Cheap trail bikes

[ninjaboy]

I've seen some trail bikes on bike trader can't find them now though 250cc two stroke £2999 made by fantic or somthing anyone heard of them?

[Incorrigible]

I've got a Fantic £250

Old one, but if you want something for larking about in the wood yuo can't go far wrong, £500 mine was, I hardly use it anymore

Fancy it ??

[dern]

If you want a project I may be able to help. You'll need to be good with the spanners though but you'll end up with something very rare and utterly mental - a road registered kawasaki kx500 two stroke motocross bike although it's currently in bits.

[bimsb6]

could be a gasgas pampera ?

[m1spw]

dern said:

If you want a project I may be able to help. You'll need to be good with the spanners though but you'll end up with something very rare and utterly mental - a road registered kawasaki kx500 two stroke motocross bike although it's currently in bits.

That sounds really interesting. How long do you think it will take you?

[dern]

m1spw said:

dern said: If you want a project I may be able to help. You'll need to be good with the spanners though but you'll end up with something very rare and utterly mental - a road registered kawasaki kx500 two stroke motocross bike although it's currently in bits. That sounds really interesting. How long do you think it will take you?

Pretty much forever at this rate. I took it apart about 4 years ago and got the bottom end of the engine rebuilt and that's been about it. Started new projects since then and it's been dormant ever since.

[m1spw]

Is it very easy to make a predominantly off road bike road legal?

Is it just a case of adding things like lights, horn, number plate mounting bracket etc? And is insurance cheaper or more expensive if you do it like this instead of just buying a off road style road bike?

[dern]

m1spw said:

Is it very easy to make a predominantly off road bike road legal? Is it just a case of adding things like lights, horn, number plate mounting bracket etc? And is insurance cheaper or more expensive if you do it like this instead of just buying a off road style road bike?

It was done before I got it so not sure of the process these days but it has a nicad battery pack strapped to the rear mud guard which drives the brake light and makes the headlight glow a bit which is apparently good enough for an mot although I've yet to put that to the test. You can add a charging circuit if you like though.

I've never insured it in its own right, just added it to a multi bike policy and it cost me nothing.

>> Edited by dern on Tuesday 6th December 22:19

[catso]

m1spw said:

Is it very easy to make a predominantly off road bike road legal?

I had a KTM 500 Motocrosser that the previous owner had road registered, the only differences from standard was that he had fitted a speedo, lights, horn + battery (but no charging system ) extended the 'silencer' and changed the tyres, it was on a Q plate and it passed an MOT. You can have an MOT for daytime use only, meaning you don't need lights you need a horn (you may need a brake light). However the bike was totally unsuitable as a road bike....

[Incorrigible]

The bike needs to have a V5 too

Some purely fun machines don't

[DamienCBR]

i used to does trials with my old man, had a number of bikes,

Yam TY250
Montessa
Honda 4 stroke (loads of grunt)

and Yes A Fantic 250, many years ago that one, was still a twin shock at the rear.

Gas Gas seem to be popular these days, the Superbike centre in Maidstone has a selection of used ones.

D

[stig]

Firstly, don't confuse Trail with Trial!

If you want to go green-laning, with some road stuff too, then you want a Trail bike.

If you want it purely for off-road, low speed, technical stuff (like over big trees, over rocky outcrops etc.) then it's a Trial bike you need which is more like a BMX with an engine these days.

Don't get a Trials bike for road use as:

a) It has a tiny fuel tank
b) The seat is like an elastoplast (comfortable for about 30 feet)
c) They are geared for about 60mph tops!

Fantic are great (I've had a few and trialled for many years in my yoof), also Sherco, Montesa, Gas-Gas etc.

For trail bikes, Suzuki DRZs are great used buys (I've got a DRZ400S), also Honda XRs. KTMs are more focused as are Husqvarna. There's a huge choice and some are better than others. You need to decide what sort of riding you'll be doing really (mostly road or mostly off road).

If you're a novice, get something with electric start too, though if it's 2-strokes you're looking at, then you'd better get your right leg to the gym

2-strokes tend to be more 'peaky' and motocrosser like in delivery. Makes you smell too 4-strokes are much better on-road, with plenty of torque for mud-plugging.

[bennyboysvuk]

To add to Stig's response, trials bikes are waaaay more difficult to ride than I ever thought they would be. A lot of it is about confidence though. Plus a lot of strength fullstop. Once you've spent a day on one though, it's awesome what you can do with them. You wouldn't believe the hills that you can go up or down!

Oh, and Stig. 60mph on a trials bike =

[telecat]

stig said:

Firstly, don't confuse Trail with Trial! If you want to go green-laning, with some road stuff too, then you want a Trail bike. If you want it purely for off-road, low speed, technical stuff (like over big trees, over rocky outcrops etc.) then it's a Trial bike you need which is more like a BMX with an engine these days. Don't get a Trials bike for road use as: a) It has a tiny fuel tank b) The seat is like an elastoplast (comfortable for about 30 feet) c) They are geared for about 60mph tops! Fantic are great (I've had a few and trialled for many years in my yoof), also Sherco, Montesa, Gas-Gas etc. For trail bikes, Suzuki DRZs are great used buys (I've got a DRZ400S), also Honda XRs. KTMs are more focused as are Husqvarna. There's a huge choice and some are better than others. You need to decide what sort of riding you'll be doing really (mostly road or mostly off road). If you're a novice, get something with electric start too, though if it's 2-strokes you're looking at, then you'd better get your right leg to the gym 2-strokes tend to be more 'peaky' and motocrosser like in delivery. Makes you smell too 4-strokes are much better on-road, with plenty of torque for mud-plugging.

BMX is nothing like Trials but bicycle trials is! To Clarify and I think I can being that My Son is a Club "C" class champion and looks like wrapping up a couple of Club Championships in "B" class this year.

Trials riding involves riding a motorcycle thru a "section" made up of any combination of Roots, rocks, gulleys, streams and tight turns and drops. Speed is not an issue, getting thru without putting a foot down or stopping is. The bikes are lightweight and concentrate on low end torque rather than out and out power. They do have smaller fuel tanks than Enduro and Trail bikes but the latest Scorpa 125 and 175 along with the Montesa 4RT are 4 stroke and can be equipped with "long ride" tanks and seats. These do come equiped with lights, indicators etc and can be road registered.