Husky for Beginner?

[Huskynoobee]

If you are just looking for a beginner bike and really want a Husky, don't waste time and money on that CRF. There are probably some older bikes around that you can get for $1000 or less. Go for a bike made from 1990 and newer and it will have good enough suspension and brakes to teach you basic off road.

Go ride with your amigos, get some seat time and save for your 310!

 

[Mike-AK]

Hitting the throttle at the wrong time on the 230 was interesting. The wrong time on the TE and you're lying on your back wondering what the just happened?

 

[henson802]

Go with a TTR230 or CRF230. 34" at the seat and only 250 lbs wet. My TE310 is 36" after lowering and lowered seat. and 280 lbs. I was a new rider 4 years ago and had a TTR230 for 2 years. So glad I did. It is a much smaller bike to control and learn on. Hitting the throttle at the wrong time on the 230 was interesting. The wrong time on the TE and you're lying on your back wondering what the just happened?

The 2013 TE 310r lists as 240 lbs curb weight. But speaking from riding a 2010 TE 250 for a couple years, they handle incredibly well and feel light for the weight. Can't go wrong with CRF 230, quite a bit cheaper but still very good quality, low seat height , and would not be hard to sell it if need be

 

[Davethefit]

Well I just bought a 2010 TE 250 yesterday as my first husky and my first bike. Went for my very first noob ride last night and took it out today to some open space to learn more. What a blast it is! So glad I got this bike. I'm 5'11" so this bike fits me. Like I said totally new to riding and this was fine for me today. Can't wait to improve my abilities and learn from all the riders here and my local buddies!

 

[R-J van Hulst]

congratulation and have fun

one advice, keep your speed in your ability range not an guarantee that nothing happen but the risk it ends up bad is considerable less.

Robert-Jan

 

[Eduardo]

Congrats Davethefit!!! It must be awesome feeling to buy your first bike, and it being a Husky makes it even better . My time will be this year!!

 

[ray_ray]

Well I just bought a 2010 TE 250 yesterday as my first husky and my first bike. Went for my very first noob ride last night and took it out today to some open space to learn more. What a blast it is! So glad I got this bike. I'm 5'11" so this bike fits me. Like I said totally new to riding and this was fine for me today. Can't wait to improve my abilities and learn from all the riders here and my local buddies!

Congrats Davethefit!!! It must be awesome feeling to buy your first bike, and it being a Husky makes it even better . My time will be this year!!

This little technique might help ...

Keep 1 finger over the clutch and front brake levers most of the time ... There will be places like maybe up a jump face where you do not wanna keep the levers 'covered' in this manner but it will cut down on the time it takes to uncurl that finger from the bars and get it over the lever ... It might feel awkward at first but you'll get used to it ...Lots of good riders do this ...

Ride safe and more and more seat time will be your friend also ...

 

[Davethefit]

Thanks for the tips and encouragement! I need it! I am for sure going slow. Riding very open dirt areas first, just feeling it out. Will take the motor cycle foundation safety course next month when I can get in a class. Just learning shifting, breaking and handling right now. One thing I've found and got advice from one of the riders in this forum was that neutral is hard to find while stopped on these bikes (at least mine). Will have to do better about getting there before I stop! Thanks ray-ray, for the tip, I'll start that habit now!

 

[lambe67]

Hello, I to was new to riding just over a year ago, I have ridden dirt bikes before as friends had them but I never owned one. I was riding a lot of quads racing mostly mx, then that kinda died down. So I wanted to get back into trail riding but wanted a bike instead, I did some research and found that the kdx200 was a great bike, pretty much bullet proof great power but not enough to rip u off, very light and nimble and the best off all cheap, my 1995 kdx200 was 950.00 dollars with a street title, it was a little ruff around edges but did what I needed it to. Also very easy maintenance, I know as a first time rider you want the bada$$ bike but it just doesn't make sense, you are 100% going to go down and some stuff u don't know how to handle it yet like off cambers rock faces and logs to name a few, my first I'd say ten times out we're like a night mare alls we did was ride lots of single track, in a very rocky area in northern nj, but I'm glad I chose that bike. And after I rode it for a little I put some money into it new bars pipes etc and made it my own. Then rode it and felt good got ,more comfortable on it felt good that it looked good and became o better rider within the year. After the year when by and riding with friends who all had Ktms and seeing how much really goes into them from factory and just taking care of the bike I decided to move up, but I couldn't go orange.lol I've always wanted a husky so I got a txc310 2012 bike is great cant complain accept for that switch lol. Also kdx is a great hill climber. Best of luck with your choices

 

[ARH]

I rode a Yamaha 225 XT for a year as my 1st bike before I got my TE250. In retrospect I think should have got the Husky right away, but that 1st year wasn't all wasted, I knew exactly what I wanted in my next bike... I can really appreciate the Husky now. The 2012 TE250 is a little lower than some of the other bikes, I am about your size and it is a perfect height and weight for me. I like to be able to touch the ground with both feet and pick up the bike myself. As a new rider I found myself picking up my bike alot... invest is some good sturdy hand guards.

 

[ray_ray]

This thread is showing the core difference in 2t vs 4t machines ... A rookie best stay away from a 250 2t but about anyone might, might be able to ride a 250 / 310 4t machine safely .. This same 4t machine can also compete at a very high level of competition with a PRO rider on it ...

 

[Weantright]

+1
It is no longer true that a 2T will make you a better rider. These newer 4T instill condifidence while being soft for the newbe. Throw in the way the economy is, it doesn't justify buying a bike then in a year buy another. Some may make out buying and selling but most don't. In the end more $$ upfront will save $$ later on.

 

[R-J van Hulst]

+1
It is no longer true that a 2T will make you a better rider.

I politely disagree with this statement.

to drive a 2 stroke (especially a small bore) you need to be much more on top of your game then with a four stroke.

keeping momentum in your driving is critical to move with some pace around.

a four stroke is simply much more forgiving in that and thus easier to ride.

I have to say that a 250 2 stroke is not that momentum critical but an over excited throttle twist can get you into a zone that you don't want to be in (especially when learning to ride)

Robert-Jan

 

[Weantright]

If you use the same thinking, you will not only learn faster but become faster on a 4t vs. 2t. I have seen it more time than not, refering to new riders on a minis and trail. Yes a 2t requires a different way of riding and thinking but to say 2t are better to learn on isn't 100% correct. In the woods a new rider would want the softer power of the 4t so they can build confidence whitch then builds a better rider letting the rider try stuff that they would normally not. On a MX track the all or nothing power of a 2t is very hard for a new rider to stay in resulting in blowing out of turns, panic throttle and poor holeshots to name a few. All these points are nothing without proper form and either type of motor will still make a rider learn bad habits if that's the direction they are going.

"I have to say that a 250 2 stroke is not that momentum critical but an over excited throttle twist can get you into a zone that you don't want to be in (especially when learning to ride)" You just added to my opinion.

There is no right and wrong answer here just friendly talk.

 

[juicypips]

right firstly where in uk you moving to?
second get the 449
and third look me up when you wanna sell it on for a smaller bike.
the #1 issue i found being a shortarse was the seat height on my 360. i made a lowering link for it. possably you could do the same.
either way if your hearts set on it an not your head its the heart that leads...

 

[Eduardo]

Hey juicypips and everyone else who I appreciate all the opinions and input (I have to say this is so much fun reading what everyone thinks about this, really appreciate it), yeah I am now debating between the TE449 and the TE310 weighing the pros and cons. I am of the comment that I do not want to be making 2 purchases of bikes in the span of a year or less. I much rather buy the bike that I can grow into at my own pace, which I think I can do just fine by riding it stock, un-coarked and that way I can get used to the feel for the bike, braking, shifting, etc..

Oh juicypips, I am moving to Northern Ireland, think the Ards Area - Co. Down. I have been looking into places to ride, but not much info, it seems that there is more MX going on than enduro/trail riding in NI. I eventually would like to compete in the UK, and don't mind travelling around the UK when time and work allow to do the different events like sprint series, extreme enduro, hare scrambles ( although I am more of an extreme enduro and sprint fan). If I do get the 449 and then want to sell it, I will look you up .

I like the way this tread is going, keep up the good tips, opinions, experience, etc... Thanks to all guys.

Oh by the way guys I am very passionate about dirt bikes and I will soon fulfill my dream of doing this great sport. I do have an ultimate goal with this passion, if I may share with all, and that is to one day after much experience, events, and practice, is to participate in the Rally Dakar .