I have an urge to get another offroader for messing about on and would appreciate any ideas as I’m not up on what I should be looking for. I quite like the idea of something like an old XT500 but those are now well out of budget.

To give some background I sold my Yamaha XTZ660 last year as it was too tall/heavy for the type of messing around I’m looking to do ie. a decent compromise between trials and mx, more a sort of tech enduro type stuff, if that makes sense?

Budget is sub £1k so it’ll probably be something old and battered but looks aren’t important.

Moon on a stick possibly but any ideas welcome. 😉

ps. have seen a cheap Suzuki TS250x (had one years ago) but would rather 4 stroke.

A few years back I was riding a 400 Husqvarna which was much too much for me as I didn’t have the skill or brawn for it.
Last year I went on a guided ride in Devon on a 230 CCM &,even though I hadn’t been on a bike off road for a couple of years, it was the best riding I had ever done.
I don’t know your situation but, as an old boy at work told me(& he knew a bit), over 250 is a waste of time. It sure was for me!

I think this is what we rode in Devon http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-09-REG-CCM-CXR-230-ENDURO-SUPEREMOTOR-road-legal-WHITE-ONLY-1-340-MLS-/261010887711?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item3cc576141f and now my fingers are twitching on the mouse…
Good luck and I hope you have somewhwere good to ride.
Our lanes got took off us .

Cheers imp, I was thinking along those lines myself as the XTZ660 was far too big a lump if there was any pushing or lifting and I don’t remember my old 250cc as lacking in power offroad + I’m not looking for speed, more along the lines of interesting and mildly technical stuff to pootle along.

I might go for a day with These Guys who use KTM’s by the look of it, to get a better feel for it again. As for access I know a couple of guys up Weardale who seem to have no access problems 😉

ps. Thanks for the link, that is very cheap for a bike that’s virtually new and road legal!

Had a KLX250 and DRZ400, both great bikes which you should be able to get for your budget, also look at XR250, XR400 and DR350.

An XTZ660 is far to big and heavy for off road and will be a lot slower than lighter smaller engined bike. I did however take a XTZ750 Super Tenere off roading once and that was a scary (and expensive) experience.

Cheers. Ill have a look for those.

The bike you want is the Honda XR200/250 woods/enduro bike, ideal for your needs…and everyone knows it, so generally they aren’t cheap.

ebay looks your best bet
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/kawasaki-klr-300-r-/200749603792?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item2ebd9bdbd0#ht_500wt_1140
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-XR250-Enduro-/270963771099?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item3f16b306db#ht_582wt_1125

DR 350

CRM 250