tigerwoodKhorns Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I have decided to stop buyign stereo equipment and to concentrate on motor toys. I am looking for a pair of dirt bikes (the wife wants to ride too). Any recommendations. A friend fo mine said to start with a Honda CR250F for me (I am 6'1" ~190 lbs). I want soemthing light for my wife (although she grew up riding dirt bikes). There is also a Yamaha yZ450F for sale locally, but I think that this may be way too much bike for me, although the price may be right. I like to idea of a Yamaha TTR150 or the Honda CRF150 for my wife (she is 5'7" and 115 lbs). Any opinions? I am also looking for a pair of sit down 4 stroke jet skis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfandbark Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 How 'bout a pair of 4 wheelers? One lightweight, sporty piece (manual tranny, kick start). The other would have e-start but still lightweight. I had a lot of fun years ago with just that. If it weighs more than 350 pounds it's too heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedball Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I went from dirt bike to a four wheeler and had much more fun. It was just easier to ride and I was not exhausted from an afternoon of riding. Of course a two wheeler will get through tight spots whereas a four wheeler is much wider. Sorry, no experience with jet skis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 A yamaha 450 is a pretty big bike...........should be for experienced riders only...that's alot of bike, and torque....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I was in same boat as you and wondered what to do... Then it dawned on me... I ALWAYS had a love for old Maico's when I was a kid. I owned a Yamaha 60cc as a kid and when I was 19/20, I bought a brand new Yamaha YZ-465 when they first came out. had it for some years & sold it...I actually bought some stereo stuff with the proceeds. Forward to today when I have some acerage around me (live in middle of 250 acres), I thought I need a bike again. Long story short, for $400 I found on ebay, a BASKET case 1983 Maico 490 that the someone had wrecked, this guy had acquired & disassembled . A new baby meant he was never going to touch it so I ended up receiving FOUR large boxes jam packed with parts. Every single nut, bolt, washer, piston, gear, cylinder, sprocket had been taken apart...I mean every stinking one. I was in heaven!!! I not only had my Maico but now, I got the JOY of putting it back together!!! I WAS in bliss. The very day I brought the boxes home, I had the engine back together (though it needed new piston & machining, I was just seeing if I could figure out how the gears & all went back) After 4/6 months, I had new parts, frame refinished, new carb and all the nuts/bolts back together. Fired up first time through after I worked fuel through the line and ran like a freaking MONSTER!!! I didn't much care for the left side kickstart but I didn't care...I had my childhood dream... a large bore Maico! One day I was out riding. Now, you have to think of the Road Runner cartoons now... I saw a deer over on the other side of the (hilly and potholed) field. I thought I'd go buzz the deer so had the bike in third gear. Cracked the throttle (which by the way was a 1/4 turn throttle from full off to full gas) the bike reared up on its haunches a bit, much like the space shuttle might sit & shudder when the rockets first ignite... Then, just like Wile Coyotee on the Road runner who's riding the rocket. As the rocket simply vanishes out from underneith him, leaving him "sitting" in mid air, only to then uncerimoneously plop to the ground while some other nasty event happens to him, I too, 'fell'. The bike simply rocketed in the direction I had it pointed, the front wheel came up a bit which wasn't any bit issue but then... the REAR wheel found a small downhill slope in the uneven hill which in essence, threw the front wheel up even further which was NOT expected. Upshot... just like in the cartoon, the bike simply rocketed out from underneith me, leaving me in freaking mid air in the "sitting position", arms outstretched to where the controls used to be, my legs bent so my feet would have been in the same space the footpegs used to be and the bike was gone. Almost like someone painted a picture of someone "sitting" on an invisibile bike. Because of my orientation in air, I came crashing to the ground with my tailbone hitting first & hardest. I don't know if I broke it (I think I did) but I was in agonizing pain for probably 6 months after that. Agonizing meaning it made me WINCE to get up out of a chair, into out of my car... for 6 months. The wincing pain didn't go away after a week and it was tender...no, I mean to say 6 months after this happened I was STILL getting in/out of my car or chair VERY tenderly because it was still quite painful. Sooooooooo, needless to say I didn't ride it for THAT 6 months... in fact, it was probably a year before I got on it again just so I'd know I was healed. Puttered around on it some more and ended up selling it for about what I had in it. Needed the room in the garage and of course, I got NOTHING but grief from the wife for my wipeout (doesn't everyone wreck everynow & then?) I was never much a fan of 4 wheelers, then again, I was never very exposed to them. So, my thoughts (given that I LOVE to tinker on mechanical things) would be to find something that needs some work, buy it for a song and make er go. Or perhaps, buy some Jubilees and just listen to some old motorcycle sounds? [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivAttitude Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I was wondering when you would get around to "suggesting the obvious". Those Jubilees must really be fantastic. Want to hear some some day... [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 How about a hair-raising 250+hp GP1200R Waverunner. It's a reliable (guaranteed) 2-stroke, has over $20 grand in parts (not including labor or the cost of the craft). Purchased new in 2001, and currently has just under 50hrs total. Always garaged, looks like new, and will peel the skin off your face from speed and acceleration. Ive blown by Triton and Skeeter bass boats with 250hp BlackMAX Mercs. Even raced a cigarette boat in Grand lake and feaked the dude out. I'm hoping to get $8000 OBO, with trailer. I never use the damm thing, I just bought it to build an obnoxiously fast watercraft. Motor is blueprinted, and crank has been welded, trued and balanced by RIVA. Way too many parts to list. Guaranteed to scare the hell out of anything within 1000yrds, the motor sounds like a thumping bigblock when she breaks water at idle. Wicked Fast, and will hurt you if you disrespect her. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Here's a picture of my cheif mechanic at work...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merkin Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Dang Gilbert, that sounds dangerous. I have a 2002 honda 4 stroke (aquatrax f12x) It is a 3 seater with a turbo. I think about 160 horse. Heck it does a little over 60. Thats scary enough on water. It starts every time, little to no maintenance and a lot of fun in the summer months. Put about 100 hrs on it over the last 3 years and haven't had any trouble yet. They are fun. My wife calls it her Harley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted July 23, 2007 Author Share Posted July 23, 2007 Dang Gilbert, that sounds dangerous. I have a 2002 honda 4 stroke (aquatrax f12x) It is a 3 seater with a turbo. I think about 160 horse. Heck it does a little over 60. Thats scary enough on water. It starts every time, little to no maintenance and a lot of fun in the summer months. Put about 100 hrs on it over the last 3 years and haven't had any trouble yet. They are fun. My wife calls it her Harley. I had a pair of Yamahawaive Raiders in the mid 90's. I modded one and left the other stock. The modded one had a factory pipe, high compression piston, modified carbs, flame arrestor, impeller, etc. Unrelaible as hell. Never again. I modded cars for years without trouble and though it would be no problem. I'm older and just want something stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallflower Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 tigerwoodKhorns - Have you ridden a dirt bike much before (I mean off-road and on the edge)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share Posted July 24, 2007 tigerwoodKhorns - Have you ridden a dirt bike much before (I mean off-road and on the edge)? No. I am interested in getting a Yamaha TT230 or similar Honda. But one of my good friends just started riding and started on a Honda CR250F. He said that I will quickly outgrow a TT230. I really think that the Yamaha YZ450F is way too much for me. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 you'll be quickly bored w/ the 250, the bigger motors wont be as peaky ... you prolly don't have a need for a "woods" bike there in NV, or i'd suggest a used Husky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 1983 Maico 490 [] 490 Maico ..... what a Simple ..... BRUTAL bike .... !!! [:|] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 you'll be quickly bored w/ the 250, the bigger motors wont be as peaky ... You make an excellent point there. I've ALWAYS been a fan of large bore... just because they'll rip your gonads out doesn't mean you need to use the power. It's always nice knowing if you're in 3rd gear but caught going WAYYYY too slow that you can grunt it out without having to rev it to 10,000 rpm's to get some juice to the rear wheel. Just like big bore Klipsch speakers... just cause they will blow your ears out doesn't mean you need to crank the volume. It's just nice knowing that you can, especially if you have the need to. Yep...I'd say the analogy works perfectly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share Posted July 24, 2007 you'll be quickly bored w/ the 250, the bigger motors wont be as peaky ... You make an excellent point there. I've ALWAYS been a fan of large bore... just because they'll rip your gonads out doesn't mean you need to use the power. It's always nice knowing if you're in 3rd gear but caught going WAYYYY too slow that you can grunt it out without having to rev it to 10,000 rpm's to get some juice to the rear wheel. Just like big bore Klipsch speakers... just cause they will blow your ears out doesn't mean you need to crank the volume. It's just nice knowing that you can, especially if you have the need to. Yep...I'd say the analogy works perfectly... Are you saying that a YZ450F will not be any more difficult to ride than a YZ250F? Like I said, I have a friend that started on a Honda CR250F and he is doing fine. I rode it and it is really fast. It reminds me of my old big block cars with 4:11 gears. I just don't want to wind up flying off of the back of it because I hit a bump and my wrist turns the throttle too much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Aaaaahhhh ... grasshopper .... practice ...... don't worry ... it's the same spill you'd take on the 250 ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 aren't I just a great all around guy ..? just a wealth of information .......Bwaaaahahaha....[] get the bigger bike ...[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Are you saying that a YZ450F will not be any more difficult to ride than a YZ250F? I'd say that in general, a bigger bore might be easier to control in some ways than a smaller bore. Specifically, the smaller bikes will have a much more narrow power band such that if you are in the wrong gear at the wrong time you are probably going to stall or near stall the bike...you certainly won't have gobs of power to get where you're heading very fast (unless you kick down a gear/two or fan the clutch a bit) The bigger bikes will simply have gobs of power ALL over the power band and if you get into same quagmire you can simply gas it some more and (hopefully) work your way out of the issue. I'd again, liken it to my old Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (convertible by the way) that had a 455 c.u. engine, 4bbl carb and 3 speed Hurst. I could literally take off from a dead stop, at a streetlight in THIRD gear. yes it was a slow start but the point is the car had enough grunt at a dead stop like that to start out and of course, continue on accelerating up to at least 35 mph [au]...................[6] What that told me was there was really NO rpm nor gear that I could be in, where I'd kill the engine. There was always enough power to get me moving no matter what gear I was in. I'd liken the big bore bikes to that logic. I once had the Yamaha YZ-465 (1980) and I think it was a 4 speed? Anyway, I could also start that bike from a dead start in 4th gear. Took some finiggling of the clutch but it would do it and once I got the rear wheel hooked up, it would take off. Try taking off in a 125 or maybe a 250 in final gear and I'd venture to guess that most of them wouldn't be able to do it. So for me, it's more about being able to "plunk" around the farm, always having power on tap instead of having a smaller engine and needing to rev it out to get into the power band. For me, that was simply more fun, more "casual" (if I can say that) and certainly more fun when it DID come time to crack the throttle. That is... until the bike disappeared out from underneith me!! [:$] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted July 24, 2007 Moderators Share Posted July 24, 2007 I have decided to stop buyign stereo equipment and to concentrate on motor toys. I am looking for a pair of dirt bikes (the wife wants to ride too). Any recommendations. A friend fo mine said to start with a Honda CR250F for me (I am 6'1" ~190 lbs). I want soemthing light for my wife (although she grew up riding dirt bikes). There is also a Yamaha yZ450F for sale locally, but I think that this may be way too much bike for me, although the price may be right. I like to idea of a Yamaha TTR150 or the Honda CRF150 for my wife (she is 5'7" and 115 lbs). Any opinions? I am also looking for a pair of sit down 4 stroke jet skis. Well you are in luck my friend Tiger, Seeing as how you live in Las Vegas, you can go talk to my buddy Milo. He owns and runs the wine store and bar in BC. Really nice place to go for an evening. He has owned a lot of dirt bikes, ridden them all over. As a matter of fact, he has a good friend that does rides in Baja on kick *** BMW off road bikes. You just get down there, he feeds ya, supplies the bikes, you just have to ride and not break your neck. You can go do that, if it is not your cup of tea you won't be out a bunch of money. You let me know if you want to meet up with ol Milo and I will get you set up. He is going to Sturges, which I beleive is around the corner, so if you want to get the info. on bikes real quick, let me know and I will get you hooked up. The top 3 jet ski riders in the world were all living in Las Vegas and using Lake Meade as there playground when I was living there in the 80's/90's, and I have lost track of them all. I heard the lake is something like 60 to 80' down and several marinas are closed. Of course you can go to Laughlin or Havasu, but you think now is the time to get into water sports? Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted July 24, 2007 Moderators Share Posted July 24, 2007 Are you saying that a YZ450F will not be any more difficult to ride than a YZ250F? I'd liken the big bore bikes to that logic. I once had the Yamaha YZ-465 (1980) and I think it was a 4 speed? Anyway, I could also start that bike from a dead start in 4th gear. Took some finiggling of the clutch but it would do it and once I got the rear wheel hooked up, it would take off. Try taking off in a 125 or maybe a 250 in final gear and I'd venture to guess that most of them wouldn't be able to do it. [:$] Coytee owned a Thumper, now go figure. T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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