Dirt Bikes

[chubb]

I'm starting to look for one and toying with the idea of getting one.

Having no experience at all, what is a good bike (probably will buy it used) (make and model)

What to look for when looking for a dirt bike?

[Stu23]

A large Wallet !!

[chubb]

hahahah! Maybe I'll just borrow yours Stu!

[CLIFFY]

KTM for me

[Stu23]

Is almost empty Rick :(

[Stu23]

you can come around and have a go if you like Rancell

[mercho]

I had a wr450 as my first dirt bike Rancell, loved it! Only got rid of it just before my ankle operation last year, and I will plan to get another one!

They are bullet proof, registrable, easy to work on and a ton of fun!

[Nelso]

If you want to do some rider training for the dirt (even before you buy one), Dale Corser (Troy's brother) runs a dirt bike riding school at the south end of Wollongong. http://www.corserconceptsmotorcycleschool.com/

You are better off doing the intermediate course even though you are new to dirt as the beginner course is for people that haven't ridden at all. Leanne had never ridden dirt in her life and wasn't sure if she wanted to get a dirt bike so we did the intermediate course with a few of our mates and it was a heap of fun, but mostly, she learnt heaps and had the confidence and ability to get stuck in as soon as she got a dirt bike. It was the best thing we could have done before getting the dirt bikes!

As for what bike. The new KTM 300 EXC would be a great bike to start with.

[Stu23]

Have a go on my old school CR250 ... you will love it Rancell its a handful

[CLIFFY]

The new KTM 300 EXC would be a great bike to start with.

That's next on my list.
A few mates have them and they can do everything I need. Road rides, desert rides (with additional fuel in the back up vehicle), bush trails, chase pigs down etc etc
My 125sx misses out on half of that, mainly due to no rego.

[chubb]

Have a go on my old school CR250 ... you will love it Rancell its a handful

might definitely come up just to have a play

[dan]

I'm looking at getting one in the second half of the year. Would like to learn a bit about the rear wheel sliding without having to do it at 160kmh at EC.

[shippy__]

you blokes must be loaded track bikes and dirt bikes.....


I grew up on em, only problem is its to easy to go for a sunday ride EVERY Sunday. ...gets a bit much mrs stop putting out

wife wants a bayliner

[Stu23]

Dan you need to go dirt tracking

[dan]

Dan you need to go dirt tracking

Totally. I'm really keen to get into it. I've never really ridden dirt before - grew up in the middle of the city so dirt bikes / places to ride them were very limited. Kept meaning to go riding with James last year but the timing never worked out.

Going to have to sell a bunch of bikes before I get one though to bring the collection into line.

[CLIFFY]

you blokes must be loaded track bikes and dirt bikes.....


I grew up on em, only problem is its to easy to get go for a sunday ride EVERY Sunday. ...gets a bit much mrs stop putting out

wife wants a bayliner

No, we're broke from choking up the garages with bikes.
Cash up front solves your problem with the mrs....

[Stu23]

Carl started racing dirt track last year on his little CR125 honda... Had a brilliant time... hes on here carl-52 i think, message him he will tell you more about it than i can

[CLIFFY]

Totally. I'm really keen to get into it. I've never really ridden dirt before - grew up in the middle of the city so dirt bikes / places to ride them were very limited.

Move away from the city
Best thing we ever did

[chubb]

Definitely want to get some time on the dirt this year

[Phat3R]

If you want to do some rider training for the dirt (even before you buy one), Dale Corser (Troy's brother) runs a dirt bike riding school at the south end of Wollongong. http://www.corserconceptsmotorcycleschool.com/

You are better off doing the intermediate course even though you are new to dirt as the beginner course is for people that haven't ridden at all. Leanne had never ridden dirt in her life and wasn't sure if she wanted to get a dirt bike so we did the intermediate course with a few of our mates and it was a heap of fun, but mostly, she learnt heaps and had the confidence and ability to get stuck in as soon as she got a dirt bike. It was the best thing we could have done before getting the dirt bikes!

As for what bike. The new KTM 300 EXC would be a great bike to start with.

I did that course ... was great fun ... Dale's a nice bloke too.

[Phat3R]

Anyone done any oval with St George???

[dan]

Anyone done any oval with St George???

Do StG have a dirt division?

[chubb]

Yeah they organise dirt racing too

[Stu23]

yes Carl has

[Carl-52]

St George Dirt Track championship is probably the best run Dirt track series in NSW Great fun for learning some skills and so far i have found my self using some of those skills on my first 4 trackdays. Great sliding practice, locking up all brakes and definately using the back brake. Oh an of course shoulder/elbow rubbing and VERY close and aggresive racing practice.

For anyone who wants to give it a go and has a bike, there is a practice day at Nepean Raceway on the 8th of Feb (i believe its the 8th), the weekend after the first STG road racing round. Anyone is welcome, need an MA licence or a day licence and some small amount of money to pay to get on track.

[chubb]

Looking on bike sales. Ho dum de dum

[Carl-52]

Bike wise it depends on how good or keen you are for maintenance.. DEEP wallets work wonders here... you do see some people racing more enduro orientated 4 strokes, but the super trick motocross style bikes rule the track... and in case your wondering all you need to do for setup is firm up the suspension abit (rebound and comp to stop it bucking and diving) and also you need to run a trials tyre on the rear (NO REAR NOBBIES ALOWED!!!). Trials tyres are quit cheap tho, plus mine lasted me a season of racing with two different clubs

[Carl-52]

Rancell, Canberra has a great Dirt Track club you could join to race locally, they race at Fairburn park (big motorcycle complex)... StG also do a round of racing down there. Its a GREAT track.

[chubb]

I don't think I will do racing on them.

It's just bush bashing and just to train up on the dirt.

Either the hoonda or ktm I'm looking at the moment.

[Phat3R]

King of Nepean 2013 footage ...

[Carl-52]

ktm are expensive for spares and hondas are very reliable... you looking at 450's?

[Carl-52]

ill be entering king of nepean for some fun this year, see how i go :P

[Phat3R]

ill be entering king of nepean for some fun this year, see how i go :P

[Stu23]

Faaark I need an even bigger Wallet then and something to put in it too :(

[dan]

Looks like heaps of fun.

[Carl-52]

dad its a 2stroke!!! not too much for a new piston and rings... im not lowering forks, shocks, buying wheel sets etc etc

[Stu23]

lets not talk about the new crank and full rebuild , barrel , head just done then hey

[Carl-52]

thats because we bought an old bike to begin with?? cranks and bottom rebuilds are not a common thing

[chubb]

ktm are expensive for spares and hondas are very reliable... you looking at 450's?

Yeah maybe the CRF

[Carl-52]

anything after 05 is good for honda crf's. have you ridden a recent-ish motocross bike?

[Little Mick]

Chubb

are you after road registerable or pure off road (needs to be road registered if going on firetrails or on crown land).

If you are after a pure off road (eg Mx) I have an 09 yz125 and my young bloke has an 07 YZ125.. he will be going stateside later this year for studies so will be offloading one if you are interested.


Cheers

Little Mick

[chubb]

anything after 05 is good for honda crf's. have you ridden a recent-ish motocross bike?

motards count?

[chubb]

Chubb

are you after road registerable or pure off road (needs to be road registered if going on firetrails or on crown land).

If you are after a pure off road (eg Mx) I have an 09 yz125 and my young bloke has an 07 YZ125.. he will be going stateside later this year for studies so will be offloading one if you are interested.


Cheers

Little Mick

Not quite sure what I'm after yet..

I will definitely give you a bell though once I know which route I'm going

[Marty]

I've been riding dirt for a couple of years now, first bike was a 125 2T MX bike and now I got a KTM 450 EXC

I spent a lot of time researching before I bought this.

- it's road registered and is reliable enough to actually ride on the road even on nobbies. Comes with a starter motor and thermo fan stock and a tall 6th gear, I've had this thing up to 170kph checked against GPS. Hardly anything has a 6th gear.

- I've got a supermoto setup for it, nice plastics, 17" wheels etc. I swap between dirt and supermoto setups.

- great for enduro, this is what they are built for, awesome torque for hill climbs and technical stuff.

- my model (05) has the legendary KTM RFS motor, these aren't insanely powerful but are insanely reliable. I've found them good to work on.


What is can do: bush bashing, enduro, road riding, flat track, street tarding.

What it can't do: motorcross, race/track supermoto. This is due to the enduro suspension and lack of top end power, this is where u have to go to an MX bike.

Paid 5k for the bike, in rego with the dirt and sumo setups. I would like to get a MX bike aswell one day but never instead of.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1389648863.531694.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1389648876.614631.jpg

[dan]

Nice!

[Marty]

Nice!

Thanks!

I'm about to install a STM slipper clutch in it and start going to the EC karts Motard nights when they start up again. I don't expect it to be great (my bike that is), I'll go in the B group and have some fun. I got a couple of mates with tards so it'll be a bit of fun and dirt cheap track time

[chubb]

I've narrowed it down to either the yammie or the Honda.

looking at both wr 250 and 450 and the Honda crf 450 and 250.

time to go test riding me thinks!

[James_]

Ive ridden dirt for a while now. Not nearly as often as I would like. I can't recommend it nearly enough. Bought a CRF450X new and couldnt be happier. Great machine. Only change Honda have made to it sans plastics since 05 is EFI - introduced for 08 or 09....which is saying something. I want to get another and motard the thing for road and racing.


I mainly do enduro, had a little fun on Supercross and MX tracks but they are so hard on the machine, and get boring after a while. Enduro keeps the mind active, nothing like a tight, fast single trail!! Rally are great to enter also, 700 odd bikes doing 80km loops......sorts the men from boys!!! not really racing but you can race your makes. and win new bikes!

For anyone wanting to get into it, I wouldn't be paying for lessons at all. Buy an old shitter, learn basics, once you find yourself, find some quick dudes to tail and you will learn a lot more and a lot faster than a tutorial will offer.
Only things you need to remember is that its the polar opposite to track in every aspect, yet its the same principles, throttle control, body position, vision.

I would advise against a Yami. If you must tho the 426's were quick as shit but unreliable. WR450 circa 05 were their best model. And try to get one without the magic button! earn your stripes by kicking the shit out of it half way up a snotty hill, out of breath, sweating

[mercho]

Dont go the 250 Rancell, you will want to upgrade pretty quick. Im a short arse and was a newbie on the dirt and got the hang of the 450 pretty quick..

F@rk the kick start!!! lol, The WR450s have both (although the electric starters in the 03 04 can be temperamental). Last thing you want when your stuck on a steep hill after binning it is to be kick starting! I had the 03 model which was great to learn on and pretty cheap to buy, only thing that went wrong was the starter motor! Next time around ill go the 07+ with the newer frames, but the 03 was a real great bush basher to learn on!

[James_]

Dont go the 250 Rancell, you will want to upgrade pretty quick. Im a short arse and was a newbie on the dirt and got the hang of the 450 pretty quick..

F@rk the kick start!!! lol, The WR450s have both (although the electric starters in the 03 04 can be temperamental). Last thing you want when your stuck on a steep hill after binning it is to be kick starting! I had the 03 model which was great to learn on and pretty cheap to buy, only thing that went wrong was the starter motor! Next time around ill go the 07+ with the newer frames, but the 03 was a real great bush basher to learn on!

As I said, its about earning your stripes! Gives you a great understanding of TDC and a greater appreciation of the button when you get one.

Otherwise you may as well go hang out with the "flat peaked cap wearing, ear tucked in, Dad have you warmed my bike up for me yet im too busy drinkin monster to do anything myself" MX douchebags