ease of maintenance, the DR-Z and XR 400s are great.

thanks for all your help, i went in a shop today, and i sat on both the crf450x and the crf250x, and i like em both.  also the dealers said that the 250 would be sufficient power for me, but im not sure. i wish i can get both, well anyways, thanks for all your help, i appreciate it

if you havent owned any other bike than a pw 80 then i definateley do not recomend the crf 250 or 450 because they require a lot of maintenence and this could do either of the following for you.
teach you a lot
cost you money for the shop to maintain it
cause you dramas
cost you sh@# loads in repairs after it breaks down

as for power yes a 250f will be great but i dont think it will be suitable for someone with little experience with maintenence etc. And if you realy did want a 250f i wouldnt get anything but a wr250f they are just like a yz250f but are much more maintainence friendly (thats y i got 1)

i would thereby recomend something like a XR,DRZ,KLX 400 because (although a lil heavier and more trailbike than race bike) they have a little more go than a 250f and have heaps more torque which suits a relativeley new rider because they are soooo easy to ride unlike a 250f whick requires a little skill to ride effectiveley, and the 400s are VERY friendly to the owner because they cost less to buy, require little more than air filter cleaning and oil changes at apropriate intervals and therefore are a lot cheaper to own and maintain. And because of the versatility, and all around owner/rider friendlyness i would definateley say you should get a xr,drz or klx 400

hope you make a good decision and dont go buying something if you do not fully understand what you are getting into as for maintainence etc.

good luck with your choice

My 2006 YZ250 two-stroke is to date the best bike I've ever ridden in the trails.  The motor pulls the gearing perfectly, and it can be short shifted or revved.  It starts easy, carburetes perfectly, and is super light and handles like a dream.  I got it after owning a CRF250R for two years.  The CRF250R gearing doesn't work well in the trails.  First gear is way too high and the rest of the gears seem too close together.  Although the YZ is also a motocrosser, it's gearing feels perfect on or off the track.

IMHO, buy a XR400, do the free mods and have the suspension set up for your weight.  It'll treat you right when you're a beginner and when you decide to move up (if you do), the XR will make a good backup/buddy/dual-sport bike.

Regular oil changes and valve adjustments are the key to making a XR last - and it *will* last a long time.

Nobody knows how good you are on a bike.  My 250sx (2 stroke) was my first bike I ever owned and I never had any problems but I had alot of street bike and BMX bike experience.  I've let other new riders get on it and they are terrified.  So which one are you?  A 450 could be perfect for you, or it could make you shiat your pants.  If I was looking for a 450 trail bike, it would be the ktm450xc.. BOTY!  I personally think the crf450x, wr450's are just to damn heavy.  the 450xc splits the difference nicely between an mx bike and a trail bike, it's basically an mx bike with the add ones you need for trail (18 inch wheel, bigger tank, slightly softer suspension, e-start).  Personally, I think 2 strokes still own the offroad and they are more fun/less cost and maintenance.

thanks for all your help, but right now its a toss up between the wr250f and the crf250x, i just cant decide, the dealer thats sells both of these bikes says that the maintenance is the same for both, and when i asked people around the shop, they said both bikes were good, but i dont know which one i want yet. thanks for all your help