450F reliability? 250F reliability?

[dirtrider007]

I am still not sure if I want to get a 250F or a 450F. my last bike was a XR250 and I wound the thing out a lot just to get as much power out of it as possible. I've heard that 250Fs are not as reliable as the 450s because they are turned up so much to be competitive. I know I wouldn't wind out a 450 too much, so that would mean the piston would last longer. I ride mostly track and wide open fields, and very little trails. I am 5'8" and weigh 140 pounds. what i want to know is would a 450 be too much for me even if I took it real slow for the first few weeks?? also are the 450s reliable??? are they more reliable than the 250Fs??? I really think I could handle a 450 but I don't know if i should spend the extra money on one or not. 95% of my riding is jumping. are the 450s predictable jumpers????? what do you think would be best for me. keep in mind that all i want is a powerful reliable bike with good suspension for jumping.

[skthom2320]

95% of my riding is jumping.

If you are an FMX'er in training, get a two-stroke.

[B86_Racer]

Keep in mind that all this is just my opinion.

First of all, The YZ250F IS going to pull harder than your XR250 and the YZ450F is going to pull MUCH harder than either of those 2 bikes. The YZ250F is better for alot of reasons for a person of your size. First of all, it will be easier to handle in the air. You can corner much easier (imo) than with a 450. On the other hand, if you are trying to do HUGE jumps, the YZ450F will be easier to get your speed up. That being said, I don't have any problems doing any of the jumps out at any of the tracks and I weigh alot more than you. The only reason I wouldn't jump something is because I don't have the guts to! Have fun with whichever one you choose. ?

P.S. Your best bet would be to go out to a track and test ride both. That will make your decision much easier.

[dirtrider007]

I'm not really a FMXer but I do like to jump a lot, and sometimes I might try to do a few tricks but nothing big. If I did get a YZ250F, I know I would run it hard and wind it out. That being said, wouldn't a 450F be more reliable??? If the YZ250F is a good reliable bike, that I won't have to worry about blowing it up every time I ride it, I will most likely get that. I really don't know anyone who has a 250F and a 450F, so it would be pretty hard to convince anyone to let a 140 pound person ride their 450F

[motomike137]

If you change the oil every couple of hours and service your filter properly your chances of breaking either bike are pretty slim. You will be able to be more aggressive and wild on the lighter, lower powered 250f. The 450 feels like a lot more bike and you go faster on it by guiding it and not trying to manhandle it. But there is no substitute for horsepower either. It's a tough choice for a lighter weight guy. If I was you I'd probably get the 250f. ?

[dirtrider007]

I don't think you understand how bored I was with the power of the XR250. I went from a XR100 to my XR250 and 2 days after I bought the 250, I got bored of it. also the XR250 weighed 240 pounds dry, while the 450s weigh around 225 pounds dry. I could throw around my XR250 easily, and when I got it, I only weighed 110 pounds. I was also thinking about the CRF450. I've heard that they are a lot easier to ride. are the CRF450s reliable??? I know not to get a 02 because of valve issues, so I would get an 03 or newer. are their any other common problems that CRF450s have, and if so how much would it cost to fix them????

[skthom2320]

all i want is a powerful reliable bike with good suspension for jumping.

If you want the most reliable and lightest bike, buy a 250 two stroke!

If you want the most reliable 4 stroke, buy a YZ426F. It jumps well, but you can't flick it. They are stone cold reliable (except for 4th gear).

If you want the most reliable 450 4 stroke, buy an '04 or '05 YZ450F. The CRFs (250 and 450) are GREAT bikes, but the valves are a maintenance item and will eventually need to be addressed. But reliability has a price, you have to have an ugly bike with a steel frame and a blue gas tank!

I bought a CRF knowing I would have to deal with the valve clearance occasionally. But it is really not that big of a deal if you plan to pay for it.

If you have to have a 4 -stroke, get whatever bike you get the best deal on. I can tell you now that will be a Yamaha.

[dirtrider007]

hey have you done anything with your 01 YZ426F yet?? has anything gone wrong with it and how long have you had it??? I was thinking about a 426, but they seem like they would be really hard to start. are they?????

[skthom2320]

I have had my YZ426 for three years and rode the snot out of for two and half of those years. It starts reliably on the first or second kick (better than my CRF which is a two or three kick bike).

It's only let me down twice:

1. I lost a cam c-clip down into the valve chain area and didn't notice it (adjusting the valve clearance). Rode it like that for a few weeks until it locked up one day. The clip had gotten stuck in between the chain and the chain guide. No damage!

2. A bolt which connects the slide to the actuator arm came off. Twisting the throttle did nothing but squirt gas at the closed slide! It took me a while to figure this one out - I removed the carb to clean/inspect and heard a rattling.

They are not difficult bikes to start at all if you use the drill - basically you just bring it to TDC, then slightly past with the decomp lever, then kick it like you mean it. Do a search on "the drill" and you will find plenty of advice. If you don't like the idea of a drill, just put in an '03/'04 cam with auto decompression.

All I've really ever done is put gas in, change oil/filter and air filter, and dial in the jetting and suspension.

Anyway, it's a damn fine bike, just a little heavy. I still like mine a lot and ride it once a month or so. The CRF has much better bottom end than my YZ, but put a pipe on the YZF and it'll wake right up (I just use the stocker due to local noise regs).