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TravisBickle |
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TravisBickle Formerly known as DUCAUDI
Joined: 17 May 2019 Karma :
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Posted: 21:05 - 28 Aug 2023 Post subject: What bike for green laning? |
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My son and I are looking into testing the water with a bit of green laning.
The first things we need are a couple of bikes, I suppose, before we start looking at kit and meeting up with a local group.
We just want something with as minimal maintenance as possible, something we can just push the button and it goes, every time!
So we're looking at 2020 onwards, 4-stroke EFI measured in miles, not hours. Probably prefer Jap, slightly put off by the reliability concerns of KTM and Husqvarna but not gonna rule them out completely - and the KTM lineup and naming scheme is complicated to say the least, it's somewhat overwhelming when you look at their website! Actually all manufacturer's naming schemes are confusing, but KTM especially.
Not ruling out brand new either.
Also I'm slightly confused by the different terms used to refer to different types of bikes, i.e.:
Dual Sport
Enduro
Trail
Are they all basically the same thing?
Clearly it's got to be road legal for green laning.
With these prerequisites in mind, what are the options?
From the small amount of research I've done so far it seems to be pointing towards the CRF300 or the WR250/WR450 and that's about it.
I'm also very confused about the naming schemes from the different manufacturers, can someone explain these to me please?
HONDA:
As far as I can tell, anything that's intended to go anywhere near the dirt starts with CRF. The numbers obviously indicate engine size. Suffixes that exist are:
F
L
R
RX
Can someone explain what all these mean? Looks from my untrained eye that anything that does not end with an L is not road legal.
KAWASAKI:
From the apparent lack of a headlight on any of their models, don't appear to currently make anything road legal.
All start with either KX or KLX. If none of them are road legal I don't suppose it matters what the suffixes mean, but out of curiosity, what do the following mean?
F
L
R
X
Some don't have a suffix which is also confusing!
SUZUKI
Appear to only have two bikes listen on their website (RM-Z250 and RM-Z450). I assume these are both not road legal and the no-longer-sold in the UK DR would have been the road legal versions?
YAMAHA:
I assume anything starting with YZ, TT or PW is not road legal. So I'm looking at the WR lineup?
Some of the bikes have F as a suffix and some have none, what does this mean?
WR450 appears to be only a few extra KG more than the WR250... and both are WAY lighter than the CRF300 not to mention much more power. Is it fair to say that either the WR250 or the WR450 would make for a better green laner than the CRF300 due to the significant weight difference?
Looking for some education here. Some, if not all of these questions may seem pretty dumb, but that's how you learn is by asking questions. I didn't grow up around dirt bikes so none of this stuff is obvious to me. Grateful for any input! ____________________ 2007 Yamaha FZ1 S Fazer
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S
2016 Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport |
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doggone |
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doggone World Chat Champion
Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :
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stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel Bovine Proctologist
Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :
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Posted: 21:57 - 28 Aug 2023 Post subject: |
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Or look at other makes who are more offroad specific like SWM and Beta.
Beta do one called a x-trainer which is kind of halfway between an enduro and a trials bike. A very capable and forgiving offroader. ____________________ “Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles. |
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Ayrton |
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Ayrton World Chat Champion
Joined: 02 Sep 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 22:21 - 28 Aug 2023 Post subject: |
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I just started green laning this summer on my CCM 644 and just bought a KTM excf 350 because it's too damn heavy. I wouldn't go for a 450, from what I read they will be too powerful and will tire you out for no real benefit. Stick to the 250s.
My vote would be for a WR250, it's lighter than the Honda CRF, has better suspension (the CRF suspension sucks and you need to get heavier springs) and the service intervals are longer than you'd get on something lighter like a KTM. Lots of good riders in my local TRF group love the CRF though so it's definitely not a bad bike to start on either but I just cant see the benefits over a WR250.
My brother has a KLX 250. It's alright and pretty much the same sort of thing as a CRF with slightly better suspension I think. They aren't super common here though and we never got the 300 here which would make up for the crap power it has.
Join the TRF too and then join your local TRF facebook page to find the meets. I was quite surprised how different it is to road riding when I started and those guys were really helpful |
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Jon-W |
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Jon-W Nova Slayer
Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Karma :
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om15 |
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om15 Nova Slayer
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Kentol750 |
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Kentol750 World Chat Champion
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bugeye_bob |
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bugeye_bob World Chat Champion
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel Bovine Proctologist
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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Fizzer Thou |
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Fizzer Thou World Chat Champion
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jeffyjeff |
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jeffyjeff World Chat Champion
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :
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Posted: 10:03 - 14 Sep 2023 Post subject: |
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jeffyjeff wrote: | I suggest a scrambler such as the Honda CL300 or CL500 |
I'm not sure those are even sold in the UK - nor in Europe, actually. Hence why people up thread keep going on about the crf250L and/or CRF300L, as it is now.
jeffyjeff wrote: | Really, any of the Triumph Scramblers would fit your needs nicely. |
I would respectfully disagree with that. I fail to see the merit of any of the Triumph Scrambler range for green laning. I've been in and out of the TRF for best part of ten years - I've never seen anyone on a Triumph Scrambler, be that the 900 or the 1200. And there are several quite good reasons for that.
Firstly, they're primarily an exercise in styling. Nothing about them is asking to be slogged through the knee-deep mud of a British winter, or ragged up and down an abandoned quarry. Not to mention the stony, potentially even rocky trails of the North Yorks Moors, Dales and similar.
The 900 might theoretically be capable of that (once many modifications have been made - including but not limited to good, tough ally reinforced hand-guards, modified suspension front and rear, a decent sump guard, and a 21" wheel conversion lol). But it won't be capable of that in the hands of a novice off-road rider. When you "green lane" in the UK, you're usually on narrow, rutted, wet, muddy single track sections where the best bike is the lightest one with modest power. I.e. not the heaviest one with the most BHP.
For those dipping their toe in, it's basically between the CRF250L (or 300), the KLX250 (or 300), the Yamaha XT225, and possibly the DRZ400. You basically need an electric start, a 21" front wheel and something Japanese that's cheap, reliable, easy to service, easy to get bits for, is simple to ride and won't get away from you too easily. I would not go for a WRF450. I regularly see those bikes chuck their riders over or through the hedges. And these are intermediate riders too. The DRZ is probably a bit much - but it's softer tuned than the WRF, for sure.
A 250cc 4t single cylinder trail bike is horrible on the road - not much better than a 125. But it makes a lot of sense as a mud plugger. ____________________ "Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."
Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125 |
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ajag |
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ajag Brolly Dolly
Joined: 08 Aug 2010 Karma :
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