Which Bike Would You Buy

langhammx wrote:

'17 RMZ 450
Easy choice....

Track and Trail wrote:

Just for fun with a kid on a crf50? Unless you're planning on sticking to the track, I'd consider something with a kick stand and wr...

Just for fun with a kid on a crf50? Unless you're planning on sticking to the track, I'd consider something with a kick stand and wr gearing. Yzf250x might be right if the KTMs are a little pricey.

Speeder757 wrote:

Looking to get back into riding after a hiatus. I just bought my son a Honda CRF50 so we can start riding together and he can...

Looking to get back into riding after a hiatus. I just bought my son a Honda CRF50 so we can start riding together and he can start riding with his cousins. With work, in all honesty i won't be able to ride more than a few times a month and i definitely won't be racing. I am just looking for something to go out and have fun with. I stand a towering 5ft 6in so i would be looking at bikes that fit shorter riders. I normally go for the newest and greatest but i just don't see the point with the use this bike will get and my current skill level. I have been looking at some left over bikes, which can be had pretty cheap it seems. I would like a KTM with electric start but from what i am seeing those are at least $3K more money which i can't really justify. I am leaning towards the Honda, then switching out the forks to the 2014 springs. Can you give me your opinion on these bikes? Or any others i should consider? YZ's can also be had fairly cheap however i would have to cut the subframe etc to fit me. Thanks Appreciate.

New 2017 Honda CRF250R $5,000.00

New 2017 Kawi KX250F $4,500.00
New 2018 Kawi KX250F $5,500.00

New 2017 Suzuki RMZ250 $5,000.00
New 2018 Suzuki RMZ250 $5,650.00
New 2017 Suzuki RMZ450 $5,750.00 (pretty mellow for a 450? and people say its a comfortable bike to ride?)

kzizok wrote:

OP,

Adjustable YZ subframe

Able to fine tune your ride height.

JM485 wrote:

I don't think anyone can give you a good recommendation without knowing a little bit more, people are shooting in the dark at this point. What...

I don't think anyone can give you a good recommendation without knowing a little bit more, people are shooting in the dark at this point.

What are you mostly planning on riding, track, trail, both?

What was your skill level before you stopped?

Are you going to be riding yourself, or mostly just using the bike to chase your kid around for a while?

How much do you weigh?

Also, at 5'6" I don't think you're going to need to cut any subframes, that isn't really all that short to be honest. If you're just going to be chasing the kid around then I would think a smaller bike with electric start would be great, but if you're planning to do any serious track or trail riding then obviously a full sized bike is what you're looking for. If you're a lighter guy and want something that can cruise along with your kid then a 250 is probably the way to go, but if you're heavier and want to do some motoing then a 450 is probably a better choice. Keep in mind that some brands (like KTM) are a lot more mellow on the bottom and make cruising along easier, whereas on a Yamaha you're going to find a lot quicker hit to the power which would make cruising with the kid a major chore. Just some things to consider, but with a little more information I think you'll get a lot more relevant responses.

Edit: Also, if you're at beginner level, don't worry about fork horror stories, any stock set of forks will work just fine for you.