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DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 2:33 pm
by SherpaT
So I've been a member here for a while, but never went on any rides with you guys. I’d like to change that. Many of you seem to have multiple bikes; what class bike do you ride most often? Off-road 2-stroke (200-300), tagged off-road bike (250-400), mid-size dual-sport (450’ish), or what?

I sold my 500 EXC last year because I didn’t ride it much, just a few dual sports each year, and that was it. It was a fun bike overall, but I didn’t enjoy it in the tight, rocky stuff. I’d like to replace it with something that I can ride more often. I have a Super Tenere for the street, and modern and vintage trials bikes, so something between those extremes, that hopefully could be tagged in PA. Cost isn’t too much of a concern, as long as there are plenty of opportunities to ride it. Any advice?

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 2:51 pm
by Boom Boom
Wow, this could be about as good as "what is the best oil" thread :killingme:
You have trials well covered so any super ugly single track and be ridden on the best cheater bike..a trials bike.
You have the long distance and dirt roads covered.
Anything road worthy enough to ride to the area of riding is never the best option once off road.
With having trials back ground I would think both the Beta X-trainer and KTM Freeride would be good options for off road and plate worthy trial connecting. Can't go wrong with any 300 2-stroke on the market that you can get a plate on. The 350 range 4-strokes are nice and still nimble and FI for minimal fussing. If you are wanting to do more stuff like Cove, RAC, Shade and other 99% off road then the Cross trainer and Freeride sure have positive and friendly to handle features to offer. If you want to race enduro with same bike then plan to need suspension upgrades to handle the higher speed hammering. If a couple enduros are tossed in the mix then KTM/Husky, Beta, Sherco, Gas Gas 300 enduros all should be looked into.

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 4:22 pm
by SherpaT
Thanks Boom Boom.
Boom Boom wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2017 2:51 pm Wow, this could be about as good as "what is the best oil" thread :killingme:
I was worried about that, but put on my Kevlar britches and posted anyway! :lol2:

The Cove, RAC, Shade, etc., rides were mostly what I was thinking about. The Freeride and X-trainer were on my radar, but I've never ridden one, so didn't know if they were a good choice for those type places. I think it's fairly easy to plate a Freeride, so that might be a good way to go.

Thanks again for the insight.

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 4:42 pm
by Rut Row
Marylander bought his Xtrainer in PA and got all the paperwork to title it in MD without any problems. Bucho has one too.

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:12 pm
by Laoch
X trainer/300RR/RR-S from Beta?, KTM 250/350/450 4t, easy to ride easy to tag. Prolly some Husky's/Sherco? Not hating on the Asian bikes, but they are harder to tag. And the one's with a tag are slim pickings.

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:32 pm
by Bucho
Boomboom covered it pretty well.

I personally like the minimally street legal/tagged two stroke bikes. I have a Beta Xtrainer and Im a huge fan of the bike. It sort of falls in with the Freeride as awesome trail bike for gnarly terrain. though the Freeride is more of an enduro/trials hybride while the Xtrainer is more of an enduro bike.
The KTM 300XWC or Beta 300rr are the better enduro bike if you want to really go fast and maybe race the occcasional enduro.
They all can be easily tagged.

Unless you want to do more road/dualsport stuff then look at the nice 4T offerings from the Euros.

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:56 am
by SherpaT
Thanks guys, great info. :cheers:

Re: DAMN Good Bike?

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:53 am
by Firebolter
You can't go wrong with a 300 2T with a plate. Rode mine all over the place and it was trouble free and easy to work on, but the one place it lacks, is if you want to get out on the road and cruise or cover miles between sections. 2T's just don't like that very much. not that you can't do it, you can, just not as easy as a 4 stroke. If I were buying the 1 bike do it all kinda thing (like I am going to do for Enduro, DS and just a good errand runner), I am gonna go with a 350 4T. Like already mentioned, lite and nimble, plenty of power, most are (newer anyway) FI so they run good from the get go and are truly DOT legal. I am probably gonna go with the Husky, but the KTM is a good choice as well.

I like the Beta's, but the Husky's and KTM's are more mainstream and you can get parts and support everywhere. Just add a autoclutch and you are good to go for any kind of terrain or riding conditions.