So I finally got the YZ out on a real track last weekend and had way too much speed everywhere. I eventually got my braking points fixed but I kept having to coast into jumps, which was really fruatrating since I had to be on the throttle so much more on the 144. I didn't feel like I could consistently slam on the brakes before them and get the same speed every lap. I try to scrub but I pretty much suck at it so it doesn't help much.

Any tips are appreciated.

I have the same problems when I ride a 250 2t, which is why I haven't bought one yet.

Only solution I can think of: Go to tracks with bigger obstacles! LOL

start learning to scrub, youd beable to hit those jumps at full throttle and not overjump them.

There aren't many tracks around here that have bigger obstacles. I got to where I could jump pretty much everything at every track we went to on my 144. There was only one jump I couldn't clear on the 144 out of all the tracks I ride regularly.

I had been making a bit of progress scrubbing on the 144. Maybe as I get more used to how this bike reacts to it I'll get better. It's a bit of a different animal than the KX was.

Scrubbing to the level you need to scrub in order to keep the bike pinned over super small stuff (20 - 60 footers) is an order of magnitude higher then I think is let on.

We have a lot of excellent riders around here and I've watch plenty of local amateur race, pro class guys on 250 2 strokes. I've seen them ride the same tracks I do and its amazing to see them hit the small stuff, they back off the throttle just like I do. Reason being, to get enough of a scrub on to hit some of these small obstacles at full pop, you've gotta be going bubba sideways and ya know what, that just ain't gonna happen at the level of most people on here.

Anyway, you can of course try to scrub stuff, its totally worth while, but I think even after you've got the skill down pat, you will still be shuttin' off before the jump face on that 250.

Edited by tye1138, 15 April 2012 - 08:00 AM.

Yeah. I've noticed in a lot of vids of Stewart on a two stroke that he's off the throttle when scrubbing.

Most tracks have maybe one sometimes two jumps where you have to be on it the entire way up the face. Most of the time you have to let off its part of the game, especially on a big bike.

Ih8Hondas, on 15 April 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

yeah ive noticed that to, but man is he pinned right until he gets up to the jump lol

For the last 2 months I've been riding a yz125, pretty much stock.  last week I picked up a used rm250. I had to get some repairs done and pulled it apart for a complete lubing.  Today I took it out for the 1st time. All I can say is WOW! what a difference in power. I could get 6 or 7 laps and then had to take a break. My grip would be gone. It took some time to re-adjust to the acceleration of the 250. I noticed the biggest difference coming out of turns. The front end would lift if I was too aggressive with the throttle.  The track was freshly groomed and track was abundant.
For me the biggest difference going from a small bore to a 250 is looking further ahead to prepare for obstacles, because they were coming at me faster.  The 125 is a great training tool for mx. I'm keeping it ....

OP: I dunno what tracks you ride where you feel like you need to shut off the gas before all the jumps when on a 250, but it's not like that here....(SoCal). Lots of tracks where you better be ON it all the way to the jump to clear it, even on a 450.

Edited by Yellowbanana, 29 April 2012 - 08:22 AM.

I have noticed in a lot of pics and vids of people on SoCal tracks that there are a lot bigger jumps than are on most tracks in Missouri. The biggest jumps on the tracks I ride on a regular basis are about 60-70ft and have lots of straightaway before them.

Ih8Hondas, on 29 April 2012 - 09:49 AM, said:

The problem is, all the pro's ride here, so the tracks need to be challenging enough for them. We do have a lot of vet tracks however, which are a lot easier to deal with and are plenty fun.

I feel the same.. 250s can be a bit much sometimes. I got a 250f for that reason because it splits the power between most 125s and 250s.. except for tyes 144 that thing rips!
I get bored on bigger bike because it doesnt challenge a rider.. jumps that are hard on my 4t are easy on a 250 2t so its hard unless you have both bikes..

farfromhome63, on 14 May 2012 - 07:02 PM, said:

My KX that I had before the YZ was 144'd and ported and had head work done. It would outrun my brother's 144SX easily even though it was quite a bit heavier. They need to start making the 200SX again.

Ih8Hondas, on 16 May 2012 - 05:28 PM, said:

Yea, well... thats what happens when you blue print a motor. I don't even wanna know what a blueprinted 144SX feels like. Heck, I'm putting heavier flywheels and using the basic fuel map because the motor is so intense.

tye1138, on 16 May 2012 - 06:41 PM, said:

Yeah. I wasn't knocking 144SX's. I would have rather had my brother's bike than mine just for the handling. The KX was a pig compared to that thing. Sort of like a four stroke in that it was really stable in a straight line but didn't like to corner. That 144SX likes to dance around and go wherever the hell you want. A bit lacking in stability but I don't care. I have such long legs the bike can move around a lot underneath me and not cause any real problems.

Actually that KX was a lot like a four stroke. Heavy, handling wasn't real great, power delivery was really smooth for a two stroke, and it was boring because of it. Yet it would still outpull a 250F. Did great double duty in the woods too. Could pop right up and over anything with a little clutch.

What year KX was it? My 01 KX handles like a dream, super light-weight feeling.

If you havent ridden a honda 125 the kx will feel like a dream but realistically its very neutral. Hondas always seemed like a much better package aka 96-2000 than the kx.. the newer honda 125 got neutered until 05 then it was dropped :banghead

tye1138, on 16 May 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

I had an 02 KX 125 and thought it handled well until I got my 05.

tye1138, on 16 May 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

2004. I think the tall seat I was running was the main culprit. Always felt like the center of gravity was in the stratosphere and it wanted to lowside in every corner. I didn't care for all the stability the perimeter frame offered. I just wanted the thing to corner. Like I've mentioned before, I'm so tall the bike can move around a lot underneath me and not get away from me. It was also harder to flick around in the air than my YZ. Felt like there was a lot more weight there, which the seat wouldn't really have affected.

My brother's 144SX is the best handling bike I've ever ridden by a long shot. It's not a motorcycle, it's a motorized mountain bike made out of helium.

Edited by Ih8Hondas, 20 May 2012 - 09:50 PM.