Can anyone provide some insight/experience/previous threads regarding running older bikes on the various kits? For a guy on a budget, I'm looking to get back into the the sport and want to know the good and bad of the +\- 10 year old bikes (preferably 450 four stroke). The hope is to get by with a cheaper bike for a couple years until I can get "serious" again. Thanks everyone!
Older Bikes
- Thread starter ArchiCat
- Start date
N
n16ht5
Well-known member
my first bike on the snow was my old 88 CR250. worked great, I regret selling it. For going cheap you can't beat an old CR500, KX500, or CR/YZ250. Wrap / insulate / carb heater on the carb, put the vent lines into a bottle with holes in the bottom. Bump up the pilot one size and rip.
Also ran a 00 YZ426. Bumped up the MJ and pilot a bit (not sure of size, used a drill bit). Works great
Also ran a 00 YZ426. Bumped up the MJ and pilot a bit (not sure of size, used a drill bit). Works great
as long as the bike is mechanically sound, a mid 2000's 450 will do just fine, carbed 4 strokes also work killer with basically no mods as long as its not super cold or fluffy snow.
Thanks guys, what are some of the essential upgrades needed for winter use? Sounds like air intake mods and engine cover/insulation would be on the short list. Can you get by without larger pegs, headlight, etc. I'm not that familiar with bikes yet so any info/links on reasonably priced parts to get setup right would be appreciated...
Really just keep the carb warm and from freezing ... And keep the intake clear and breathing .. The rest is getting picky
I run a 97 cr500 and love it Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Don't need bigger pegs or a light but at least carry one of them headlights you put on your head. You need a thermo bob. Can get by without a carb heater for most days. Just use a Prefilter over the stock filter you'll be good. Make your own engine shrouding it's cheap to make with plastic. One thing I will say on an older bike is you'll have to likely rebuild the engine if the bike has been ridden a decent amount. That will get spendy. In my opinion a Yamaha is the way to go epically on older 450s as they are the most reliable. Probably want 05 and up if you go yami so you get a 5 speed trans.
older bikesI
I agree with the mods suggested for the older carb bikes, you don't have to drop a lot of money, just a little shop time and check out other bikes.
Some of the older 03 and up mx bikes work great for snow bikes, check for reviews, but some of the earlier Yam had nasty abrupt power bands, hard to race, but perfect for snow bike. If its a four stroke 450, starts easy and doesn't smoke, don't touch the valves or pistons, you're ok. Make sure it holds anti freeze and water pump works. Change oil and filter, ride an hour and dump oil, if its clean its a runner most likely.
Try and find an MX bike someone bought for trails, they are rarely ridden hard or ridden at all.....bad choice for trailer rider but good sno bike donor. Often dinged but seldom is the engine wore out.
I agree with the mods suggested for the older carb bikes, you don't have to drop a lot of money, just a little shop time and check out other bikes.
Some of the older 03 and up mx bikes work great for snow bikes, check for reviews, but some of the earlier Yam had nasty abrupt power bands, hard to race, but perfect for snow bike. If its a four stroke 450, starts easy and doesn't smoke, don't touch the valves or pistons, you're ok. Make sure it holds anti freeze and water pump works. Change oil and filter, ride an hour and dump oil, if its clean its a runner most likely.
Try and find an MX bike someone bought for trails, they are rarely ridden hard or ridden at all.....bad choice for trailer rider but good sno bike donor. Often dinged but seldom is the engine wore out.
I ran an 04 ktm 525 for three years and loved it. Selling it now (shameless plug:see my signature line) and deciding what direction i go in the next year or two. KTM RFS motors are great (built '03 - '08 i believe). Just do oil changes every other ride and adjust valves once a year (like any bike).
KTM stock thermostat worked well and in three years, i only had minor carb icing twice in all that time. Icing depends on where you ride (where are you located?). Carbs will flood if you tip over but clear out quick with a pull of the decimpression lever and holding throttle wide open and starts up after 4 or 5 seconds of electric start cranking.
I put on a sxs engine shroud and pulled the mid section out of the two piece airbox, which let snow fall out rather than build up, and used a prefilter.
A coolant temp sensor is nice so you can see what temp you are running. And a voltage meter if you have electric start. I used a trailtech meter for those.
I upgraded the battery and it starts great so rarely use kick start, but the kickstart was a nice backup. Or a micropack jump start if no kickstart. Nin-issue on kickstart-only mx bike. I ran the heated grips off the AC circuit so no risk of draining battery and only work when the bike is running which was perfect.
Heavier fork springs are nice, but if you get an mx bike, they are passable. A light is nice if you get stuck out late and for others to see you better when riding, but not necessary. Big pegs are nice but not necessary (i ran stock pegs the entire first year). Wider, more comfortable seats are nice, but not needed.
Just about any bike will work and be fun fun fun. Being on a budget still gets you out there.
KTM stock thermostat worked well and in three years, i only had minor carb icing twice in all that time. Icing depends on where you ride (where are you located?). Carbs will flood if you tip over but clear out quick with a pull of the decimpression lever and holding throttle wide open and starts up after 4 or 5 seconds of electric start cranking.
I put on a sxs engine shroud and pulled the mid section out of the two piece airbox, which let snow fall out rather than build up, and used a prefilter.
A coolant temp sensor is nice so you can see what temp you are running. And a voltage meter if you have electric start. I used a trailtech meter for those.
I upgraded the battery and it starts great so rarely use kick start, but the kickstart was a nice backup. Or a micropack jump start if no kickstart. Nin-issue on kickstart-only mx bike. I ran the heated grips off the AC circuit so no risk of draining battery and only work when the bike is running which was perfect.
Heavier fork springs are nice, but if you get an mx bike, they are passable. A light is nice if you get stuck out late and for others to see you better when riding, but not necessary. Big pegs are nice but not necessary (i ran stock pegs the entire first year). Wider, more comfortable seats are nice, but not needed.
Just about any bike will work and be fun fun fun. Being on a budget still gets you out there.
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Can't go wrong with a cr500. One of the few old bikes that is worth rebuilding and retains it's value. And performance for snow biking can be exceptional if set up right.
I guess I'd have to disagree if an older bike runs well and doesn't smoke to not touch the valves or piston. Checking valve clearance may be a little time consuming but is an easy check to do and is something that you need to stay on top of. Also I've had many pistons break on me over the years in various different engines and not one of them made the engine smoke before it went. It just broke, and took out a ton of other parts with it. All of which could have been prevented by replacing a piston worth $150. MX bikes are high maintenance whether they are 2 or 4 stroke and getting behind on it only gets expensive fast. I would plan on having to go thru a used bike almost no matter what. It sure wouldn't be fun to break down deep in the back country over a couple hundred bucks worth of parts. JMO
Air Forks
What is the consensus on air forks? I don't plan on doing much jumping (if any), but still plan to ride hard. Will they hold up and can I get them stiff enough!
What is the consensus on air forks? I don't plan on doing much jumping (if any), but still plan to ride hard. Will they hold up and can I get them stiff enough!
Crf450x
I ran a crf450x last year. E-start and light, plenty of stator for heated grips. Had good torque, just not as playful as an mx bike. Carb freezing was not a problem with plenty of heet(gas line antifreeze). I would have swapped in a 450r cam if I would have kept it. Did not run a thermostat or engine cover, but it did have an fmf pipe and was well tuned.
If got me in and out of every tight spot I put it in.
I ran a crf450x last year. E-start and light, plenty of stator for heated grips. Had good torque, just not as playful as an mx bike. Carb freezing was not a problem with plenty of heet(gas line antifreeze). I would have swapped in a 450r cam if I would have kept it. Did not run a thermostat or engine cover, but it did have an fmf pipe and was well tuned.
If got me in and out of every tight spot I put it in.
I ran a 05 crf 450r
jd jet kit
advent carb heater and thermostat
i cut the air box back completely off
ran a dry new not oiled air filter with prefilter over top
ran great all last year little hard to start in morning if heat wasn't on in trailer and took a few more kicks then the efi bikes when it had been upside down but bang for buck worked great
I should add my bike has kimble white ss valves and they get checked and shimmed every year and i do lots of oil changes/filter changes id check valves on any 4 smoke before id ever go back country with it
jd jet kit
advent carb heater and thermostat
i cut the air box back completely off
ran a dry new not oiled air filter with prefilter over top
ran great all last year little hard to start in morning if heat wasn't on in trailer and took a few more kicks then the efi bikes when it had been upside down but bang for buck worked great
I should add my bike has kimble white ss valves and they get checked and shimmed every year and i do lots of oil changes/filter changes id check valves on any 4 smoke before id ever go back country with it
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