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Buying a used 2-stroke dirtbike - what to look for?

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CS_Speed

CS_Speed

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So, there's a 2000 YZ125 for sale in town that I'm considering picking up.

I have loads of experience buying used sportbikes, but this would be my first dirtbike. It would also be my first two-stroke.

Are there any things in particular I need to be looking for when I inspect the bike?
 
Lots on a bike that old. Most are the same as a sport bike because on both they are high $$$$$.
1 Condition of chain and sprockets
2 Tires
3 Fork seals leaking or forks scratched, same for the rear shock
4 Brake pads
5 Spin the tires to check for bent rims-gentle movement from side to side can be taken out by spoke adjustment. A quick movement may indicate a bent rim, and for sure if the quick movement is all or mostly on one side.
6 Compression-if possible, disconnect the exhaust and look at the piston through the exhaust port. Look for scratches as the piston moves up and down.
7 Take someone with you that has raced 2 strokes
 
Good advise up above. I also pull the air filter and look inside the boot leading to the carb. to see if there is any evidence of dust past the filter. I also always figure a top end gasket set as part of the purchase price. I will usually pull the jug and inspect the piston, rings a cylinder after purchase. In the event everything is good the gasket set is cheap piece of mind to know where i'm starting. In the event something is worn well I needed the gasket set anyway and found the problem before failure causing more damage and cost.
 
At least a quick check of the linkage, headstay bearings and swingarm bolt. If you can pull just one linkage bolt it will tell you the whole story.
 
I would probably be way to heavy at 190# for a 125 stock, unless just trail use.. New suspension = $$
 
Its a 20 year old race bike, so check everything. Wheels, linkage, chain, sprockets, head bearings, check compression with a compression gauge - 170 psi is good (on my gauge) check the clutch and gearbox, check the air filter is clean, if it looks like it has not been well maintained, you’d better buy it very cheap, as you will be buying parts for it.
The beauty of the yz125 is that parts are very cheap, and it’s the most fun mx bike out there.
The steel frame bikes are good, but if you can stretch the money to buy post 2006 aluminum frame you’ll get the sss suspension which is much better.
Personally I would not buy any bike without a title, but some people do..
 
Thanks for the ideas.

The bike must have been a really good deal, as the ad was taken down the day after it was posted.

I'm still keeping my eye out for a small two-stroke, though. Something light and nimble for trails use - the opposite of my little red pig. lol
 
I still have the 200 KTM but since I have been playing with it I am much less interested in selling it. But it can be had if I found the right home. You can check out the add if interested. It's the one that starts "FOE SALE" yeah that's me. Where's the quality control for crying out loud.

Sam
 
greeneggs&ham said:
I still have the 200 KTM but since I have been playing with it I am much less interested in selling it. But it can be had if I found the right home. You can check out the add if interested. It's the one that starts "FOE SALE" yeah that's me. Where's the quality control for crying out loud.
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Looks tempting... but if you quit riding after you sell the bike, I don't think I could live with that kind of guilt!
 
prhaussies said:
KTM 200 is an awesome bike, no matter what year. I have an 02 EXC 250, bad to the bone. Way more bike than I can make the most out of.
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So, y'all are doing your best to tempt me away from Japanese bikes, huh?

In all honesty though, that 200 is looking pretty appealing right now. lol
 
The Yamaha's are great bikes, you will probably find one less expensive than a similar ktm.

That said I do like my 2008 300 xc-w

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
The orange koolaide is good for you!
I really like the KDX 200's as well. The 200cc gives you a little more power but still feels like a 125 in nimbleness and weight.
 
"I really like the KDX 200's as well "

I raced KDX200's thru the 90's loved them. Bullet proof with just a bit of attention. As I set here I look around the room at the TSCEC photo's of some of the bikes I have had. '83 XR350's to a '88 & '90 XR250, each time I went lighter and less power I got better, stayed off the ground more. Stayed on time. Quit racing and sold the bikes about 1999 to take care of elderly family. When I returned in '08 all the Japanese manufacturers had gone 4 stroke. So I went to Tom and bought the new 08 200XCW, went back to racing. Not the same, people decided time keeping was too much trouble. :shrug: All my riding buddies had quit. Heck, even Andrew wasn't riding his trick 125/200 Kawi's anymore. Did a couple of races in'09 & '10 just the ones I liked from the old days, then I just rode for fun. It's a great size, more torque and scoot than a 125, but just as light. I have really enjoyed getting it back into shape but not the aches that come after riding.

But back to the subject, yes I think even old KDX's are great & fun bikes that are cheap to maintain, if you find a good one.

Sam
 
You touched a nerve with the time keeping and how things are now. I understand all the reasons and happy the numbers are up but it sho ain't the same. OK, back to the subject again.
 
CS_Speed said:
So, y'all are doing your best to tempt me away from Japanese bikes, huh?

In all honesty though, that 200 is looking pretty appealing right now. lol
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As it would be your first dirt bike and first 2 stroke, a KTM 200 would be great. You can tune and move the 2 stroke hit around a little so it doesn't surprise you when it kicks in. And the steel frame actually feels pretty good. One of my favorite steel frame dirt bikes is the Yamaha WR and YZ 250. The YZ is actually strong enough for playing in the dunes. The WR will be more controllable for someone new and likely more effective.

So WR250 steel frame or KTM 200.
 
X1Glider said:
As it would be your first dirt bike and first 2 stroke, a KTM 200 would be great. You can tune and move the 2 stroke hit around a little so it doesn't surprise you when it kicks in. And the steel frame actually feels pretty good. One of my favorite steel frame dirt bikes is the Yamaha WR and YZ 250. The YZ is actually strong enough for playing in the dunes. The WR will be more controllable for someone new and likely more effective.

So WR250 steel frame or KTM 200.
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Finding a nice wr250 two stroke will be quite a challenge though.


Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
X1Glider said:
As it would be your first dirt bike and first 2 stroke, a KTM 200 would be great. You can tune and move the 2 stroke hit around a little so it doesn't surprise you when it kicks in. And the steel frame actually feels pretty good. One of my favorite steel frame dirt bikes is the Yamaha WR and YZ 250. The YZ is actually strong enough for playing in the dunes. The WR will be more controllable for someone new and likely more effective.

So WR250 steel frame or KTM 200.
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What's the difference in how the steel vs. aluminum framed bikes ride?
 
Most riders can't tell the difference in Aluminum vs Steel. I've ridden both and there is much more difference in the geometry of each or whether the manufacturer designed it for the masses or the pro rider. Take many of the '95 & later era CR line of aluminum frames. Some people didn't like the first few years of Aluminum frames due to the opinion that they were to twitchy. (CR's have been twitch before that) But look a few years later and the gripes were about slow turn in manners. Manufacturers do it sometimes for the wow factor, sometimes for the weight loss aluminum provides. Aluminum does demand a bit more maintenance, you need to check it often for cracks and crash damage. Don't let the swing arm bearings get dry and rusted, very hard getting them out of an aluminum frame.
I personally liked the light feel and twitchy feel of the first couple of years of the aluminum frame CR's. And you could never get better front brakes. But I was young. I would think many of the newer 4 stroke models do it for the weight loss.
Ride a bunch of different bikes from different manufacturers. Y'all find one that fits you great.

Sam
 
CS_Speed said:
What's the difference in how the steel vs. aluminum framed bikes ride?
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I find aluminum to be a bit more harsh feeling for bump compliance when leaned over. It's very rigid. A well designed steel frame has good damping properties and can even flex a little allowing the forks and swingarm to deflect in a minute way. It's all about feel. It's a lot easier to tell on a street bike and even more so on a bicycle.

From a maintenance standpoint, the wide aluminum spars hide the carb and all the tubing coming out of it and you have to pull the carb off from under the seat to do anything. The steel frames allow you to work on the carb without removing it. You can drop the bowl, change jets and such and be done in minutes instead of a half hour. perfect if you like to tinker. Those big spars hide a lot of things actually. So steel wins for working on the bike and cleaning it too and it might even allow more airflow through it so it feels cooler between your legs...hard to tell in Texas when it's usually as hot as radiator fluid anyway.

From a design standpoint, aluminum frames are far easier to make en masse and do it accurately since they're made up of mostly precision investment castings with the joints already coped and the frame jigs are simpler, requiring fewer welds. Steel frames have so many welded joints that it can vary dimensionally from cooling down after welding. Not to mention the number of bends in tubing which may add up to inconsistent geometry due to variances in the process of making it in each mill run which cause it to spring back a certain amount after bending (Ducati gave up on steel trellis frames in MotoGP for that reason even though guys like Stoner and Capirossi loved how they felt when they had an accurate frame.)

A manufacturer can make an aluminum frame cheaper than a steel one despite the raw material costs due to less labor. So more accurate and cheaper is why they do it. KTM still uses steel because rider feedback is what steel provides.

Probably why I like the old WRs, the 400 and 426 being my favorite.
 
greeneggs&ham said:
Ride a bunch of different bikes from different manufacturers.
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That's easier said than done!

X1Glider said:
From a maintenance standpoint, the wide aluminum spars hide the carb and all the tubing coming out of it and you have to pull the carb off from under the seat to do anything. The steel frames allow you to work on the carb without removing it. You can drop the bowl, change jets and such and be done in minutes instead of a half hour. perfect if you like to tinker. Those big spars hide a lot of things actually. So steel wins for working on the bike and cleaning it too and it might even allow more airflow through it so it feels cooler between your legs...hard to tell in Texas when it's usually as hot as radiator fluid anyway.
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Hmm, carb accessibility is definitely something I'll have to look at when I check out different bikes.
 
CS_Speed said:
That's easier said than done!

Hmm, carb accessibility is definitely something I'll have to look at when I check out different bikes.
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Pretty much all aluminum frames block the carb and require unbolting the top of the rear subframe and swinging it down to first get off the intake boot to the carb. Then you can pull the carb to work on it. Steel, just rotate the carb in place and you can get to the top to change needles or the other way to access the bowl. You can even get to the cables or accelerator pump spring from the header side.

Truth is, once it's tuned you'll rarely get in there. I used a filter by 7602 Racing on all my carb vent lines that kept dirt and dust out of the carb, so I never had to open the carb up after I got it set up right.
 
On my steel framed CR Honda's I dialed in my susp in one ot two sessions/mods. My AL framed models have been far far far more labor/time intensive and never as successful. Same with routine maintenance.
 
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