I am looking for a bigger bike, a 250cc, moving up from a Broncho 110cc. I weigh 175, and I'm 5' 8". I am mainly going to be trail, field, and desert riding, and some street riding (for some of the choices I have I'll be getting the dual sport kit). My choices so far are the Honda CRF250R (MX), a Yamaha YZ250F (MX), WR250R (dual-sport), or a WR250F (trail). I also want to be able to go 75-90 stock, or at least with some minor upgrades. I will be buying used, as I don't have the cash to pay for a brand new one. Best choice here?

Buying used 4strokes is a iffy situation. Make sure you look the bike over good and that is has been maintained properly. Also, Honda was making great 250s in the earlier years, Yamaha is a good bike too. I wouldn't buy the others though. Just look at them and pick which one looks the best and is in the best condition.

Cfox17, on 19 July 2012 - 10:08 AM, said:

The only one here that isn't a Yamaha is the CRF250R.

Sorry, I meant the yz250f. To me if you buy a trail orientated bike or a dual sport then your going to compromise something. If you go dual sport, yeah it'll be able to ride on the road but won't have as nice of a ride on the track or trails. Then the trail version WR will be great for trails but what happens when you want to play on the track or more mx type stuff. I just think a 250 is a very good bike for many things.

Cfox17, on 19 July 2012 - 12:44 PM, said:

Well I would like a bike with a headlight already installed, so I was thinking of getting the WR250F, and changing the gearing to the YZ250F's gearing, doing some camshaft timing, etc, to make it more powerful.

That sounds like a good plan there, and in all reality you might like how it runs when you get it anyways.

You haven’t told us the $$ amount you’re looking at spending. If you plan to DS the bike forget the MX bikes. Most MX bikes have low output stator for running a DS kit, small tanks and close ratio gearing. Best to start with a endure bike like a WR, TE/TXC, EXC, KLX, CRF-X or FE. Several brands have a plated dirt bike stock that perform great off road and ok on road. If you want to go 75-90mph then your bike will be a bigger bore or have gearing that’s not fun on tighter trails. Most 250 bikes will have a hard time hitting 90 and living a long life. If this is a must have get a 525/530 EXC, TE450/511 or FE570 otherwise forget the top speed and have a lighter easier to ride 250.

Edited by weantright, 20 July 2012 - 05:47 AM.

Alright then make 80 the top speed. And the most I'll spend on the bike alone is $2500. It's not an absolute must to go 90. Thanks for the help, I will go for the WR250F. What year did they do the last major update to the WR250F? I think it was 2006, not sure. I also heard the WR250F has more top end, that true?

2003 and up was a good for these wr's. Newer the better but condition overrides year. Enduro bikes typically have more top end vs. MX, wider gear spacing.

Edited by weantright, 20 July 2012 - 06:31 AM.

WR250F was steel frame 2006 and prior.  2007 and later are aluminum frame.  For your budget, you are probably looking at a steel frame, which frankly gives you a bit more room to work.  You can't change the gearing in a WR250 or WR450F to YZ gearing unless you plan to split the case and change out all the gears within the gear box  and I have never heard of someone buying a WR and putting in YZ gears (there are lots of discussions of doing the opposite).  You can however change the front and rear sprockets to move the speeds in all gears either higher or lower.  Changing the sprockets will not change the 'spacing' between the gears.

Frankly, if you want to be able to trail ride and go slow and still go 80 mph you will absolutely need a wide ratio transmission.  MX bikes have close ratio transmissions (not much spacing between the gears- i.e. less drop in rpm between the gears).  And 80 on a dirt bike on the road.....death wish.

You might want to look at the CRF450X, WR450F, KTM 450/500 XC-W/EXC, Husaberg FE 450/570, Husky TE 449/511 if you really intend to go that fast on the road.  Also, there are a lot of people that dual sport on the Suzuki DRZ400E which will do close to those speeds on asphalt.  It is a bit of a heavy compromise once you get to dirt riding.  Lots of mods available for that one.  You might pay a visit to that forum hear on TT to get a better idea on that bike....seems to be pretty unique and perhaps close to the set of tradeoffs you are looking for  and Maybe can be found closer to your budget.

I honestly don't trust myself with anything bigger than a 250, I'm a teenager.

Spartan040, on 20 July 2012 - 07:16 PM, said:

WR250F or CRF250X or KLX300R.

You need to investigate the rules for dual sporting or plating these off-road bikes in Florida if you intent is to be able to ride the street occasionally.  Also you need to look into the rules for getting a motorcycle endorsement  on your license and insurance.  Here in Colorado, you need to get a drivers license first, then you can apply for a year long permit for getting your motorcycle endorsement (by passing the written motorcycle test).  And, during the 1 year permitting period you must  ride under the visual supervision of an adult 21 and older at all times.  Once this one year permit period is completed, you can take a motorcycle driving test ....and then you can get your endorsement (i.e. no way to get this before you turn 17 at the quickest).    Not sure what applies for Florida, but if it is like Colorado, they dont make it easy.

Spartan....are you still living in Florida?...you made reference to desert riding in your original post....

I am currently living in Florida, yes. But my family and I are thinking of moving to Arizona soon.

which would be a better and more reliable bike 12 crf 250 or kxf250