The ideal deep woods play bike

[Low Budget]

Completely agree !

If we had to stay air cooled vintage, that IT 200 would be great in the deep woods of Da Yoop !

[GarageRat]

I think some consideration should be given to an Alpina, either a 250 or 350 would work great.

[Edmond Dantès]

Yes, even though a KTM 300 will give you wood, it might not be the best choice for dealing with it.

So rather than beating about the bush, ride through it with a KTM 200.

2nd street legal choice would be a CRM250 if you are lucky enough to find one in your neck of the woods. Any mark will do: Mk1, Mk2, Mk3, or the AR.

3rd, a 1990's Yamaha 230cc Lanza or a KDX220.

[pman13]

It depends on what trails you like to ride in Michigan. I just picked up a YZ125 because I wanted something light and flickable to ride the abundant single track. My XR650R is a little heavy, but I ride 2-track and ORV trails with it all day long. I tried to find a KTM200 but they were out of my very small price range.

[JeffS77]

Originally Posted by pman13

It depends on what trails you like to ride in Michigan. I just picked up a YZ125 because I wanted something light and flickable to ride the abundant single track. My XR650R is a little heavy, but I ride 2-track and ORV trails with it all day long. I tried to find a KTM200 but they were out of my very small price range.

YZ125 geared low with some flywheel weight has always been something I have thought about doing

[slideways]

Originally Posted by Low Budget

Go ride a 200 EXC, you will see the light !

The 300 and 380 are overkill for deep woods. The 200 has enough grunt for sand yet is very light and nimble for the tight stuff. You see them titled and plated on a regular basis.

+1 this is a great woods weapon do just about anything dirtbike.

If you need a little more grunt the ktm 250xcw or xc are great choices.

If you want to 4 stk I don't think you can beat the KTM 400 XCW. I have had 3 of them over the years , a simply amazingly reliable and fun to ride bike. PS I have one for sale if anybody is interested.


If you want to go old school but reliable an old Honda XR250 will go
anywhere.

[mudgepondexpress]

Old school, woods, 2 stroke, light, street legal, 15 to 30 hp...wow, not a lot of options...77-78 DT175 fits just about everything in your list. 216 lb no fuel, 18 hp, street legal, old school, monoshock...yup fits them all. I really miss mine as it was easy to ride (though small, I am 5' 8", 170 lbs and I could man handle it easy), and truely could hit 80 mph (as long as you had no head wind). The later DT175's were softer sprung and a little more playbike, the earlier ones were twin shock.

I hate to say this in the 2 stroke section, but the 91-96 XR250L would be the best option for you. Better gass mileage, higher speed, taller, better suspension and disc brakes. Power is equal, but the DT seems better in that department. Basically a street legal XR, where the XL's were not quite up to snuff suspension wise.

KDX200 would be the ticket if you didn't need street legal.

Kenny

[Abdelhub]

greeves scottish....53 years old and running strong....and plated...



Mike

[eyedragaknee]

KDX 220 modified a little bit. Plated too

[rpage11]

get real. buy olds cool and have some real fun



Skip

[anonny]

As a KDX owner I gotta throw in a vote for it, my 220 with a pipe and silencer is an awesome weapon.

[SlowJoefromBako]

I have a 300 exc> my dad has a kdx220. My vote has to got to the kdx in the tight stuff. Go fast 300 ktm tight slow stuff absolutly the Kdx. Eyedragaknee has the bike I have been dreaming about in my head for years. Nice bike

[Bud Tugly]

Abdelhub - Gotta love those old Greeves, and they'd certainly get the job done. I remember them well, and about the nicest anyone said about their appearance was "cobbly".

Rpage11 - A good friend had a Penton 125 and I got to ride it a bit many years ago. I loved it but just couldn't afford the price or I would haved owned one for sure. You're a lucky guy to have one, and it looks to be in great shape.

Eyedragaknee - that's probably very close to the perfect deep woods bike, especially if you could fit it with a larger tank. How hard is it to get plated?

Mudgepondexpress - got to agree that if we're sticking to old school the Yamaha DT-175 or even the older CT-175 would fill the bill nicely. I'm thinking an old Bultaco Matador or Alpina would work really well too.

[Abdelhub]

alpinas definately fit the bill....

Riding the Bultaco at Walker Valley ORV area Washington from Abdelhub on Vimeo.


Mike

[Shooter1]

KDX 200/220 or 200 KTM, XC or XCW, or an older MXC or EXC.