I have a plated honda xr650r but I wouldnt call it a user freindly bike because you have to kick start it.I work on bikes for friends.A buddy picked up a really trashed suzuki dr350 cheap.I liked the feel of that bike and think a newer e-start dr350 would make a nice bike to start with.The bike runs on the highway no problem with a 6 speed trans.The air cooled motor is easy to work on.

Vinduroman, on 15 March 2012 - 04:27 PM, said:

I used to have a xr400 and changed to ktm. The first day I got the ktm I put more stress on it than I was ever able to put on my honda. I could do things and go so fast I wouldn't even dream about it on the xr. I also noticed that when going from casual sunday riding (which xr was only capable of) to more serious and faster riding everything starts to come apart really quick. Katoom will outlast the xr on street, but no way it would do that in on the trail because xr would never even make it through the trails I now ride. But it was a good and easy bike to start with and could still do almost anything, just not very quick or powerful. It's a pity they are so expensive around here, a cheap commuter bike would be nice while the katooms are all broken down or crashed into pieces

" XR would never even make it through the trails I now ride"   You must not be that good of a rider then because while the KTM is probably a much better dirt bike, people have been riding, and still do ride XR's through just about any kind of trail you could ever find.  Do you think back in the day when there were no high performance KTM's the XR riders would go up to a trail and say " oh crap, we sure can't ride this trail with this piece of junk XR...wish we had a KTM " ? HECK NO!!  They just "manned-up" and rode the freaking trail.  You can beat the heck out of an XR and it will come back for more.  Also, you need to read over your post again as it seems a few things don't make sense.  I don't have an XR but used to and it was a very good bike that I took on every trail I desired to ride. And hey, I'm not a KTM hater, in fact I would love to have a new EXC 500 but just don't have the extra $10,000 USD stuffed in my mattress.  A better bike will not MAKE you a better rider it will just make you THINK you are a better rider.

XR can not be started when stuck in snow or mud for example among many other things which just just prevent it from going through some trails. Or you can try, but you will probably make one lap and be completely exhausted when others have done five. On the other hand, you learn to avoid the difficult spots and be pretty damn careful on an xr, of course it helps with any bike.

Edited by gravelfreak, 17 March 2012 - 03:31 PM.

gravelfreak, on 17 March 2012 - 03:30 PM, said:

No problems starting my old XR250 in the mud. It got amazing traction in the tight going too. Emulators in the front, Works Performance rear. Went well for it's age.

gravelfreak, on 17 March 2012 - 04:59 AM, said:

No doubt most riders will go quicker on a modern KTM. But the older 640 dual sports and adventures are pigs off road. But as you mention, the XR400's are tough. I owned one from '98 to 2001.
Mine was Street legal/Baja kit. Very good bike ... but the DRZ400E I replaced it with in '01 was just that much better. BUT NO PLATE!!

Keep in mind the most successful Baja Tour outfit ... Chris Haines, use a large fleet of XR400's for their tours. I've run into them twice at Mike's Sky Rancho.
Haines run some of the best Baja tours. Guys pay $3000 for a 4 or 5 day tour. The guys I talked to were very happy with the XR400's, many rode KTM's at home. Lots of sand, lots of rocky terrain and lots of Desert whoops. The pace is pretty quick in the A group. A few XR650R's mixed in here. 10 more bikes not in pic.
This was in 2009 at Mike's Sky Rancho:

Edited by 54321, 19 March 2012 - 09:45 AM.

Just buy a drz, they're not that heavy, they can be found cheap on clist, way more reliable than a husky, lots of parts and aftermarket available, can be made into whatever bike you want, I beat the shit outta mine and it keeps ticking.... You just gotta be in shape.... Plus you can shave a whole bunch of weight with a pipe, sprockets a shorai battery etc...

Haters gone hate...

te.

<sup>I think it's hallarious to see that a XR400 couldn't go where a KTM can go. Or that they can not be started after a fast get off in the mud or snow.... Adjust your float!

Some one also said that a KTM is worth every cent of $9,000... What abut the second you put it in the back of your truck at the dealership and it's considered used... is it worth $9,000 then? Nope. Not saying KTM's aren't BAD A, just buying new things is for suckers.

If it were me and I was looking to upgrade to a mild mannered, reliable, and user friendly, yet capable bike. It would be a xr400. If I was looking for a watercooled bike I'd be after a well cared for WR... I'm a honda guy so I'd be looking at CRF-x bikes too but I know the WR's are super reliable. The wolfman link posted is testimate to that!

I've owned a bunch of bike over the years. The bike I got the most compliments on was a 2001 XR400r. People would come up to me at a staging area or gas station and say, "Man thats the only bike I wish I didn't get rid of, my xr400". Honestly at the time i didn't get it... But I do now. I sold it to my father in-law so it still in tha family.. so I dont feel too bad.
!</sup>

LincolnTWilliams, on 22 March 2012 - 07:57 AM, said:

It is quite funny that there is a lot of talk, but seems like no one who writes on this section has ever taken their xr through a really tought trail. Reason why xr can not be started is because the kick start is mounted so low that it can only move very little if stuck in a deep rut, or in my case in snow. Even worse is a mudhole, or better, a frozen mudhole. Now you can live with it, but leaving the bike on raised idle while you try to lift it out does make it pretty damn hot.... You don't want to kill it because you will not be able to start it again. Thanks to proper float and according idle jet, it does start with 1/4 of a kick in a pretty bad place if you are lucky, but if it is flooded you are out of luck and have to wait for help if you can not lift the bike yourself.

Also it is quite funny to notice, that a modern bike with supermoto wheels has more ground clearance than xr with 21/18. In rocky sections you always have to take the longer route around the rock, rather than go through. And it sure does not help with kick starting either. But it is a good bike, just never ever compare it to modern bikes, it is a relic and for a reason.

Edited by gravelfreak, 22 March 2012 - 02:16 PM.

http://youtu.be/jE3DqI0Q6O8?hd=1

my old relic would hang with the 450s just fine. you must not know how to ride very well..

I would rather run the xr through a super gnarly trail as it doesnt have any radiators to break.

gravelfreak, on 22 March 2012 - 02:15 PM, said:

Ahhhh ok I get it... because of the kick height/ground clearance ... that makes sense. (honestly not sarcastic) That said I haven't found myself in that position but thats because I've never been on any hard trails. (that was sarcastic)

I suppose the fellas that ride KTMs are Pro endurocross and GNCC riders and can use that extra inch and a half of ground clearance. So i guess it's good that they have them.

oldxr1, on 17 March 2012 - 12:40 AM, said:

I have a 98 e-start DR350se, and love it . Works pretty good on the trails and connects the the trails thru the pavement pretty good too.

LincolnTWilliams, on 22 March 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

It really is the greatest weakness of the xr bikes and I am not a fan of electric start anyway which would partially fix the issue on xr600/650.

Personally I often ride in strange hours in the middle of the night, or at least used to and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere and not being able to start the bike is a pita. Of course I have ropes and stuff with me but a couple of times I have just had to leave the bike there. I don't know how much a running bike would have helped, but is certainly does not hurt. I have never been in such a situation with other bikes because if you get stuck and stall, they always start easily even with kick start. Here we got lots of swamp and terrain can change really quickly, I often follow hiking paths were there are no tire marks and judging how soft the ground is is often difficult, especially in the dark.

Also I must say that I used to crash a lot more with the xr, just simple things like dropping the bike when stalling it or just losing the front or so, it is not very forgiving. That lead to lots of small failures like levers, breaking lights and so on. On modern bike those happen far less frequently. Of course it is my own fault, but still.

a XR can go any where any other bike can go ( accept a trials bike with a good rider) Can you go as fast, no, but if you ride the bike like its a big heavy pig and not a nible light bike, it wont beat you to death.  I have a 650L and fear no trail, but if you do fall that 350 lbs gets heavy fast. The best thing about the big XR is that if you make clean through a tough section then you look like a lot better rider then a guy on a KTM who is expected to make it look easy.

Sam Merrell, on 23 March 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Ha! I know right, "sheesh, you're riding that big thing up here?" ... what they dont know is monster torque makes the average rider cruise like Taddy in the rough stuff... well not really but it helps!!

Anyway... back to the OP. Whats your status? Did you already pick up a new bike?

Sam Merrell, on 23 March 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

True, although I think my "big", "heavy", "pig" XT550 is a great bike. I've yet to find anything that won't climb because it's too muddy, slick, loose rock, etc. I have had it slide and was afraid I'd get pinned between it and a tree, but soon enough it hooked up even though the tires were shot.

I rode my pumper xr440 for years a one kick bike but I could barely even get on the thing let alone kick it over

I sure love my magic button

gravelfreak, on 23 March 2012 - 06:52 AM, said:

I get what you saying ... and some well made points. The kick start is a PITA once the bike has been on it's side. But with good technique it's not too bad. I've never ridden much in deep snow.
If my former XR250 (or XR400 ... I owned both) stalled standing straight up in a rut, I normally had no problem. Once laying down ... well, you have to wait a bit. Or kick it through 20 times.

Mine did well doing all the trails I rode on my race bike two strokes. This surprised me. And ... the XR250 was a truly brilliant woods bike ... once set up right. Not so good in Baja, not enough HP to pull through the deep sand. I had to work hard there. The guys on the WR450's and even the DRZ had an easier time. But over all a fun woods bike.


My XR250 was great on this super steep and loose downhill ... although could have used modern brakes.


Day tripping in Baja.

Steeper than it looks ... this up hill was a struggle for me on the XR250 where the WR450's wheelied up and over the big rocks. Nearly killed me ... stalled twice.


Excellent on this knarly and tough trail in our Calfornia Sierra. Much better than I expected. Really hard to capture just how nasty this section was. It's a hairpin step here, very rocky, uneven.
Carrying momentum critical. Many A riders stalled here riding bigger bikes. I made coming and going on the XR250. I'm a retired B rider.

On any kicker that was on its side just hold throttle wide open pull decomposition and cycle it 2 to 3 release throttle should start next real kick