I have had the TE since new 2.5 years ago and have used it for general purpose trail riding. I now have two bikes but only the same amount of time to ride . Dont have enough time to ride both, it pains me to see the Husky sit in the shed, so am thinking of selling the 310 and getting an older (cheaper) 2 stroke for trail riding. Will I be dissappointed with a 250cc 2T coming from the 310 which is tuned nicely. I regularly use the 4T tourque for really slow rocky sections and am wondering if a 2T can really still motor the same way?
I think you will, especially if you ride in a clay based area, when wet and no engine braking the 2T's are a handful
Selling the 310 to buy an older 2T?? Still will have one sitting. If you own out right the 310 then why sell?? So it sits there for when your other bike is down. If you ride rocky, slow, tight trails the 310 would be better vs. older 2t.
IMHO the 310 handles a good bit better than any of the WR's except the 125. If you like the motor on the 310 for sure keep it as the rest is better too. the WR250/300 do have very good motors though and will lug better than your 310 and up anything.
I don't think you'll be the least bit disappointed with the WR. It will actually crawl though nasty stuff better than the 310, IMO. And they are bullet proof.
I've done just about the same thing you are talking about, but from a different angle ... I left the 250 2t behind that I had always rode before I move here and brought a 08 TXC250 here with me ... Over 1,100 hrs later, the TXC is still great and I can't use all it has to offer... Recently, for some reason that I can't remember exactly, I purchased a 08 WR250 ... and the 2t magic returned almost instantly ... I also have a 010 TC250 ... This magical 08 WR250 fits right between the 4t machines in weight and handling ... With of course that beyond description 250cc 2t engine ... Yes, I said handling ... This bike will turn and will be on the small MX tracks here also.. I'm keeping the 4t machines for sure and will rent\pimp them out maybe and do MX racing on the TC but they are in the back seat as my daily ride and I'll be spending the next ~1,000 hrs and maybe more on the 08 WR250 with no regrets so far ... Willie says it best in one of his songs ...Purchasing a second 250/300 2t Husky is alwwwaaays on my mmmiinnd ... A second 250/300 Husky 2t is alwwwaaays on my mmind ... Like karaoke? Just starting this 2t beast is a thrill ... You can do an semi-easy kick OR just jump down on that kicker and grab a hand full of throttle and it will bust to life quickly ... Sounding like a yamma-hammer (with the fmf gnarly pipe) is about the only thing I'm not down with on this bike ...And gas mileage is less than the 4t machines also ... I'm working on that issue now ... I'm down with trading in the street bike type torque for a slightly toned down screaming 250cc 2t engine and getting its power to the ground ... Its called true dirt bike riding skill ... Not that I have the skill just yet but I keep on practicing and its getting there... Don't forget, 250 2t machines dominated many types of bike riding and racing for well over a decade until the island of japan abandoned them if for nothing else to increase piston and valve sales numbers ...
There seems to be a myth going around (at least it's a myth to riders who came up on a two stroke) that two stroke engines are not well suited to being tractable offroad weapons. That doesn't explain why they are still a dominant force in enduro and cross country events. In fact, they are more well suited to technical riding than four strokes, not having engine braking is a big plus in sand, mud and on nasty downhills. I had to learn to pull in the clutch on my four stroke bikes on downhills, so that I could maintain traction. There is probably no situation offroad where I would choose a four stroke over a two stroke. If a 50 states street legal two stroke came onto the market, I wouldn't even own a four stroke bike at all.
So true on that traction part ... I feather the clutch to keep the rear tire hooked up ... It seemed to me that a 4t machine has got to be gassed always or the clutch pulled in or they will just roll to a near stop before you know it ...Where that 2t machine is just an easy, constant flowing machine on 2 wheels with or without the gas on ... I'll also admit that I don't think I ever got the engine braking part down correct when riding a 4t machine .. And I'll also admit that no engine braking feels much more natural on a dirt bike to me ... And for some reason, I just feel safer on my 2t machine ... The safer part does not including logging air time on the MX track just yet ...
There are still alot of 2Ts that are fully road legal here (we have a national carbon tax but you are still allowed to have a 2smoker if you can pay the registration costs, great country). I know the 2Ts of the 2000's can go waahhhhhhh if you open them up but havent had much experience in really slow technical hills, which is some of the terrain on offer here. I do own it outright, but the advantage would be having a $2000 bike sitting instead of an $8000 one I also like the idea of not having to nurse it everywhere I go, I mean the TE is tough and has been upside down a few times, but it would be good to be able to attempt a gnarly hill and if when bailing not having to worry about cosmetic damage. Another point is insurance, it costs me >$1000 to insure this thing for 12 months, which I would not bother with on an older machine.
Just out of curiosity, how are you paying $1000 AU for insurance? My Wr250 is road registered in NSW and even as a learner I'm paying a quarter of that and that's with agreed value that will cover a new one. If you want to pm me I'm more than happy to pass on the details.
The quote from an insurer with the letters " a, a, m, I " graciously offered me the price of $1300 to comprehensively insure the TE, don't worry I didn't believe it either, that's why it isn't insured and has a really big chain which bolts it to the floor.. I'm in my mid 20's, it seems each year I get older the also increase the 'young rider premium' cap... I have never had an accident jn my life.
I'm in my early 30's, rating one driver on my car insurance and a few companies gave me a few stupid quotes 'cause I was on my L's (always had unregistered bikes.), I was going to run without insurance. For the $260 I pay a year now, I sleep easier. Ill pm you details, worth a look if you havnt already got a quote, they were half the price of nearest compeditor.
