125-200cc Is there a slow movement back to smaller cc bikes?

Interesting thoughts.

I wonder with KTM's 150 and now Husky's 150 if Gasgag might also jump in with one as well.

I read some of th Euro Enduro mags and their offering of small bore 2-stokes and 4-strokes makes me jealous. I would love to try the CRE300x that I see advertised or the KTM 125 which I dont think we get any more.

I am very interested in the WR150 as well. Need to try one out for sure. Is there a 167 or 175 kit out for them yet?

Yes there is. UpTite Husqvarna has a 175 kit (167cc). I think there are a few others also experimenting with them but I think Uptite has best deal and has the bugs worked out.
IMO.

Dwight is right. If you want the bigger bore you need to work with George at Uptite. I really like his kit. The bottom and mid are to die for. I really don't think there is anything I can't climb or jump with the 167 on the bottom end. It was described to me like a WR250 with really low compression and I would concur, but I think it has more bottom cc for cc than the WR 250. This motor is made for guys like me that spend all their time on the bottom to mid, short shifting and just maintaining momentum by being on the gas longer and sooner back in with the controllable and usable bottom. Don't get me wrong it will flat haul the mail when it hits the pipe but I don't think it has any more real beans there than the 144 and doesn't rev as quick or high as the 144.

I rode a 48 mile loop yesterday through what seemed like thousands of down fall. We had a severe front move through a couple of weeks ago that had winds reaching 70 mph. Lots of the loop is through old burns that were not logged and the trees are dropping like flies now. At the end of the loop I was as fresh as I have ever been through crap like that and I attribute a lot of that to the light weight of the 125 and the ease of riding of the 167. There is one section of about 10 miles of FS road that connects trails but I still did the whole loop on 1 gallon 54 oz of gas!!! I didn't pack any gas with the 2.35 gallon tank and had some worries as I spent some time picking the bike back up and the relative slow pace. But wow that is some gas mileage. Don't get me wrong as this was not race pace but if there weren't ten thousand trees to hop it would have been even better(I don't have race pace). This is WR360 type of mileage where you never have the throttle cracked very far. OBTW, I weigh in at a nifty 200lbs and wear a lot of gear.

It will be interesting to see if George can get the 167 kit out of the new 144 oem cylinder.

Walt

Thanks Walt,

Great info.

I notice that on my Gasser 250 I am always reigning the bike in, and in the terrain I ride, you woldnt dream of ringing it out without severe consequeces.

I have been riding my sons WR250f Yamaha lately for fun as I am in between bikes, and I find it much easier to ride since I can relax and let the bike go to work, not hold it back at all times.

So, with your description of the WR150 being a bike to be ridden low to mid, it makes me very intersted.

So, I can pick up a new '09 WR125 for $3800. The WR150 is going for over $6000. Seems like a guy could pick p the 125, put in the 144 kit and have a sweet little set up on a budget.

3800 sounds like a steal to me- I like the 125 but want more down low - im over 40 and 180lb. You will lose out to bigger bikes out of corners and have to carry more corner speed .
Arent KTM 200s plated over there? The ktm 200 would be the only competition against the wr 144 or wr 250 if you are a little braver .
I think the ease of maintenance against a 250 f is the thing people like

I really dont race any more, just some "intense" trail riding.

I dont race either but you race your mates

absolutly pulling hair to what bike to buy

I was sold on the 144kit/150 husky up till today..
95% of my riding is very technical single track.Up here in canada the coast and kamloops its roots and rocks.
The 150 sounds great but after the ride i had today not so sure.
twisty loose very steep A+ terrain.Step ups and stop on hill.
by the time i got to the top with all are crew staged along the hill pulling/pushing i had no clutch and the bike was smoking hot.

Harder then any cross country a loop ive ever done

there was NO other way but to fan clutch. My 08 wr250 has a great low end motor and it saved my ass numeous times today.

Now all i could think about was there is no way the 144 would make it without the pipe on.
or it would have ....but would need a top end rebuild after and a new clutch

iam not a lazy rider but that 300 looks better and better
too bad i dont know anyone up here with the 150

That is the same concern I have. I dont always ride this type of terrain, but when I do, I want something that will haul my 200+ lbs. up and over obstacles, without constantly abusing the clutch.

Now, in the more flowing terrain (2nd-3rd woods) that does not have these steep, technical sections, I think the 125/150 would be amazing, and that is the terrain I ride about 80-90% of the time.

These are the type of trails that conern me with the smaller bike:

http://jmetteer.smugmug.com/Motorcy...MOND-MILL/12289088_Eu5LV#876913080_zP8BK-A-LB

http://jmetteer.smugmug.com/Motorcy...MOND-MILL/12289088_Eu5LV#876946195_3wuso-A-LB

i think those trails would work for the 150...the 125 you likely would need more clutch .but the 144/150 on those iam sure i could make work having that little extra torqe...also depends on your weight and how aggressive you are

hahaha iam getting less and less aggressive these days



its the very steep loose up hills that really scare me

heres some of mine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuf1uv-Nya8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3iqNhJWULA

Lucas,

There are some nice Erzberg type sections you have there! Looks like a trials bike would be a good choice through the steep bolder sections.

We have some similar stuff around here as well, but I have not ridden that stuff in about 2 years. I seem to ride more flowing woods now to get my kicks. Not much hike and bike anymore.

We do have some loose, bolder laiden, hill climbs that are long and I like to tackle them from time to time, but for the most part, those have lines where you can hold your momentum and rage up in 2nd gear.

I can see your concern as well with the proper choice in bike selection.

Too many good choices now days for sure!

Thanks for the heads up Kelly.

I thought you might have been on that ride since you seem to be in most of Jakes videos

Good to know that the 144 can tackle that type of terrain. Again, I dont ride that stuff much, but when you do, you want something you can have confidence in.

After riding my son's WR250f this past month, I can see why Jake likes that little thumper. It will surprise you with it's ability as well.

You are sure making a strong arguement in favor of the 144.

This is a fun thread, hope I am not boring everyone though by dragging it on.

then all that really matters is that you have fun.

i have 200, 250 and 300cc 2strokes, and a 550cc 4stroke. In normal race conditions, I go about the same speed on all of them. The 200 tires me out the least, so that's what i use for gnarly idaho mountain rides.

or consider lower gearing for that terrain.

on my 200, it works much better going taller than stock for most racing, but for summertime high mountain riding (usually packing a chainsaw), i need to be able to crawl more, so go back to stock, or even lower, to avoid having to ride over-aggressive with the saw or smoke the clutch.

Is he getting a new 2010/2011 KTM 150 or a 2010/2011 TC 250 for mx?

I think we all have the American "bigger is better" mentality. I WANT MORE POWER - MORE POWER IS BETTER! I fell for it and I'm not even from Texas. After a 50 mile "advanced" poker run on my 144 I am not missing the 250 anymore. Don't let the "poker run" fool you - focus on the word "advanced." I climbed everything that even the larger displacement bikes were having problems with. BillF was there with his new WR150 and I think he came away impressed with the "little" bike.

Nice helmet cam footage Funny how helmet cams almost never do justice to how steep a hill is. Not your camera, that looked steep...and fun. I'd love to do that trail, but not on a 150

Mike,

Was that yesterday's poker run or the one at Diamond Mill a few weeks ago?

My brother did both with his Gasser and said yesterdays was a blast at the Trask, but the Diamond mill one was "challenging".