new bike

[riding@100mpg]

seriously considering purchasing a Yamaha xt250 motorcycle. like the simplicity and light weight so any comments, good or bad, would be welcome. I have several larger bikes but thought it would be nice to have a lighter ride, I think the pcx150 is to blame for that, I've learned that all the cool stuff that's evolved in the motorcycle world over the last 15 years is over rated and expensive. I think i'm going back to my roots when I started. seems to be more fun

[87112]

Yeah. Light is the magic word. I have thought of getting a Ninja 400 as my next bike. It feels like weighs hardly anything.

[Old Grinner]

If you get a chance over the Winter check one out in a dealer showroom to see how the ergos go.

The seat height is 31.9 inches. If you can get a leg over it easily, are satisfied with the general attributes, and have the coin, then the rest of your decision process is elementary and spec sheet driven.

The 250cc dirt bikes have always been a nice balance between being considered a "learner" bike and also a nice ride for "experienced riders".

One added note . . . if you ride in the dirt much you don't want to drop a heavy bike or have one fall on your leg. It's bad enough in the street but out on the trail you could be stranded. At least these days you can pack a cell phone for emergencies.

Just for ya-hazzzz and cheap entertainment check out the new Yamaha MT-03 they are finally bringing to the U.S. also . . ..

It's got a lower seat height than the XT250 and weighs around 373 lbs. It's not an off road bike but looks far out.

https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/hyper ... dels/mt-03

[gn2]

If it's the 80s XT250 avoid. It's flat as a fart and boring as hell.
+1 for the newish MT-03, the 321 twin engine is a peach.

[fish]

It seems, when comparing values - that dirt bikes command a strangely high MSRP when compared to a street bike of the same cc.
Never understood that - since dirt bikes seemed stripped of so much in comparison.
I can only think the extra $ must be for a more robust machine? Or is it just demand whatever the market will bare?

[gn2]

It seems, when comparing values - that dirt bikes command a strangely high MSRP when compared to a street bike of the same cc.
Never understood that - since dirt bikes seemed stripped of so much in comparison.
I can only think the extra $ must be for a more robust machine? Or is it just demand whatever the market will bare?

Could be low volume sales means tooling and manufacturing costs per vehicle are higher.

[Old Grinner]

I noticed the dirt bikes seem to be a bit expensive as well . . .. Not sure why exactly but the origin of manufacture may have something to do with it . . . not to mention shipping costs also.

[riding@100mpg]

thank you everyone for the responses, going to do some more research before I buy. right now there's about 22 inches of snow on the ground so I have some time. maybe there's something better for the same money out there, keep you posted

[Old Grinner]

thank you everyone for the responses, going to do some more research before I buy. right now there's about 22 inches of snow on the ground so I have some time. maybe there's something better for the same money out there, keep you posted

Measure twice . . . spend once . . . or something like that.

Take everything into consideration that has an influence on your riding experience and sort it out. As the old saying goes "Get the right tool for the job".

Comfort, reliability, and fulfillment of purpose are key IMHO.

In the mean time enjoy life while you figure things out.

[Mel46]

I can not comment on that particular bike but I can tell you about a rider I saw recently, and this should be part of decision making process.

I was out riding recently and I was passed by a young rider on a big Ninja something (I couldn't determine the displacement, but it wasn't underpowered by any means.)

All was well until he stopped at a red light. I was in the lane beside him. He didn't look at me because he was on is tip toes, trying his best to balance the bike. When the light changed to green, he almost dropped the bike. However, once he was moving he rode it like he had stolen it...until the next red light. This pattern was repeated light after light until I turned off to head home. I had to wonder what he would do on the uneven side streets and the hills.

Yes, he had a powerful bike. Yes, he looked good while riding. However, I could tell that the bike was top heavy...and that the rider was too short to safely ride it. Still, he did look good while riding it, and he did have a lot of power between his legs. Just how good would he look if he stopped at a Stop sign by a pot hole, or an angled road by a storm drain...and he dropped the bike?!

Bottom line: Some of the new motorcycles are very top heavy. If you are going to purchase one, make sure your feet can securely touch the ground. Tip toes do not count.

[big bear]

thats what my son rides an xt250 he likes it

[riding@100mpg]

well, Saturday turned into a bust. was all ready to pull the trigger but chickened out. it still came to over 5500.00 with tax and tags. just couldn't spend that much to practice off road riding. more thought before I say yes. maybe something used? don't know yet but the comments I received about the premium price was a deciding factor in this so thanks everyone. got some time to look, maybe even a used honda grom if one comes up reasonable, smaller the better, I,m only 5ft 6 if I stand up straight. have many motorcycles already but nothing off road able, the closest I have is a bmwf700gs that, in my opinion only, is way to big for the dirt.

[big bear]

yamaha makes a TW200 for 4100 i think theres also a suzuki 200 i think its called a van van they have fat tires and can go off road

[Old Grinner]

well, Saturday turned into a bust. was all ready to pull the trigger but chickened out. it still came to over 5500.00 with tax and tags.

The only thing about the Van Van 200 or the TW 200 is that the fuel tanks are small and if you have to ride to get to your "off road" destination it better be local. They are nice machines but the fuel range is limit for a motorcycle.

I only need enough gas to get me between 60 and 80 miles round trip to visit some forest roads out of town and the Zuma 125 can do that and still only get 80 MPG. If I used up a whole gallon I'd still have at least another half a gallon left when I returned home. Know what I mean? The tank capacity is 1.7 gallons. Just don't expect PCX 150 100 MPG performance. That said if you know where you can get gas near your destination then all the better.

100_5292a.jpg

I watched videos like this to help me decide about the Zuma 125 before I bought it. I wanted something that would do mild off road and street (be able to do 50 MPH plus a little more) and not be too expensive. I was thinking long range and how it would fit in with my needs in the future. It's not a regular "dirt bike" but it will do dirt roads or forest trails OK. Big Bear uses his for it also. I'm happy with mine . . .. The seat is mostly flat, somewhat cushioned, with only a slight noticeable hump which I don't find to be a problem. It is what it is and I think you would get more bang for the buck than with a Grom or Z 125 Pro. Just my two cents.



Getting something with a brand name for under $4K that will check a lot of boxes on a list is a noble quest. Good luck!

[Old Grinner]

Here's another Zuma review on a newer model.

Note that it's not a good idea to stand on the passenger pegs though like you would stand on the pegs for a dirt bike. They aren't built for that kind of stress.