Help choosing the right bike.

[garth]

Hi

Don't have a great deal of experience with muddy stuff, last offroad bike I had was a 79 ts250...!

I'm after something for around about the £1k mark suitable for green lanes / wouldn't mind giving an enduro or two a stab.

Been looking towards CRM250's/KDX200's/200EXC kind of bracket.

Mainly looking at 2T's, as I just fancy one, but open to other options.

What would you buy in that price bracket and why.

Thanks

[Stewie]

Another one to look out for is the Gas Gas ec300/200 great bike and tend not to be as pricey as the Orange stuff, in that price bracket I would imagine that you would be replacing the consumables.
The KDX220 is a great bike IMHO, most peeps that have asked the question, have been steered towards the XR range, and there's not allot wrong with them, but if you get the bug, you'll soon be looking to move on.

[G]

I would go for a competition bike personally as they offer a fair bit more go and less weight with better suspension - so EXC, EC basically - coukd consider one of the rarer Japanese bikes (ie RMX250), but the European ones are generally much easier to work out what's going on because so many people have them.

The 250 and 300cc bikes tend to make better 'begginer' bikes as the enduro class bikes have a very flat power delivery.

Some of the smaller bikes have a flat power delivery, but my 04 200EXC had a completely nuts powerband - more than once wheelied me in to undergrowth when I was tired and got thrown back a bit as the power came in, pushing my hand further down the throttle!
At about half revs the power really started to come in hard and fast. Some 200s are tamer, but when it all worked it felt great!
My next competition bike will be a newer 200 hopefully - not sure on EXC or XC; might even consider going blue, but doubt it as I have various KTM stuff anyway.
The 200EXCs do seem to be holding their value a bit these days unfortunately.

I paid a bit under a grand for a 98 300EXC; T&T with 05 suspension a couple of years ago. Ok, carb needed a good cleanout (always wise to do anyway) and the clutch went towards the end of Weston, but otherwise a good bike I was happy with.

[garth]

Thanks for all the advice - The other bike I've been looking at is the Gas Gas Pampera - Though I'm not sure how this would cope with an all out enduro. Very light though.

[G]

The pamp is very soft compared to s proper enduro bike - in power and suspension. Good if you are short and worried by it or if you want to do long distance trials - otherwise I'd go for a proper enduro bike.

[stevo as b4]

It would be very nice to have a 270-320cc torquey flat and ultra driveable modern trials engine in a proper 125 or 200cc enduro bike chassis. I know the gearing is all wrong for road use, but the Pampera is a not enough of a trials bike or not enough of an enduro bike either.