Recomendations?

[seb421]

Hi ive done just over 12,000 miles over the last 10 months on the Storm and it could realy do with some TLC now and some time off,

there are a few things that need addressing most notabily the front forks that went about 500 or more miles ago, the front end is a nightmare now above 60 mph no stability at all in the shocks and it shakes unsteady which is unnvering in the wind passing a truck its one of those clench the butt moment,

im thinking either the oil's need replaceing or the seal or seals have gone (countless wheelies probably havent heleped) any way ive seen a 96/97 CBR 900 Forks and Tripple clamp unit i may purchase at a mates breakers in the new year

ive come from moto-x and missing the opportiny to get muddy (not that i have a fettish or anything) does any one know of any cheeap green laners ive had a look at the DRZ 400 and the XR 400 but these look pricey for the age of a seccond hand one, i think it was 2006 or early 2007 i sold my Honda CRF 450 (2004 model) which i had from new and it had loads of trick extras on and a brand new full exhaust system fitted and that olny sold for £2,100 two years after the purchase price of £5000 with a good few grand's work of kit on it.

im wishing i had never sold the wombles now because dirt bikes look to be so expensive at the moment, whats the crack with that!

any one think of a half decent greenlaner around 2000 model that i could pick up for a grand mabe just over?

[seb421]

Does any one know much about the Cagiva W16 600 found a 95 model on biketrader listed at £995

[seb421]

hi guys, digging up this post from last month, becuuse i cant bare to drop the storm and shell out again and again

i get a large tax rebate this month in my wage and plan to put some of it towards a bag of shite to ride and green lane when im not on the storm

Any one know of some caperble bikes? as i said i only know the obuvious models but those are the ones that command a bity of dosh seccond hand

[seb421]

its not so much the falling off im arsed about its the cost of dropping and off roader to the cost of dropping the storm, that honda crf 450 i had was indistuctable landed a fast jump sideways once the bike bounded up into the air flipping end over end this was 4 gear pinned i came to rest in some trees to the left and the bike was up the trail in some trees on the right they cost wombles all to fix in relation to a road bike.

im thinking about doing car test yeh, just been doing some theory andscoreing 49 / 48 out of 50 every time so will book theory and have a few lessons but wanting a bike i can miss treat also

[AMCQ46]

Seb,
with only £1k to spend, you should be able to pick up something, but you will need to take care on the condition of the bike at it will be old........Or do as I do and work out if the owner is trustworthy, as you will need to know it has been well looked after at that age. A history of reciepts for the service parts, a garage of other well looked after toys etc.

As you want a road / green lane compromise, stay away from the 2 stroke enduro bikes - to single minded.

As you want to commute on it you will want a 4 stroke bigger than 250.
To make sure it is not a hand grenade waiting to blow up, I would also avoid any of the older 4 stroke enduro bikes [husaberg, KTM [old engine]] etc. XR is ok as they werent real enduro, but need to be looked after

A Jap engine would be a reliability bonus [but only if the oil is changed!], but the old Rotax CCM engines were also good.

So an air cooled DR350 may be an option, or the Rotax engined CCM with either 350 or 600 [looks like the Cagiva had same engine, but the italian build quality will be the kiss of death].
then there are some other road based trail bikes like the BMW Funduro 650, the KLR kwaks etc.

Green lane closures are getting so bad that there is no point in using an enduro bike like my GG200 it just makes it too easy, and as most of the real tricky stuff is gone, I have found it more fun struggling on a less capable bikes like a 20yr old xl250, or an old air cooled DT175. they make a good project bike and a winter hack.
Or, god forbid, you could get one of the new royal enfields and go right back to the dark ages!

[davros]

Seb,
Your bike choice very much depends on what level of off road riding you want to do, if it's just the odd bit of green laning, then you would be fine with a DRZ400, KLX300, GASGAS EC400 (assuming you want to stick to a 4-stroke). but if you want to do anything more serious enduros or hare & hounds I would advise you go for an MX based enduro. I speak from experience as I also have an MX background but havn't raced for 20 years, recently got back into off roading with various bikes first KLX250 then DRZ400E (2003 Model) which was a fantastic bike for green laning. I decided to do an enduro in Wales and found its weak points the hard way, first the weight, far to heavy for competition, and second suspension, way too soft. I've never been so knackered or picked a bike up as many times. Sold the DRZ and got a CRF450X much better over the bumps. Now have a KTM450XC planning on doing more off roading this year and hare & hound events. I suspect if your used to MX bikes, then DRZ's and KLX's will be a bit of a disapointment, but you may have to spend a little more to get serious enduro (CRFX,WR,EXC,etc..) also bikes like the Betta 450RR with the KTM450 engine but cheaper than a EXC.
Good hunting!