Thinking about getting a trail bike

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
I would lean towards a honda crf230 or a Yamaha ttr230. I don't think those can be beat in terms of a solid hunting bike. You can get one used for a good price too and they are very low maintenance.
That air-cooled Honda 200cc engine? They have made that thing for greater than half a century now. Those things are bullet proof. You REALLY have to be spankin' em HARD to make 'em have any kind of issues. Trust me... I beat the over-lovin' snot outta the XL200R I had back in the day.
 

ID_Matt

WKR
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
1,604
Location
Southern ID
That air-cooled Honda 200cc engine? They have made that thing for greater than half a century now. Those things are bullet proof. You REALLY have to be spankin' em HARD to make 'em have any kind of issues. Trust me... I beat the over-lovin' snot outta the XL200R I had back in the day.

Oh I am sure that is a great engine too. I am not saying the 230's are any better for longevity than the one you mentioned but they are known for being extremely reliable. More so saying that a 230 will be 40 pounds lighter and much easier to manage on the trail. Assuming we are talking single track.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
Oh hey... IMPORTANT THING I just had a memory about that you need to know. If you end up going for a bike with a keyed ignition... you need to be able to study and know the schematic for the ignition switch wiring so that... just in case you end up having a fall way out in the boonies and it ends up bashing the ignition switch... you can hot-wire the ignition switch so you can get yourself back outta there.

Also, to trim down weight, if you have a bike with a keyed ignition and a battery, definitely look into getting a sweet little Enduro lithium replacement battery. Also stock exhaust silencers tend to be made out of riDONKulously heavy cheap metal materials.
 
Last edited:

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
Start reading about all the setups and tech the Enduro guys use on their bikes. For example, some dudes instead of using an inner tube, will run this certain kinda Mousse foam replacement thing instead so they CAN'T get a flat. At the expense of a little weight. Research what a Rekkluse clutch is, see if that's for you.

If you go standard inner tubes (most likely) you'll need a good lightweight set of tire-changing spoons AND practice swapping out an inner tube under field conditions BEFORE you get your butt all stuck way in the hell back in the bush. If the bike doesn't come with Rim-locks on it... make sure you go out and GET some Rim-locks and put them on it. Otherwise you may end up occasionally having the valve-stem get cut/sheared when riding thru rougher sections.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
TW here. Easy to ride, quiet, you can walk next to it and get it up steep hills, etc... I use a Pirelli MT 43 4.00-18 trials tire up front. Cures a lot of the ill handling of the stock Trail Wing tire. Shinko has a lower cost option that is pretty popular too.
Oh yeah... those Trail Wing's are nicknamed "Death-Wings". Because they don't hook-up for beans.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
Oh I am sure that is a great engine too. I am not saying the 230's are any better for longevity than the one you mentioned but they are known for being extremely reliable. More so saying that a 230 will be 40 pounds lighter and much easier to manage on the trail. Assuming we are talking single track.
The new 230 is the same engine as the 200's I'm mentioning.
 

IdahoElk

WKR
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Messages
2,604
Location
Hailey,ID
^^^ THIS!!! (for the most part)

It's all about receiving the right kind of advice and input from hotshoe dudes who've already paid the price to learn how to be fast.

Also... I don't care who in the bleep you are... you're going to have to learn how to walk a bike up a hill dismounted with the engine running and in gear and you using the clutch to make it climb up beside you in tough going. AND... you're going to have to learn how to turn around that bike on a steep uphill, with the engine killed.

It’s cool you ride that beast of a two stroke but you would kill yourself on that riding the single tracks here in the mountains, that is unless you lug it to death 😀 nice bike!
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
A buddy has a fancy fuel injected crf250L. That thing is the most gutless "grown up" sized bike I've ever been on. No snap at all, wildly unthrilling. Perfect for an entry level rider to putt around on.
Well Yeah... duh.. probably because it was programmed to pass Emissions no prob. Just get an ECU Programming changer/switcher. Then you have a profile with more gusto... (which won't be much on that bike, but still) then you switch it back to stock if you have to get it smogged. There's other things too like that uber quiet and very restrictive exhaust.
 
Last edited:

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
It’s cool you ride that beast of a two stroke but you would kill yourself on that riding the single tracks here in the mountains, that is unless you lug it to death 😀 nice bike!
For woods type riding dudes throw on a heavier flywheel and a Rekkluse clutch. Dude... lugging? And a KX500? That's the most beautiful thing about a KX500! They are very forgiving in terms of lugging it! If you really wanted to... you could fart around in 3rd gear all day and go lugging it all the way up to making your eyes tear up from wind speed!

P.S. that's what the clutch is for!
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
Messages
941
Location
N Idaho
They dont call that tire the death wing for nothing. I tried a trials looking front first (cant remember but wasnt the pirelli), and the front end still wanted to wash out on loose fire road turns. Finally went with the kenda and problem solved. Bonus point for making the bike look straight outta mad max. Handles damn well at top speed on roads as well. That was a real surprise too.
 

Wapiti1

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
3,700
Location
Indiana
make sure you go out and GET some Rim-locks and put them on it. Otherwise you may end up occasionally having the valve-stem get cut/sheared when riding thru rougher sections.

Absolutely do this. If you get a low tire or flat and have to keep riding until you can change it (like on a steep hill), You'll slip the tire without it. Aluminum tire spoons, a spare inner tube, and patch kit. Also a spare brake/clutch lever or two.

Jeremy
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
6,533
Location
WA
My tw 200 is dialed in for hunting. Low gears, big tires, big cromo rack, extra lighting.....its great.

With that said, coming from a moto style bike, the ergos SUCK. The bars are too low, and not far enough ahead, the seat is too wide and low. The power is anemic if you like speed and the suspension is poor.

But you'll be hard pressed to beat it for what it's setup to do. A full tank of gas is 3 bux and lasts 150 miles.20200910_134159.jpg20200905_080309.jpg20200905_080300.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
Messages
941
Location
N Idaho
My tw 200 is dialed in for hunting. Low gears, big tires, big cromo rack, extra lighting.....its great.

With that said, coming from a moto style bike, the ergos SUCK. The bars are too low, and not far enough ahead, the seat is too wide and low. The power is anemic if you like speed and the suspension is poor.

But you'll be hard pressed to beat it for what it's setup to do. A full tank of gas is 3 bux and lasts 150 miles.View attachment 221557View attachment 221558View attachment 221559
Doest look like it, but did you have to do a rim swap to get that rear on? Did you have to trim knobs. Nice looking setup.
To the OP: wider pegs are a great inexpensive add on as well.
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
6,533
Location
WA
Doest look like it, but did you have to do a rim swap to get that rear on? Did you have to trim knobs. Nice looking setup.
To the OP: wider pegs are a great inexpensive add on as well.

No. It fits stock rim and no trim. I'd do a different front next time as it washes a bit more than I like....but the rear is money.
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
6,533
Location
WA
The rear is a 26x8 and the front is a 5.10-18. I'd do a trials tire up front on a do over.
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
Messages
941
Location
N Idaho
I went with the rear K760 for the front, an absolute beast, but has not once washed out since the change (and ive tried). My only weak link now is the rear. Been off the TW forum for a while, is that a new tire? Few years ago, the best i could do was a rim swap, cut knobs, or extend the swing arm. If that's a plug and play option Id love a link if you could. Like i said, the only thing that needs to be fixed now (besides suspension , if i was gonna be picky) would be that absolute shit rear tire.
Thanks
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,422
Location
OC, CA
My tw 200 is dialed in for hunting. Low gears, big tires, big cromo rack, . . . .View attachment 221557View attachment 221558

WHOA!!! That rack is Epicly Huge! For it's purpose, that's pretty sweet Man!

PS You'll notice the gentleman has bark-busters on the end of the handlebars to protect his knuckles. MAKE SURE you put a pair on yours as well! Even if you don't go in-between trees much, they are still very worth it!
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
6,533
Location
WA
WHOA!!! That rack is Epicly Huge! For it's purpose, that's pretty sweet Man!

PS You'll notice the gentleman has bark-busters on the end of the handlebars to protect his knuckles. MAKE SURE you put a pair on yours as well! Even if you don't go in-between trees much, they are still very worth it!
They are a huge bonus on cold mornings too!
 
Top