Advice on enduro bikes

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Spud

Spud

Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Threads
116
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1,339
Location
In a van, down by the river
My wife got her Motorcycle license yesterday. She is psyched.

She wants to get a small, (like 200cc) enduro. Thinking used but not earlier than a 2000. She is 5' 6" & about 135. Planing to use it on some dirtroads and trails with an occasional on road ride.

Any input on what to look for?
 
The older sherpa is a Kawi 250 on/off with a womans geometry in mind. The problem with the honda on/off is that it is TALL and will not work well for being 5'3".

Yamaha makes some smaller on offs as well, but I think they are pretty anemic for road riding.
 
There will be many opinions on this thread, I am sure, but all you need to remember is Honda.

The bike is for your wife who is presumably not very motorcycle literate so stay away from more complicated designs.

The XR / XL Hondas are tried and true for many years. I personally have done a 1600 mile trip through the Baja desert on one without so much as a hiccup after many crashes and mishaps.

They are bullet proof and parts are available anywhere in any country.
 
I'm with Skillet on this. If you want reliability, buy a Honda. If you want flash and frequent breakdowns/maintenance, buy a Husqvarna.
 
All good input, thanks.

Is it common to see electric start on these? She says she does not want to have to kick it.
 
I loved my Honda XL650, but you need to be over 5'10" to ride it. I am 6', and I barely touched the ground.

When did honda last make a small on/off? I had a 500 XL dual that wasmanageable, but it was a 1980. I do not think they have made a small one in a long time. They currently only offer the 650 on their site.
 
You could always buy my Hodaka...




It is a kick only tempermental 2 stroke, but the size is right. I look like a monkey humping a football on it.
toad pics 002.webp
 
There is also the Suzuki DRZ 400 or the rebadged Kawasaki version... Little more umph for street riding than the 250's would give her..
 
rabid said:
You could always buy my Hodaka...




It is a kick only tempermental 2 stroke, but the size is right. I look like a monkey humping a football on it.
Click to expand...

See, I think that is sweet. I am a retro kind of guy...

But she probably wont go for it.

I will show her this post later you all. Thanks
 
Thanks for the compliments on the 100. I built it a few years ago, and it probably has 4 hrs. on it. I am thinking of selling it as I just do not use it.

Cool aside-the only thing I did not do was the motor rebuild, that went to a guy in OK, who was one of the original R&D guys for Hodaka, and used to work in the Athena Oregon plant. He is 70-something now and does one motor every once in a while to keep himself sharp. Nice guy.

That Honda 250 is, by definition, an enduro, but you would need a baja designs kit to make her street legal, no?

I would never doubt honda reliablility, that 500 I had (a kick only thumper) still runs perfect for the guy I sold it to. Never an issue. My 650 was flawless as well.

I think standover height is going to be your biggest limiting factor. Good luck, and tell her to ride safe.
 
I'd go for a Honda or KTM. Honda's are pretty bullet proof. KTM's are too.

For my money around here, I'd go with a Honda 1st, and the KTM or Yamaha 2nd.


KTM has a long enduro history in the worst conditions. Sure, they are team supported bikes, but so are all of the other brands and if the bike isn't tough, it will die regardless. Most of the world touring enduro guys ride BMW's or KTM's due to wide parts networks. Here in North America, BMW and Honda have the best parts network.

Paris Dakar Overall Moto Wins By Year

2005 KTM, Despres
2004 KTM, Roma
2003 KTM, Sainct
2002 KTM, Meoni
2001 KTM, Meoni
2000 BMW, Sainct
1999 BMW, Sainct
1998 YAMAHA, Peterhansel
1997 YAMAHA, Peterhansel


Here's the top 10 overall bike finishers in the 2007 race.

1. 2 Cyril Despres F KTM 690 Rally Gauloises KTM 51:36:53 0:00:00

2. 8 David Casteu F KTM 690 Rally Gauloises KTM 52:11:12 0:34:19

3. 9 Chris Blais USA KTM 660 Rally Red Bull KTM USA 52:28:59 0:52:06

4. 6 Pal Anders Ullevalseter N KTM 660 Rally Scandinavia 53:14:50 1:37:57

5. 10 Helder Rodrigues PT Yamaha 450WRF Bianchiprata Compet Vod 54:07:34 2:30:41

6. 23 Janis Vinters LT KTM 660 JV Moto Team Riga 54:21:14 2:44:21 3:00

7. 20 Michel Marchini F Yamaha 450WRF -- 54:37:20 3:00:27

8. 85 Thierry Bethys F Honda 450 CRFX Honda Europe 55:03:26 3:26:33 3:00

9. 103 Jaroslav Katrinak SK KTM 660 Mol Dakar Team 55:17:03 3:40:10 10:00

10. 16 Jacek Czachor PL KTM 660 Rally Orlen Team 56:00:57 4:24:04



These numbers show that the majority of winning bikes were KTM, but they are all big bikes.

Let's look at racing in Norte America...


SCORE Baja 500

Since this summer classic began in 1969, KTM has never won the overall motorcycle title while Honda has won for the last eight consecutive years. In the two races since KTM has again fielded a factory team, the record stands even at 1-1. Honda finished first and KTM second in last November’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 and KTM broke Honda’s 10-race winning streak in February at the Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250.

Your wife needs a small bike. A lot of the technology carries over to the small machines, but for a solid all around ride, I think I'd still have to go Honda. Your wife isn't riding in the Baja anytime soon is she?

I just thought these numbers were interesting. You can go back and forth, but Honda's and KTM's pretty much seem to pull in a lot of the endure records out there.

..
 
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