combustion artist said:

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I do mountain biking. How does a dirt bike translate to mountain biking handling. Anyone do both? Sounds like a 400 would be a good place to start. I'm in the Austin area and ride Emma Long with a bike, doubt I would try that on a dirt bike

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I do both, suck at both too.

reading reviews looks like the Honda CRF250F is a good bike and not crazy expensive. any recs on trails or starting off?

combustion artist said:

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reading reviews looks like the Honda CRF250F is a good bike and not crazy expensive. any recs on trails or starting off?

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If you want to translate MTB skills into motorcycling, get the lightest moto you can. On an MTB you are the lion's share of the weight. You can force the bike up and over some obstacles, or literally bunny-hop it to get to a new line. On a moto, even the smallest, lightest moto that changes. The bike now outweighs you. You *can* do some of those things, but you have to do it with throttle, brake, and body english inputs together to make it happen. That's where having the lightest possible bike helps.

The inverse is that if you want a street legal bike, heavier motos are easier/more comfortable to ride on the street. They don't get blown around as much by crosswinds or bucked on RR track crossings, etc. That's the big comprimise on so called "adventure bikes". Most ADV bikes are just street bikes with that mall-crawler look. Yes they can handle gravel roads, but so can any hyper sport bike if you put gravel tires on it.

The bike we were talking about earlier, the DR650 really sits in that sweet spot of making it good for both travel on roads, and decently capable off roads.

The CRF250 is an offroad only machine.No way to make it street legal in Texas. By all reports its a great do-all offroader though.

Sam Houston has many miles of trails you can ride if you get an ORV sticker. Other than that you are somewhat limited to off road parks in Texas. They exist all over the state though, so they are pretty easy to find. I would just research a bit because some of these parks (Like the one in Humble) are really just Hedonism parties with 4-lo engaged. I've been there a couple of times (with a band that was playing) and everyone was drunk, no safety gear, etc, etc. I saw a pregnant girl in a bikini drinking and smoking while blasting around on a UTV.

But not all of them are that way. The park here in Bryan is run pretty well and I understand the one in Marble Falls is great too.

Honda XR150L retails for $3K brand new.

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

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Honda XR150L retails for $3K brand new.

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Neat bike, but honestly is more road biased than dirt. It has a 19" front wheel and a drum rear brake. For more serious trail riding you definitely want a 21" front wheel and a disc rear. You end up using a lot of rear brake off road. On road is the opposite. Almost all braking is done with the front.

What kind of riding are you looking to do? Do you need it to be street legal to get to the trail? Are you looking for a basic beginner bike that is off road capable?

Ordered that DRZ but was posting for anyone looking at an entry level dual sport. I had looked at this as an option for tear assing around the neighborhood to get a good feel for it and develop skills, but ultimately went buy-once-cry-once on the DRZ.

plan would be for trail rides (forest, hill country, etc.). So wouldn't need street legal.
I'm 5' 9" 180, live in Austin. i think i start thinking about this as a way to see other features/scenery and just have another option other than a mtn bike and be able to go much further. maybe mountain trails at some point.

I rode palo duro canyon on my mtn bike last year but would like to try red river, nm on a dirt bike and maybe mtn bike on the slope/hiking trails.

You might look at the Yamaha TW200. It's street legal but from what I've read and seen on YouTube reviews it seems well suited for technical trail riding like you describe because it sits way lower to the ground.

But if you want to go balls out and don't care about price, those 2-stroke KTMs look like the most badass purely off road bike you can get.

As mentioned the TW200 is a great option for many.

Honestly the CRF250L would be my choice for an adult. It's not supercross-fast like a scary fast 2 stroke SC bike. The 4 stroke 250 is a very solid motor, that is easy enough to ride for a beginner, yet powerful enough to not feel like a "beginner" bike. You can keep it for years and be happy unlike most beginner bikes that you would lose money on by trading up to the 250-450 size bikes.

In other words, it's like the Miata of dirt bikes. Just like the Miata of street bikes (IMO) is the Suzuki SV650. Small enough to learn on, yet will always have more capability to go fast than you or I could possibly wring out of it since we are not those genetic freaks who ride at the Pro level.

The 250f is all you need if you are just starting out. Any street legal bike is going to be too heavy or not nimble enough on the trails for you to really get the feel of riding a dirt bike. It has the sweet spot of power too, not too much but just enough to where you won't get bored. It's hard to go wrong with an air cooled Honda.

I've got a CRF 250x (not the one that got stolen) with a big bore 280 kit on it and it rips on the trails. The only thing about the X models is that they require a lot of maintenance just like the race bikes. It's worth it to me though because they are easy to work on and I enjoy working on it. This winter I am going to send the head off to Fastheads to get titanium valves put into it. A Smart Carb is also something I would like to put on it over the winter.

Honda 300l or rally

I want a Honda CB500X
https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/adventure/cb500x

Kinda getting the motorcycle bug again recently. I had a Ninja 250 in college for a while, 2009-2010ish. It was a lot of fun and more powerful than most people would think. These days I think I would want something more dual sport or dirt oriented. Maybe a KTM 390 Adventure? I could either put it in the back of my truck and take it to the mountains/trails or ride it up.

Green2Maroon said:

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Kinda getting the motorcycle bug again recently. I had a Ninja 250 in college for a while, 2009-2010ish. It was a lot of fun and more powerful than most people would think. These days I think I would want something more dual sport or dirt oriented. Maybe a KTM 390 Adventure? I could either put it in the back of my truck and take it to the mountains/trails or ride it up.

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Do you drive a 90k dollar King Ranch diesel? If so you'll love the KTM. If you have a white, poverty spec eco boost you probably want a Japanese bike.

2010 Tacoma. So maybe a more ambiguous answer?

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I could either put it in the back of my truck.

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Does anybody have any experience with those receiver hitch carriers?

Green2Maroon said:

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2010 Tacoma. So maybe a more ambiguous answer?

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Hmmmm. Premium brand, but bottom tier model. Older too, you don't need the latest and greatest.


Zoltan says: Honda CRF300L Rally. Premium brand of the Japanese marks, and its a new release, yet the small version of it. Better value for money, but it will last for decades......

I wonder how that compares to the KTM? I think the KTM has a little more power but also costs a little more.

Green2Maroon said:

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I wonder how that compares to the KTM? I think the KTM has a little more power but also costs a little more.

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I'll tell you how it compares. The Honda will keep running while you are dropping off the KTM for dealer-only service. It'll be running while you rebuild the KTM's top end. It'll keep running while the dealer applies an urgent software update, it'll keep running while the suspension gets its 100 hour service....

Then you change the oil in the Honda in your driveway and it costs 28 dollars and you just keep riding.....

combustion artist said:

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I do mountain biking. How does a dirt bike translate to mountain biking handling. Anyone do both? Sounds like a 400 would be a good place to start. I'm in the Austin area and ride Emma Long with a bike, doubt I would try that on a dirt bike

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There is some crossover, but not as much as you might think. As mentioned already, the weight of the dirt bike means you are using the controls along with your body to make it do what you want, a mountain bike is much easier to move around.

In rough stuff, you're also letting a mountain bike move around underneath you a ton vs having your lower legs locked in on a dirt bike and not letting your knees get forward.

I thought I'd be pretty good very quickly when I got a Husky 350. It took 2 years and I contemplated selling it. I came into dirt biking being a pretty good mountain biker (live in Denver, ride black level trails on real mountains no problem) and street biker (solid B group track day guy), but the way you get a dirt bike to perform on trails covered in pea gravel was a long, slow progression. I've ridden dirt bikes (a friend's KTM 350 XCF) in Ohio, and that was much easier due to better grip from their soil.

Japanese dual sports are fine, but they're not the same as a dedicated off road bike. I have 120 miles of 50" and single track trails less than an hour from my house, so I'd rather throw a dedicated off road bike in my Tacoma, but your situation might be different.

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I wonder how that compares to the KTM? I think the KTM has a little more power but also costs a little more.

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You live in CO right? Decide what you want to ride. A Honda 300 will be fine if you're into doubletrack and less rocky USFS roads with the occasional jaunt on a real trail, but 18hp, **** suspension, and low ground clearance with heavy weight will SUCK on a rocky singletrack trails at 12k feet.

I've never taken my Husky to the dealer. This winter I'll check valves and adjust if needed and do new seals and fluid in the fork myself. I will have to take the shock to get serviced, but that's true of any IFP rear shock.

Some more gratuitous dirt bike pics:

I think the KTM could be the one if I do this. As long as it won't really be a maintenance hog.

Out doing Lyft rides earlier and saw 2 guys on dual sports on a highway. They had a Kawi KLX 300 and an FE350 Husky. Both bikes looked pretty capable, cruised with the rest of us at 65-70 no problem. Certainly no issues pulling away from a light and getting to 70 mph before most of us in our cars.

Green2Maroon said:

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Out doing Lyft rides earlier and saw 2 guys on dual sports on a highway. They had a Kawi KLX 300 and an FE350 Husky. Both bikes looked pretty capable, cruised with the rest of us at 65-70 no problem. Certainly no issues pulling away from a light and getting to 70 mph before most of us in our cars.

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Modern engines are pretty amazing. The 300cc bikes today are as capable as the 650's of 20 years ago.

I ride a first Gen DR650 and I have no problem cruising at 80, but it's happier at 70. I prefer staying off the major highways anyway.

What is the consensus on helmets? Budget is buy once cry once.

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

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What is the consensus on helmets? Budget is buy once cry once.

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The CycleGear house brands seem fine to me. I've also had Fox helmets with goggles but I prefer the dual sport with flip up shield. Did goggles for dusty Mexico trips and DS helmet for Alaska.

The Nolan helmets where whole face comes up are good for smoke brakes, which I haven't needed in over 12 years.

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

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What is the consensus on helmets? Budget is buy once cry once.

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This is a thing where you really do need to try them on. Some helmets are rounder, some are more oval. If you've got an egg head you'll never be comfortable in a round helmet.

I tend to buy last year's leftover models that I can get a good deal on, but I always buy a decent helmet. Snell 2015 or better. DOT ratings are laughably easy to pass, so they mean almost nothing. Snell is what to look for. The bigger the number the better. There are also some FIA rated helmets that won't have a Snell rating, but those are really expensive and used for racing.

Helmets should be replaced every 5 or so years. Buy good, but don't spend all your money at once thinking you'll keep it forever.

HJC makes a great, safe middle of the road helmet if your head fits.

I would suggest looking for a removable washable liner/padding, A quick release buckle, and a maybe flip front. I never thought the flip front was that big a deal until I got one.

Also, I like this place A LOT!

https://www.motorcyclegear.com/

Its a Texas business. Somewhere in the N TX metroplex I think. Their fit guides and pictures are better than anywhere else, and they always have closeouts and clearance items on "Last years gear".

Also pt2.

https://www.youtube.com/@FortNine

Best moto content out there, and quite frankly enjoyable to watch even if you aren't into motorcycles.

Is measuring and ordering online feasible, or best to go in store to try on?

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

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Is measuring and ordering online feasible, or best to go in store to try on?

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I trust Motorcyclegear.com's descriptions and measurements (they do their own) but Helmets are something you really need to try on in person. At least until you understand your size and fitment. You may end up with a helmet that just barely touches the end of your nose, and that will drive you insane in about 10 minutes. These are the kinds of things you can't figure out online....

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

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What is the consensus on helmets? Budget is buy once cry once.

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Try them on. Buy what fits your head that has the features you want and meets a good safety standard. I won't buy a helmet that isn't at least ECE certified.

Personally, I have a Klim Krios Pro for touring. Unbelievably light, good airflow, transition face shield. Removable peak. I love the fidlock buckle. There's enough room to me to get a hydration system drink tube up under the chin bar while I ride.

Snell is really not your best standard for motorcycle helmets. Snell standard were devised for auto racing, and are concerned with multiple impacts on the same spots. ECE standards, especially the new 22.06, and FIM standards concern themselves with things more likely to affect motorcyclists, including rotational force.

And not all FIM helmets are ridiculously expensive. IIRC, Scorpion has one for around $400. ECE helmets can be had for under $200.

Cycle Gear is usually a good place to try stuff on, especially it you can get to the big one in Katy. In Austin, the RideNow dealership has a decent selection of helmets and ADV gear. TJ's has a lot of off-road gear, and Motorangutan has a mix of everything. In Dallas, MotoLiberty is a great shop.

If you order online, Revzilla has good reviews and free returns. Their RPM membership is worth taking advantage of.