Move from 250f to 450

[Yamiryder]

I'm considering moving from a 250f to a 450. i ride a lot of trails, like to do freestyle jumps, and just like to goon ride. i would like a little more power than what my 03 yz250f has but i'm not sure i want all the power and weight of a 450. has anyone moved from a 250f to a 450 and then went back? are 450's really heavy in the air? i've only rode a 2010 yz450 for about 5 minutes and i loved it when i was on it. i'm just afraid it will be a lot to throw around in the air and that a 450 is more than i need because i don't race.

[YamaLink]

Not too far off topic but what about a 250 two stroke? If that's not an option I'd stick with the 250F for what you're looking to do.

[ttr250dude]

I'd stick with a 250f. I went from a 2000 TTR250 to a 2003 RM125, and now im on a 2008 YZ450f. I ride trail and occasionally race hare scrambles in the C class. I find the 450f to be quite heavy and more power than i need for what i do. I plan on selling mine and getting an '05+ YZ250.

[brentn]

Not too far off topic but what about a 250 two stroke? If that's not an option I'd stick with the 250F for what you're looking to do.

This was exactly what I was going to suggest.

Probably a similar weight to the 250f, more balanced than the 250f, and almost twice as powerful.

[Justin]

250 smoker for sure, I ride both back to back (I have a 03 cr250, and an 06 YZ450) in the air the 450 feels twice the weight of the smoker. I use the 450 primarily for dunes and open desert where you never have too much power (ide ride my cr500 more if it was an "AF" and handled better). The cr250 is for when I feel like "flying". There is a good reason nearly all the FMX guys out there are on 2-strokes...

[Yamiryder]

i thought about a 250 2-stroke but i really like how the 250f runs. there are a lot of good 250f's for sale in my area for a decent price but not too many 250 2-strokes. all of the 2 strokes are beat to crap...not what i want.

[Family Man]

Used 250f are like handgrenades with the pins pulled. Sooner or later they are going to blow. The 2t has a much cheaper rebuild cost. There are probley good used 250fs but it is a risky purchase for sure.

[Yamiryder]

i know that all used 250f's are usually in need of at least a top end but i really like 250fs and like i said there are a lot of nice 08 and 09's for under 3500 that are in good condition

[grayracer513]

When we bought our used '01 YZ250F, it took another year and a half of my then 14 year-old son's riding it into the ground before it needed valves. New piston and rings along with, and ran it another nearly a year and it was still running great.

The YZ's are tougher than most, and not all of them have been hammered into the ground.

[brentn]

What were your oil, oil filter and air filter changes like for that bike there grey?

[grayracer513]

Same as always: Oil changed every three rides at max (meaning that if we were going to a three day desert trip, we changed the oil first, no matter how new it was), clean oil filter each time (I use a Scotts). Once a year we go four days on the same oil.

Air filters every day, two days max if on a multi-day camping trip. (Yes, I carry cleaned, oiled, extras).

[Justin]

Same as always: Oil changed every three rides at max (meaning that if we were going to a three day desert trip, we changed the oil first, no matter how new it was), clean oil filter each time (I use a Scotts). Once a year we go four days on the same oil.

Air filters every day, two days max if on a multi-day camping trip. (Yes, I carry cleaned, oiled, extras).

[grayracer513]

What up, JP?

[Justin]

Same ol same ol...

My buddies give me crap and say I do "too much maintenance", but you make me look bad!

[grayracer513]

Yeah, well 3 days makes it easy to remember, and can end up being as much as ten hours desert rides are involved. That's long enough. The air filter thing is because of where I ride. The Imperial Valley has the world's finest dust in huge quantities.

[Yamiryder]

what do you guys think of big bores? i found a super nice 08 yz250f for 3100 and the guy told me he bought it off his friend who raced it and rebuilt it last winter with a big bore. he told me he's ridden it about 10 times since he bought it. i haven't looked at it yet but he looks super nice and 3100 is a good deal if its in good shape.

[zukboy789]

Definatly do it. They have more power and less motor problems because you cant ride them as hard.

[Family Man]

Ive been told that the big bore kits make the yz250f bikes sign off early.

[Yamiryder]

Ive been told that the big bore kits make the yz250f bikes sign off early.

i think i've heard that too but i like to ride in the lower rpms anyway so it might be a good thing. the guy selling the bike said it was borred to what he thought was a 270. i'm hoping it has a big bore kit and wasn't borred out because if it was i probably won't buy it.

[Justin]

If you dont port the head to increase flow and put a bigger cam in, than ANY big bore is going to "sign off" sooner, simple physics...