Should I move up to a 250f?

mnoble0902
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8/14/2017 4:14pm
Hi everyone,

I need some suggestions on a thought I have. I recently got back into motocross after about 18 years. I bought a
'15 YZ 125. I'm really enjoying it, but I'm actually beginning to wonder if I'm too big for it; I'm 6 foot and weigh about 195lbs. The bike moves me, but I can tell I'm weighing it down. I'm wondering if I should trade it for a 250f? In most cases, the answer is probably yes. However, in my case I'm basically a new rider, which is why I got the 125. 125s are great learning bikes.

So, I'm trying to decide if I should stick it out with my 125 until maybe next year, or get a 250f now. My thought was that if I moved up now, I could ride the 250f for a few years and maybe move up to a 450. I'm just wondering if the 125 is actually preventing me from learning because of my size.
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doghouse
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8/14/2017 4:16pm
250t ftw
8/14/2017 4:20pm
If you want an easy ride go with the 250f. 250 two strokes aren't much fun when you're slow. Ask me how I know.
Brent
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8/14/2017 4:28pm Edited Date/Time 8/14/2017 4:30pm
I would go with the 250 F, see if you can try one before you buy, as they all feel different. Taller riders seem most comfortable on Kawasaki or Yamaha. You will have to learn a slightly different riding style for the four stroke, so the sooner you get on one the better.


Now is the time of year to get a left over 2016 or '17 250F on sale. Don't buy a used 250f if you can help it, you never know what the previous owner did to abuse the thing.


Martini637
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8/14/2017 5:03pm
im 6'4 205lbs and i love my 17 RMZ 250f. The Kawi felt super narrow which i didnt like, and the yamaha just felt too bulky. And it wasnt just me another one of my riding buddies felt the same about the yamaha who is 6ft. As far as getting around it has more than enough power for me. I actually traded my '13 kawi 450 in for the zuki. 450 was way to much for my liking. But you will love the 250f if you go that route

The Shop

Falcon
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8/14/2017 5:22pm
There are several ways to look at this, and I'll leave out my personal bias against 4-strokes. Here it goes:

If you intend to race, the 250F is going to suit you much better, especially at 190 pounds. The extra torque will make it easier for you to go fast on. Also, since the racing world is all about 4 strokes, you'll develop the correct power management skills on that kind of bike. You can also move up to a 450 without much adjustment because the whole experience will be very similar; just with more power.

Another way to look at it is the opposite: The 125cc 2-stroke is the finest skills building motorcycle on the planet! Great suspension & brakes, assuming your 2015 is in working order, and the relative lack of power can help you learn to maintain momentum and maximize traction. Your cornering skills benefit greatly from trying to keep that thing WFO in the turns.

So, basically: just using the machine as a playbike? Keep the 125. Want to get as fast as you can, as soon as you can? Move your skills over to the 250F and start practicing.

Old-Man
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8/14/2017 7:48pm
Asking Vital to know your background & history on how you ride/race is a stretch don't you think?
If you have the 125 already why not get the 250F and see how you like it. Sounds like your already leaning toward that anyways. My bet is that you will love it.

GL
Rockinar
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8/15/2017 7:58pm Edited Date/Time 8/15/2017 8:00pm
You're not too big for the 125, you just are making excuses to buy a 250F because you want one. I did the same and it was a mistake in my eyes.

I'm about same size/weigh as you and sold my 125 and bought a 15' KX 250F. I regret it. 125 was more work, but was way more fun. If I was racing and serious about it, yeah I would go with 250F simply because its less work to ride. No other reason. My opinion of 250F....higher maintenance and boring to ride. Mine won't start for reason unknown, is collecting dust and I could care less about it.
Giygas
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8/15/2017 8:21pm
Get a 450
doofy
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8/15/2017 8:30pm
Rockinar wrote:
You're not too big for the 125, you just are making excuses to buy a 250F because you want one. I did the same and it...
You're not too big for the 125, you just are making excuses to buy a 250F because you want one. I did the same and it was a mistake in my eyes.

I'm about same size/weigh as you and sold my 125 and bought a 15' KX 250F. I regret it. 125 was more work, but was way more fun. If I was racing and serious about it, yeah I would go with 250F simply because its less work to ride. No other reason. My opinion of 250F....higher maintenance and boring to ride. Mine won't start for reason unknown, is collecting dust and I could care less about it.
200lbs isnt too big for a 125?! Idk about that mate. I had a miserable experience at 200lbs on a yz125. But im not a 2t guy/ Even when I had the thing rapped out it was slower than stink off shit. Forget about making any decent size jump that didnt have a mile run up to it.

This is a bit unrelated but captain obvious tells me racing (sx esp) would be WAY more entertaining if 125's came back. the 250fs make every obstacle on the track easily and I dont want to say the current guys arent skilled cause thats a lie but shees, you can watch them botch a section then almost go from zero momentum and seat bounce a triple with their feet off the pegs and make it easily. you wouldnt get away with that on a 125. /end rant
ToolMaker
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8/15/2017 8:42pm
What are you trying to achieve? I will never have the time to practice enough, to ride well enough, that
the 2T would allow me to have as much fun as a 4T. Some folks call it lazy, but the fact is that I could just
have more fun on the 250F. Isn't that what it's all about? We are close in size for what it's worth.
TM
ledger
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8/15/2017 8:43pm
If you want an easy ride go with the 250f. 250 two strokes aren't much fun when you're slow. Ask me how I know.
X2.
TJMX947
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8/16/2017 5:47am Edited Date/Time 8/16/2017 5:49am
Not sure where you ride up in VA but here is my .02.

Moving up to a 250F after two seasons on a 125 was a game changer for me. I was similar weight to you but the 250F improved my confidence considerably. I could keep a 125 on the pipe enough to avoid the splooge you get from bogging it but I struggled with confidence with jumping. The 250F seemed to make my riding more consistent so I could focus on improving. I went from approximately 200lbs to 170lbs back up to 220lbs in the span of about 5 years of riding 250Fs and I was still able to jump everything at most tracks albeit at 220lbs I was seat bouncing the shit out of stuff a lot.

A 250 Two Stroke on a deep sand track is the most fun I've had on a motorcycle period. To me you ride them similarly to a 250F, its 5 gears, and you try to keep momentum just the same. My issue with a 250 T was jumping - It was not confidence inspiring. To get comfortable on it and make it work would require me to put more time into practicing and gelling with the bike than I could at the time. The 250 T is a beast however and can get away from you as you get tired.

I would advocate that you ride a 250F before you drop the cash. Heck ride a 250 two stroke too. Most guys on two strokes are trying to lobby for their cause and convert people to two stroke diehards so I'm sure you can find someone who would be more than happy to let you tag team their bike for a few motos.
8/16/2017 6:55am
doofy wrote:
200lbs isnt too big for a 125?! Idk about that mate. I had a miserable experience at 200lbs on a yz125. But im not a 2t...
200lbs isnt too big for a 125?! Idk about that mate. I had a miserable experience at 200lbs on a yz125. But im not a 2t guy/ Even when I had the thing rapped out it was slower than stink off shit. Forget about making any decent size jump that didnt have a mile run up to it.

This is a bit unrelated but captain obvious tells me racing (sx esp) would be WAY more entertaining if 125's came back. the 250fs make every obstacle on the track easily and I dont want to say the current guys arent skilled cause thats a lie but shees, you can watch them botch a section then almost go from zero momentum and seat bounce a triple with their feet off the pegs and make it easily. you wouldnt get away with that on a 125. /end rant
So here we got the almost "slowest" 125 ever made. Coming straight from the inner corner 2nd gear with maybe 20-30 meters straight before takeoff. 165lbs without gear. And I overshot it a couple of times.. hard to tell distance on a pic maybe, but I don't have any extreme problems jumping things on this than my crf 250. except things really tight to corners, and big step-ups.

You just got to get used to jump things wfo Grinning



Skerby
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8/16/2017 7:20am
^^ I'm with this guy, my 125 has only ever kept me from tripling stuff that I probably shouldn't triple anyways.

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