Bike for dad?

[Fladdem]

My dad is tempted to get a trailie for green laning with me.

He likes the TTR I have but he can't swing his legs like he used to and struggles to get on even with the lowered seat.

He has never owned a trail bike but did ride a TS250 round a field and scared himself silly, he just pulled away normally and the wheel came up in the first three gears, so something sedate is required.

Electric start is almost essential, good cheap fun is the agenda. Basically my TTR but shorter. All research prior to this points me at a Serow. Am I on the right track?

He's 6ft and between 18 and 20 stone depending on the weather.

Thanks.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[MarJay]

Yamaha 225 Serow? Or a Honda XR250?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Fladdem]

Yeah that sort of thing, I'm trying to get him to buy a DRZ 400 so I can have a go as well.
It has to be short so it may be the Serow, just looking for other options.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[stevo as b4]

How new or capable does it need to be?

If it's electric start only, then your really going to be looking at small 4strokes, what about the Honda XLR125? Suzuki DR200, Yamaha DT230 Lanza?

Non elec start bikes that are not too tall could be the XT350, DR350, XL200R, or any of the older DT MX models or KE100/KLR250.

[Fladdem]

Like I said I want him to get something hardcore, I just spent an hour talking about a 525!

Realistically, it won't be used for anything more than bumbling round a green lane, maybe go to work with him on occasions.

A 125 would be pretty good, he can add a 125 to his policy for about 40 quid. I just think that most 125's are owned by kids like my mates, I DO NOT WANT that people like that have touched. Hence considering 200's and the like, a teen won't want one and mostly get pootled around on.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[G]

If it's only gentle laning then consider like you could consider sticking dirt tyres and a bigger front guard on something like a cg125.

Marjay's old Pampera (I think it was his not Bendy's) was particularly short and a very capable dirt bike - more so than any of the 'normal' short 4 strokes I reckon.

[MarJay]

[G]

[ninja_butler]

How old is he? If he can't cope with an old Suzuki TS250 I fear for his safety on anything else.

[Fladdem]

I like the pamperas but my dads a bit set in his ways. He says he can't take a company with GasGas as it's name seriously. So it will probably be a jap bike.

He says he likes the DR250 Djebl, what's it like? Is it to the DR what TTR Raid is to my OE, just a better light, bigger tank, and slightly shorter?

I did tell him to put some TKC 80's on my old Varadero, but he doesn't want to ruin it offroad.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[G]

[P.]

[stevo as b4]

That would be the TS250X wouldn't it G? They were watercooled 32bhp motor's based on the 1985 RM250 engine, and they did use the AEC Suzuki powervalve the same type as the RG500's.

I somehow had thought that the OP was referring to an old twin shock or TS250ER the full floater air cooled models?

I'd ideally want a Honda XL200R if I was the OP looking for a bike for his dad, but there's loads of similar 200-225-250cc bikes out there that are newer without getting to make and model specific.

I really can't see how a KTM 525EXC would help anyone in this situation though?

[G]

I quick google showed a 'kit' option on the earlier machines which gave them about 10hp extra.

[Fladdem]

He's just turned 50, it was an old school TS, twin shocks and aircooled, although he was in his early twenties at the time, had a bit more powerful bikes since then, I think the Kwak H1 750 triple was the most powerful he's rode.

I like the varadero I took it green laning once and it was pretty awful, the tyres had no grip, the engine doesn't really have anything low down, so you stall or wheel spin if it's muddy, he took it down a dry track once and didn't like it, he said it did alright but it did feel underpowered when a slippy hill came up, fortunately it stayed rubber side up.

I know a KTM 525 wouldn't be useful at all, I just want a toy that he's paid for

I'll have a look on biketrader and stuff for a little bike for him, I reckon a KE100 would be good fun and easy to get on with? Being a two stroke, and only 98cc at that, kicking could probably be done by hand if the desire took him.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.