I’m thinking of buying an enduro bike for my wife. She’s been without a real bike too long. 2 stroke is a must, and I can’t afford a late model KTM. I like the Yamaha IT’s but I’ve never owned one. I’m thinking a 200 or 250 for her. Maybe a 465 or 490, but she won’t be able to touch the ground, and that’d be a bit much for her, but I’d love it.
Give me some input, if you’re familiar with them. Or maybe other two stroke enduro options.
they're old power houses... not like the 2strokes of today.
hold out for a ktm 2stroke EXC / XCW... since they're tag able. the main difference is the newer (98 and later) ktm's have bottom end, where as the IT's are typical 2strokes that want you to be in power band to make any power or move at all
when you are... man they WILL move lol but it might be a little much for your wife? idk
i'd hold out and buy something quality, ktm/gasgas/husq/beta 300 is top dog imo
I had a 1979 IT175 a few years back (rebuilt the entire motor). It was very simplistic to work on and a reliable trail bike. After regearing a bit lower it was pretty quick in the woods, it did everything i needed it too. I needed cash so i sold it but certainly a bike that is missed. I now have an IT200, but Im still in process of overhauling it. The IT line ran from like late 70's to late 80's, not sure how you feel about the age of them.
When I was looking for my "Keeper Enduro" I was looking at strictly 2 stroke powered bikes. Road some enjoyed some then road a 4 stroke. What a difference. So much easier to control and motor along.
I had A IT 425 and man it was fast not to mention even faster with removing the 35lb stock silencer using a aftermarket one, making air-box, jetting changes, tons of Power through a wide range stock, A Suzuki PE 400 was a turtle compared to it but PE line bikes had good low end
As far as a enduro/duel Purpose 2t bikes 70s kaw f11 250 had the best low end of any 250 I rode and my kaw f7 175 was about the same, the kaw bighorn 350 was a stump puller,
yam DT 125-250 line were meh no real power anywhere, 250 wasn’t horrible low end but just no hp,
Good luck finding old jap enduro bikes but if you did they would be cheaper and easier to work on then a fancy power valve water-cooled Ktm/euro brands 300 cc or even Japanese power-valve water-cooled bikes
I like simple aircooled 2 strokes that I can pull the head in a few minutes that’s cause I’m dumb and lazy
I like simple aircooled 2 strokes that I can pull the head in a few minutes that’s cause I’m dumb and lazy
I would rather have an older IT than a newer KTM... well in terms of keeping it as a trail bike. Resale will be with the KTM more than likely but ease of service is with the IT.
man i love my 98 ktm 300exc. it's a fantastic all around bike, she'll literally do anything you ask it to... cruise on the hwy at 55? no problem. slowly walk up a hill climb in 2nd? Sure, she's got the bottom end and doesnt need to be in power band. i dont think i can say enough good things about my 300
> Jimmy Cincinnati Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> I like simple aircooled 2 strokes that I can pull the head in a few
> minutes that’s cause I’m dumb and lazy
>
> I would rather have an older IT than a newer KTM... well in terms of
> keeping it as a trail bike. Resale will be with the KTM more than likely
> but ease of service is with the IT.
Me too. I like the older bikes, ‘cause I can fix em. Plus I can buy four IT’s for the price of one KTM, two to ride, and two for backups or parts. I’ll probably try to find her a 200 or 250.
They are totally licensable here in WA state for street use, so they’d make a good old school dual sport.
> Seth B Wrote:
>
> > I like simple aircooled 2 strokes that I can pull the head in a few
>
> > minutes that’s cause I’m dumb and lazy
>
> > I would rather have an older IT than a newer KTM...
> > but ease of service is with the IT.
>
> Me too. I like the older bikes, ‘cause I can fix em. Plus I can buy four
> IT’s for the price of one KTM, two to ride, and two for backups or
> parts. I’ll probably try to find her a 200 or 250.
>
> They are totally licensable here in WA state for street use, so they’d
> make a good old school dual sport.
Wow they’re licensable ? That’s cool,
Here where I live they could be made legal if you had a title, and added lights and signals,
Many off road bikes back then here never came with a title, then you would have to figure out to add a brake light and turn signals too, they make turn signal kits for some bikes but I believe they are for newer 4t off road bikes,
When I first moved out where I live now 28 years ago snowmobiles were legal to use in the winter on streets and woods and off road bikes in woods but it hardly snowed, everything got overbuilt and then metroparks took control of woods,
They built a public park and Pavilion, small museum, bathrooms, huge lots and couple foot trails to ledges, baseball diamonds, soccer sports center, dog park then no more dirt bikes or off road vehicles were allowed,
It was Way less environmental impact the way it used to be which was a few people riding dirt bikes on trails that were there when the development was a campground/game preserve, That’s progress I guess ?
As far as I can tell, they're licensable with an " endure kit", same as the newer KTM two stroke enduros. Pretty sure I've seen a couple of em plated. Title is required. But title and license are required here for off road use also. I'm still researching, but I can't find anything that says they can't be tagged.
> Seth B Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> As far as I can tell, they're licensable with an " endure kit", same as
> the newer KTM two stroke enduros. Pretty sure I've seen a couple of em
> plated. Title is required. But title and license are required here for
> off road use also. I'm still researching, but I can't find anything that
> says they can't be tagged.
Love 2t duel purpose bikes and would’ve had at least 10% of the 45 bikes that I had,
if it wasn’t for the insurance laws that made you and insure every single bike if it was in your name for the car/vehicle is insured not the driver,
A friend of mine who worked on bikes at his shop had a bond insurance, he could drive any bike he wanted to as long as it wasn’t in his name and his insurance was like 125$ a half year, for my three 125-350cc enduro/duel purpose bikes they wanted 680$ for a1/2 year in the 90s even though I can only ride one at a time, so mopeds is where I stay
Yeah, they just passed it this year that motorcycles need liability insurance here. Mopeds are still exempt. Good thing, because I can't imagine insuring 13 mopeds. I doubt I will even license them all.
I currently have 2 cars, 1 truck, 1 MC, 1 Scooter, and 1 mini enduro licensed & insured. It sucks, and i cant even drop insurance on them thanks to ohio's laws. You can let the plate expire but they still need to be insured.
I thought they had an offroad only VIN but I gues theyre old enough that vns weren't standard anyway and yeah usually you just need some kinda inspection to get em street legal.
IT's are fucking awesome bikes, really incredible, totally dominate the genre and era. Like the WR vs the XT, they were serious offroad enduro bikes, not just an offroadable streetbike. I've played wit h a few of friends and talked to several vintage MX folks who swear by them. IT400 is obnoxiously huge and still they upped it to the 425 and the 465 is worth a "what the fuck were they thinking", though some folks swear theyre the best vintage motos, and the 490? fucking piston's the size of a side dinnerplate. I gotta feel like that's way beyond too much for me.
The 175 and 200 I'd prefer, probably most common so you got alotta parts, very capable but personally I'd be on the look out for the 200, lots of good parts for those. they're so fucking gnarly
The 175 and 200 I'd prefer, probably most common so you got alotta parts, very capable but personally I'd be on the look out for the 200, lots of good parts for those. they're so fucking gnarly
Both good machines, and i agree go with a 200. Its pumping like an extra 10hp.
my '01 KTM 200exc is a lifetime keeper bike for me. I have always like the '125' class dirtbike size because i like how nimble and easy to move around they are, but the big drawback is they don't have much down low. The 200 has as much torque as a 250 but nowhere near the top end, in fact, i'm not even sure it has as much top end as a 125 YZ of the same era, but you sure don't miss it. My bike also has a 18" rear and geared pretty short for woods stuff so it feels really crunchy.
THAT SAID
i hate riding it on the road, i've got it geard for dirt and besides riding on pavement is boring. its like sitting in traffic in a ferrari. when i do ride it on pavement (its totally legal beagle, lights, plates, insurance, everything) i'm always worried i'm gonna get mesed with by the cops or more likely do some dumb shit like womp curbs that gets me in trouble.
something like an XT250, XT350, KLX250, WR250, DR350 etc are all going to be much more rideable on the street. The lower-output 4T's have less maintenance stuff going on, you don't gotta shift them 4 times before you hit 30 mph, etc.
My brother has a WR426 he keeps at my house, i ride that quite a bit on road, its nice but its kindof a pig off road. I think if i had about 2500 bucks to burn i'd be on the lookout for a really clean KLX250 or DR350.
I would be on the look out for a kdx175 over an it. Much more of a learner bike, has a low enough stand over for anyone to comfortably ride and on trails they make an amateur look like a pro.
IT or KDX, either both good bikes. I would buy which ever one pops up first for a reasonable price.
agreed. Venkat swoops had an elsinore that was also a buttload of on/off road fun but IT or KDX would be my pref
Id love to get my hands on a KDX220, seems like the best woods bike going. But i am partial to my air cooled bikes due to ease of service.
There’s a ‘86 IT 175 near me for $1200. I’d rather hold out for a 200. I think that’d be just right for her. But for me, I’d really like to try a 465 or 490, but I don’t know how it would be taming it on trails. But I wanna try. Truth is, I’d probably be happier on a 200-250. The big boy would wear me out; I ain’t as tough as I used to be, and I sure ain’t as tough as my mind thinks I am anymore.
I raced a it 200 in hare scrambles back as a kid. They are very simple, easy to work on and the most reliable bikes of the time. Most popular hare scramble bike ever made.
Do Yamaha sells washing machines?
I wonder as I read somewhere that before coming into bikes industry,
Yamaha was manufacturing washing machines in India and selling into China.
If I remember right... Yamaha was a piano tuner. He needed a way to get around and started to make motorbikes that turned to Motorcycles and then the rest is history.
If you look at the Yamaha logo it is made of Tuning Forks.
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