I have been riding/racing an 08 WR 250. I picked up an 09 TXC 300 to use as a spare/play bike. Decided to race it last week at a Hare Scramble. One thing I did notice was my corner entry speed sucked on the TXC. I was always chopping the throttle too soon and the engine braking was killing me. It seems on my 250 I'll brake later and still make the corner. The upside is that my exit speed was a little faster on the 300 due to the traction the little 4/s puts down. Anyone have problems going back and forth? I planned on using the TXC for the faster races and using the 250 for the tighter races. Any tips on riding on the 4 stroke? I did learn one thing!!! Keep the throtlle pinned on jump faces with the 4/s. Almost endoed on a tabletop and scared the st out of me. Saw my life pass before me. Also seemed the 300 wanted to kick a little more. Is this 4/s trait over bumps? Later
I have 10 bikes (dirt/street/DS) so have a variety. My main two off road bikes are an 09 WR125 and a 2010 TXC250. Seems i ride one 2-3 times and then the other 2-3 times although i have been riding the 125 a lot lately. Yes, the motor characteristics can throw you for a loop a bit. Always takes a few miles for me to readjust going ether way. Both great bike, each taking there own approach to things.
I have an 07 WR250, a 250X and a KTM 450. I regularly race the Husky and 250X. When I first bought the 250X, I had been on a KTM200. I had the same issues as you. Shutting off the throttle way too early and not used to the compression braking. I race off road, sounds like your on the track. I keep my idles turned waaaay up on my 4 strokes to help counteract this and also to help keep them from stalling. It has become second nature for me now and I can switch back and forth between 2 stroke and 4 stroke without issues. Of course I've been doing this for 35 years, so it's been constant switching between types of bikes over the years.
Does this mean I'm "Bi-Moto"? My preference is both two and four strokes - No problem adjusting after 42 years riding ATK's, Husqvarna's, KTM's, ...oh yeah that red one too.
It's always better to ride the bike you will race the week before. I find there is a couple minutes getting used to one or the other. My TC250 is lot more like a 125 though. Hardly any engine breaking. I now find getting the 125 up to speed takes more time than going to the 250. Your txc might benefit from a rekluse...reduced engine breaking.
I ride both a 2008 CR 125 and a 2007 TE 300. I find that in the east coast enduros I am absolutely faster on the TE when fresh. The tractable low-mid power of this bike lets me practically explode out of tight corners compared to the 125. With regards to engine braking, I don't fully close the throttle when approaching a corner. Using the clutch when braking and entering the corner, I keep the revs up to maybe 4k so I have immediate power once I hit the apex and dump the clutch. I have an EFM on the 125, so I can't really get explosive bursts of power coming out of corners unless I'm already fast enough to have the PV open. However, the light weight of the 125 pays its dividends in the second half of the enduro when I'm tired. I can ride the 125 a lot faster when tired than I can the TE. Yes, I am excited to try the new 4t 250s, but they aren't quite the light-weight panacea that I was hoping for. I wish they could put that power into something that LITERALLY weighed as much as a 125.
