Anyone into Dirtbikes?

[spinningreel]

Thinking of getting a dirtbike. Im 45 now, my 18 year old son is about to buy one for himself, I know this will give me the fever also.

Haven't owned a bike since I was 19, The bike were looking at is a Kawasaki KLX 300R, is a newly released bike, 292cc fuel injected 4 stroke, electric start only, 6 speed gearbox. These sell new MSRP for $5500. Hoping they can be bought for a little less than msrp.

I figure its just another way to be able to do something together, I figure in a few short years he will begin his own life away from home, working, etc. by then we probably won't have much time to do things like this.. Make any sense?

[Alumicraft145]

Dirt bikes a great family activity. We have a huge amount of toy haulers and trailers come by my house on the weekends. Looks like a lot of families enjoy the camping activities. I get a lot of beeps with my kawasaki banners on the house. We always say great way to get kids off the computers and outside. Should be a lot of leftover bikes at dealers now. Plus the used market. You gotta go find an old kx125 2 stroke. Great project.

[mean_dean]

Log time ago, had a Kawasaki 250 in the 80's. It was actually sitting outside on the side of a neighbors barn, saw it sitting there one early spring before the leaves came out. Asked him about it and he told me it was his son's who went away in the Army. He gave it to me so I tore it down and cleaned the engine, replaced the gaskets, lubed all the cables, etc... reassembled it and rode it for many years. He wouldn't take any money so I would show up at his farm and help him out with stuff, mow the grass, hay bailing, etc... Passed it forward in 88 when I moved out of state to a younger teenager in the neighborhood and told him that he needed to help around the guys farm as payment.

I've been debating taking my boys to the local place that does day rentals of 4x4's, dirt bikes, and has lots of land to run around on, it was a blast riding around with some of my other friends that also had them and plenty of land to enjoy.

[ThomasD]

Rode until I was 52. Spinal fusion curbed that appetite

[spinningreel]

Brought home the KLX 300R today. Really impressed with how quick this bike is. It don't raise the front tire unless you pull on the bars, but it just takes off like a rocket, fuel injected 6 speed. This bike was for my son, the shop didn't have another one, I told the sales lady when she gets another one in to call me, lol.

[croix-man]

I raced 7 hare scrambles this last year. Started riding dirt bikes last year. Pretty good times and makes you stay in shape. Lol... I'm running a Yamaha YZ 250 FX myself.

2018 YZ250FX.jpgRace.jpg

[spinningreel]

^^fantastic looking bike


On the high performance 4 strokes like that, what is the engine maintenance like?

[croix-man]

Keep the air filter clean, change oil every 12 hours or 3 races. I have not yet had the valves checked but I know it's recommend around 30 hours, but I'm not really pushing it that hard. It just really depends on how hard your riding it.

[spinningreel]

Someone told me that around 60 hours that they also need a top end rebuild.

Any truth to that.

A valve adjustment is no big deal, I can live with that. Im looking at the KX250-X, which is the trail version of the Regular KX 250 4 stroke. It has a kick stand, skid plate, and the gearing is a little different and suspension is softer.

But if I had to rebuild the top end It would be a deal breaker. I want something that i can do normal routine maintainence, put gas in and ride the trails. I don't want to have to tear down the engine every so often.

[croix-man]

If your racing and running it hard a new piston and rings might be needed at 60 hours, but just trail riding I've read multiple post about getting 200 hours or more and never touching the top end. The only down side on the new Kawi is the 1.6 gallon tank, but that can be replaced with a bigger tank pretty easy. One thing I like about the Yamaha is the 6 speed wide ratio transmission and how easy it is to change the mapping to suit your riding style better.

[Alumicraft145]

Engine should be solid with good maintenance and care.

[spinningreel]

.

[Sleepy111]

Someone told me that around 60 hours that they also need a top end rebuild.

Any truth to that.

A valve adjustment is no big deal, I can live with that. Im looking at the KX250-X, which is the trail version of the Regular KX 250 4 stroke. It has a kick stand, skid plate, and the gearing is a little different and suspension is softer.

But if I had to rebuild the top end It would be a deal breaker. I want something that i can do normal routine maintainence, put gas in and ride the trails. I don't want to have to tear down the engine every so often.

Disregard the 60hr rebuild for trail riding. The Kawi’s, Yamahas, Suzuki’s and KTM’s are all very dependable and do not require to much maintenance as long as you keep the air filter clean, oil changed regularly, valves in check and you will be good for a long time. You will not need any rebuild until it is hard to start and smokes from shot rings and burning oil. If you were looking at a Honda CRF I would say you might rethink it. They are awesome very strong motors but do have a higher maint requirement than the others. The factory honda service manual will tell you to replace valves after 25hrs, the exhaust ones on the 450’s I know for sure. Reason is with the soft aluminum heads, the titanium valves and the rpm’s they run at the valves taking a beating. The other brands, Y, K, S and Ktm don’t have the same problem. Your KLX will be easy to maintain compared to the true motocross bikes. While raising kids racing motocross and I use to race harescrambles and some Moto myself I’ve turned plenty of wrenches on them and still do.

[Kevin R.]

Been riding and racing since 1992. I owned 2 strokes only the whole time. The KLX line has been a great line for Kawasaki for years. Get the suspension dialed in, add a good skid plate, wrap around hand guards, might look at some of the new bar mount systems that help with fatigue. Keep the maintance up and it should last you a long time.
My two rides.
20200302_162601.jpg
20200302_163130.jpg
20180825_092441.jpg

[spinningreel]

At 45 years old, I never realized how tired trail riding could be.

You don't think about all the muscles you use to stabilize the bike and maintain balance. I now realize what arm pump is, my shoulders are sore.

[Kevin R.]

It is a heck of a workout. Make sure to stretch your forarms good, eat a banana and drink plenty of water starting a few days before a ride. Do a light 20 min ride before you hit the trails hard, that should help with the armpump.

[hatcreek]

Old racer from the wayback machine here...

Have been researching several bikes lately, the KLX among them, as I'd love to swing a leg over another before I'm 'too old' (I'm only 58).

Problem is that I'd have to travel so far to reach any decent places to ride (maybe that's a blessing in disguise); which would also put a damper on the money/time I spend in my main vice (fishing).

To you guys that are still enjoying the track/trails into your 40s, 50s & beyond... Good stuff!

[Alumicraft145]

Yes, great point, places to ride. Not like it used to be. I used to push my rm125 about 4 blocks to get to the cemetary, then I could scoot on trails that ran everywhere. Now, ain't gonna happen.

[cape cod basser]

Still have a track almost next door to me. Left the track one day and found my house as they were building it 25 years ago. Still great to hear them over there racing
every once in a while. What gets me is the way the real young kids fly over those jumps now...

[I.P. Freely]

Just turned 50 last Wednesday. Went down to Louisiana to ride with my nephew, Godchild and my High school buddy at Forest Hills Louisiana. Been riding there since I was 16. Dirtbikes are fun to ride, great workout, and keeps you on your toes. Just wish I didn’t get as sore the next morning as I use too lol.

uploading a photo