Looking for a new bike... (TE510 vs 410, EFI vs Carb)

So I'm looking for a new bike and hoping that you can help me!

A quick bit of background: I'm 22 and have been riding for 14 years. I'm 6'2" and weigh around 160lbs; I've been riding a 1996 XR 250 and am looking to get something newer and with a bit more power I ride open desert type stuff more often than anything else, though I prefer single track in the woods -- trying to get my friends to appreciate it as much as I do and then maybe I'll get away from some of the heat!

Now that I've given a bit of background that reads like a combination of personals ad and rehab introduction, here are my concerns!

I've been looking at the TE510 primarily and have read about both the 450 and 510 -- the 250 I've been riding is a bit of a pig. It weighs roughly the same as the 510 and obviously has less power. Some people seem to find that the 510 feels a bit unwieldy but I'm doubting that will be the case; I will test ride both as soon as I can, though, in case I find it's difficult to manage. Would you have any suggestions or stories that might help sway me one way or the other?

My biggest concern is whether to get a new(er) bike with EFI or a carb. Reading through this forum and a bit through TT, I've come across more than a few posts complaining about the EFI on these bikes or detailing expensive mods that are "necessary" to make them ride well. My current bike is carbureted and I don't have a problem rejetting from time to time. If its battery dies I can still get home! I can get around 100miles on a tank, which is good because I like day-long rides.

Can someone ease my mind about the EFI bikes? I'm just worried about having to spend a ton of time taking it to shops so someone else can remap it, dead batteries, etc. And the limited availability of high capacity tanks (please prove me wrong!) isn't exactly helping... again, 100mi+ on a tank is pretty important; I like riding fast but I'm not always on the throttle, so it may not be too difficult to pull off but I'd like some wiggle room.

Sorry for the wall of text first post and thanks for any advice! I just want to make sure I put my money in the right place, it took a while to build up the "spare change!"

- Jason

Thanks for the suggestion... one of the reasons I'm looking at the TEs is that I'm looking for a plated bike since there are so many places I ride / used to ride which can't be accessed without one. It's a shame but that seems to be the way things are going...

I think being the interweb you hear alot more about the few times when people have problems with their bikes, whether FI or whatever than the tons of people with no problems who arenot speaking up. As far as the cost of the FI. I had mine ibEATED ONCE when I had the first service done, so that was basically included. Since then I haven't had to touch it, and I LOVE my FI. I believe the 09's and up already include the power up kit. Just should be iBeated once it's broke in.



Do I worry about the FI or my battery.?? Not anymore than I worry about the FI or the battery in my CAR leaving me stranded.

Efi has never been a problem on my Bike. I use now a PCV with autotune, but beeing honest its only to be able to play with EFI and beeing able to adapt for different situations having a perfect "jetting". The bike was running Ok with only a sligth hesitation at 3000 rpm, which was solved with more throttle (or some clutch in the nasty stuff). I like the bike a lot more with the power commander, but this don't mean it rides bad without it. I think it is the same difference you would have if you changed brass on a carb for every ride to suit the conditions.
Regarding battery, it never has failed to start the bike.

Thanks for the advice and calming my worries over EFI, it sounds like it will come down to price in the end... I will most likely get a new (or very lightly used) TE510 w/ EFI. Now I can only hope they come out with a tank that's a bit better than 3 gallons for this thing!