What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?
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    MattBennett23
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by MattBennett23 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 1:41 pm

    Here is my 2 cents...


    I am 36 years old, and my days of winning trophys and being crazy are well behind me as well. If you want to go with a 4 stroke to just cruise around with your kids, who arent gonna be really fast for another 10 years, I would get a CRF250X or CRF450X. Either bike will do what you want to do. They will be great for trail riding and you wont need more bike than either from what you are describing. If you arent riding moto, and doing mostly trail, the X is the way to go.

    I have a 2009 CRF250X. I was fast, in a former life, and it is plenty powerful enough for me. I am 5'6" and weigh about what you do, if that gives you a reference. If I was racing or trying to go all out, the 450X would be best. For cruising around on the trails, stopping to pick up little ones, I think youd be happier on a 250X. Technically if you are over 200 lbs they say you should get a 450, but I havent found a hill yet I couldnt climb on my 250X. Ya it might be a bit more work if you are trying to pop wheelies or do stuff like that, but the 250X is a great bike, lighter weight, and cheaper to purchase. I still get a pretty big rush when I grab a handful of throttle with it....

    The best things I can recommend is once you get it, get the suspension set up for your weight. New springs will work, but a revalve would be good also if you can afford it. Another thing I would do right away is put a Rekluse Auto Clutch in it immediately. Best thing since sliced bread. Makes it easier to ride and harder (almost impossible) to stall. Great addition to the bike. Finally I would think about a steering stabilyzer. Not necessary right away, but makes it much easier to ride in sand and roots. It makes for a nicer ride in general. Do those couple of things and you will have a great bike!

    If it were upto me, and I were in your shoes, I would buy a new CRF250X. It doesnt have to be current year (they have been the same since 2009) but I would buy a new one. You can probably find one for a thousand or two less than MSRP. If you take care of it and maintain it well, you should be able to give that bike to your child in 10 years, when they are big enough to enjoy it, with it still running well. My bike is a 2009 that was bought new in 2011. It has 6 years of riding on it, and is 8 years old and still looks and runs like new. I have never done anything to the valves or engine and it runs great. Again, for chasing around kids, starting and stopping and picking up little ones, and still having enough power to have fun, this is the way I would go....
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    MattBennett23
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by MattBennett23 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 1:49 pm

    Ok let me rephrase, I have never done repair to the engine. I did open the airbox, and rejet with the JD Jetting kit. Both are great things to do to improve performance. I also removed the anti smog stuff. But still stock exhaust and have never had to mess with the valves or a rebuild at all. They are great bikes just maintain them well. Change your oil regularly, keep your air filter clean, keep up on your routine maintenance and I dont see any problem with them at all.....
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    JimDirt
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by JimDirt » Fri Aug 18, 2017 5:17 pm

    I guess since you are not quite sure about "modern" bikes , you could do as Matt suggested and be just fine with a 250X , especially if your mainly riding "easy" trails , also on a related note since you mentioned "old bikes" , how about searching for a later model XR200 or XR250 ?? they made them up to 2004 i believe , they are Air cooled as opposed to water cooled , they run forever with little to no maintenance and you can pick them up relatively cheap and they will go anywhere you plan on going and then some .....another possibility would be (if you want to stick with Honda) is a Honda Fat Cat they made them in 86-87 , it is the ultimate trail bike , and as Matt mentioned about using a Rekluse clutch (auto-clutch) the FatCat has a auto-clutch from the factory kind of like the old trail 90-110 did , you just put it in gear and go , you can go anywhere , and they make a great hunting bike , you can even carry a deer or elk quarters with no issue , as i have done it

    So those are other options you can look into ;)

    The main issue is what works for some may not be suitable for others , as needs vary enough that , the way we think , what works for us may be out of your budget or just more than you want to deal with as far as maintenance , etc , but any of the bikes mentioned are viable options , but it needs to suit your specific needs , if you're not planning on pushing the limits , smaller is fine (and cheaper) , so that is up to you , but all the info given here should give you a place to look or other options to think about , if you're comfortable on a 230 , by all means ride one and you should be fine , it's basically the replacement of the XR's , just slightly smaller......
    2020 CRF450R
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    MattBennett23
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by MattBennett23 » Sat Aug 19, 2017 3:13 am

    Totally agree on the XR250. They are a great bike, especially for what you are doing. I had a 1998 XR250 that I rode until 2011. The only reason (being totally honest) that I got my CRF250X was that I got sick of kick starting the thing. They are notorious for being difficult to start when cold or when flooded.... If you can get it started its a great bike though. When you are tired and have been riding all day, its nice to pick up your bike and then just hit the magic button.

    The big problem you may run into going that route is just finding one in good shape. They havent even been made in over 10 years and they are known as being "maintenance free" which means a lot of people used and abused them. If you can find one in good shape, and dont mind spending 10 or 15 minutes trying to get it started sometimes, lol, they are a great bike and perfect for your needs. The XR400 is great also.

    The 230 isnt bad power wise necessarily. It is about the same as the old XR250s and known as being easier on maintenance. The problem is they are smaller in size and the suspension is not very good at all. You would have to put a decent chunk into it if you plan on pushing that bike at all. Bigger issue I think would just be that at over 6 ft and 240 lbs it is just too small physically for you. But again, if you just plan on chasing a kid under 10 around on his minibike, it will do the job for sure...
  • apbling
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by apbling » Mon Aug 21, 2017 5:26 am

    Thank you for all the replies and advice.

    So, in all honesty, I have a hard time trusting a used bike - I don't trust previous owners and how they worked on or treated their bike. Now, if the price is right, I'd be willing to take a chance, but it'd have to be the perfect scenario for me to feel comfortable. I'm mechicanlly inclined enough to work on a bike, but, time spent wrenching and the stress of dealing with it isn't something I'm overly interested in. That being said, I am looking at the prices of new ones. I'm a little shocked how expensive the X's are. I haven't looked at dirt bikes for years and years, but just looking at the 250 and 450, I don't feel like I'm "getting" much with that price tag (esp when I have 2 harleys in the garage that I paid just slightly more than a 450x for...). Anyway, when comparing a 250x and 450x, it seems foolish to spend 7500 on the 250 when you can spend 8500 and get the 450. Seems like an odd price structure to me. What seems really attractive to me is the 230 at 1/2 the price. I realize its air cooled and the suspension isn't as good, but the 20 cc difference aside, why is the 230F almost 1/2 the price of the 250x?

    I'd have a real hard time convincing my wife I need to spend 8k on a dirt bike to ride with the kids :D
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    MattBennett23
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by MattBennett23 » Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:07 am

    230F will do everything you are describing, without a doubt. Have you seen one in person? They are smaller size wise than I would want to ride and I am 5'6. You said you were over 6 ft. I would think it would be much to small physically for you. Could it be done, sure. Could it be done comfortably, probably not... They are 3" lower at seat height, and only weigh 5 lbs less than a 250X. So basically you are going to have a smaller underpowered bike that weighs the same amount. If you are comfy on one, by all means do it. They cost less, are easier to maintain, and will work fine for chasing kids around. They are basically bulletproof like the old XRs but they are in smaller frames.

    That being said I would still get a 250X. They are more but they are more powerful, more fun to ride, and better for your size. The 37" seat height will probably feel much better to you. I had mine lowered 2" and it is the perfect height for me. But you are at least 6" taller than me so I'm sure youd be fine with it. My lowered bike is still an inch taller than a 230F.... As for the 450X, I would rather have the extra 1000 over a 450X as I have never found a need for any more power than a modern 250 has. You are also looking at MSRPs. Just a very quick search on cycle trader and locally I found a new 250X for $6000 and a 230 for $4000. Is it worth an extra $2k? I think so. It will be much more fun to ride. If you have it for 10 years, which you can easily do, that is an extra $15 a month over the long haul. I have been tickled pink with my 250X and it was worth every penny. Prices were roughly the same when I bought mine. I watched locally for deals, and paid $3500 for my new 250X. There are deals out there if you keep your eyes out...

    You do also have to understand there is more than just 20cc difference. The 230 is a trail bike with the 250X is more of a "race bike" or at least more of a faster trail bike. In car terms the 230 is a Ford Focus and the 250X is a Ford Mustang. They will both get you there but the Mustang is much more fun to drive. Is it as fast as a corvette or viper or something, no, but it is still pretty fun to drive.... The engines are very different. A 2016 CRF230F has 19 hp. A 2016 CRF250X has 30.5 HP. A 2016 CRF450X has around 45 hp. It is only 20cc's more, but the 250X has 11 more horse power. It is a whole different type of engine. Now you might not need that much power. But the jump from from 19 to 30 is huge. I personally dont think most riders, especially new riders, can use the 30hp to its potential, so the need for 45 is not really there for most people. Ya if you are riding a lot of road, or desert, or hill climbs it may come in handy, but for most trail riding needs its not needed. Its kind of like swimming. Once you are over your head, it doesnt matter how deep the water is....

    Just some more food for thought. If you havent yet, go sit on them. I think you will be much more comfy on a 250X or 450X but if you are comfy on a 230, it will definitely keep you up with kids on minibikes. I would not expect it to do what you need for long if you are actually riding at speed, and trying to have fun at your comfortable trail speed, not the kids.
  • apbling
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by apbling » Mon Aug 21, 2017 11:17 am

    Thanks again guys. I didn't realize the 230 and 250 had that much of a difference in engines other than the cc's and liquid cooled. I have a hard time swallowing the price of the 250, so I'll be keeping my eye out for a deal.
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    MattBennett23
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by MattBennett23 » Mon Aug 21, 2017 12:40 pm

    Where are you at? Cycle Trader has this one new in TX for $5k....

    https://www.cycletrader.com/dealers/3D- ... -121968018
  • apbling
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by apbling » Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:48 am

    I'm located in Central WI.

    BTW, Jim, you commented on two of the three CL posts I posted. The one you didn't comment on dropped his price a little:

    https://appleton.craigslist.org/mcy/d/h ... 73237.html

    He's got it posted all over the state and on FB. From the looks of things (marks on side covers, worn tires) it has alot of miles/hrs on it. What do you guys think? Was gonna shoot him an email asking for more info. The fact that its been for sale for so long, I wonder if theres a reason.
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    JimDirt
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    Re: What size CRF for me to ride with youngsters?

    by JimDirt » Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:31 am

    I'm located in Central WI.

    BTW, Jim, you commented on two of the three CL posts I posted. The one you didn't comment on dropped his price a little:

    https://appleton.craigslist.org/mcy/d/h ... 73237.html

    He's got it posted all over the state and on FB. From the looks of things (marks on side covers, worn tires) it has alot of miles/hrs on it. What do you guys think? Was gonna shoot him an email asking for more info. The fact that its been for sale for so long, I wonder if theres a reason.
    I left that one alone because the older CRF's have a tendency to be much harder to get parts for , the 05+ work better on trails with less mods and easily available parts both stock and aftermarket , as a example , my 02 450R needed a flywheel weight (the heaviest available) to perform OK on trails , it starts easy due to it and jetting it correctly , but it is a lot more work to get the older ones "trail friendly" especially if you will be riding at slow speeds (1st gear , etc) , not that it can't be done with a little effort and expense , but the newer bikes are much easier to get parts for , once you go beyond 05 then it's harder to find parts , so i was steering you towards what i felt would be less frustration for you to work with if things are needed to be altered or replaced , if it's all you can locate within your area and within your budget , then it does not look "abused" , just normal wear , but it would need to be checked closely for parts wear , like wheel bearings , swingarm bearings , head bearings (steering bearings) , clutch wear (not the plates but the basket itself) , subframe (looking for misalignment with the rear wheel (it should have the center of the tire even with the center of the fender when looking at it from a few feet back) mainly because you can still get "most" of the parts , but some are going to be eBay used items because that is all that is available , so that is the consideration you need to look at closely .....Basically , you need to check it out carefully , as you would with any "used" bike you would purchase , but keep in mind that the availability of older model parts is sometimes slim to none , so i was trying to steer you to the bikes that would be better suited (of the choices you offered) to your needs with less hassle in the long run

    Other than that , you can make the 04 trail friendly , my 02 is very much so , but as Matt mentioned , if you're going to be putting with your kids , a more trail oriented bike would suit you better and you would have less frustration and more fun riding , in the likes of the 250/450X or a later model XR (if sticking with the Honda brand) , just remember when searching , that you are looking for a bike to ride a specific way , it's better in the long run to find one that is better suited to your actual needs (a R is a race bike by nature not a trail bike) , than try to adapt one that is not and struggle with its limitations that will most likely be due to the way you need it to perform , you and your kids will get more enjoyment out of riding that way.... ;)
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
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    Weiser , Idaho

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