It's not often we willingly part ways with our lovely cash. For it's not without toil that the tender comes our way. With this thought heavy on my hands, I typed an invitation to everyone on the Dirt Rider mass e-mail distribution list that went something like this:
"Dear editors, ad sales staff and miscellaneous corporate weasels, please join me in celebrating the working man by accepting a challenge worthy of the true practitioners of our sport: Buy yourself a dirt bike, build it up in true project-bike trim for under $3000 and let us test it."
A flurry of responses followed, prompting me to send out another note reassuring the masses that it didn't matter what they bought or what parts they used, as long as the total (bike + parts + labor + whatever) equaled no more than $3000. Moto. Off-road. Desert. It simply didn't matter. The goal was to look into what the world of used bikes was hoarding, and how everyday throttle twisters would spend an economical slice of their income pie.
As it turns out, a little motivation was just what some guys needed around here. Soon, we had nine bikes lined up to test; almost all accompanied by a significant other's approval.
So read. Enjoy. And don't be scared to use any of these stories as your own 3000 reasons to enter the used-bike world.
Pete flies one of his favorite...
Pete flies one of his favorite moto bikes you can buy at any price.
Like New
By Pete Peterson
Several months back, I got to take Dirt Rider 's 2008 RM250 out for a few laps. After about the second turn, I told myself I was going to grab that yellow machine as my ride for the year. Nothing else out there feels like a Suzuki two-stroke. To me, it's more pure race bike than any four-stroke coming off any assembly line.
When the '08 bike's test was done, it was snatched away from me by Chris "If It Ain't Broke I'll Fix That" Denison. He converted it into an EnduroCross bike and then dragged it across logs and bashed it over rocks from Guthrie, Oklahoma, to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Then this budget bike story came along, so I went out and grabbed a pristine 2005 RM250. It's unfortunate that the four-strokes are getting nearly all of the development attention and money, but on the positive side, that means a three-year-old smoker is essentially made of the same stuff as one in the showroom. It's a terrible way of looking at the state of the two-stroke, but it is justification to shell out $2800 of my own cash.
One side benefit of buying used is that bikes don't stay stock for long. My machine came with a ProTaper bar, a ProTaper frictionless throttle tube, RG3 triple clamps, a Renthal rear sprocket (one tooth more than stock) and a Moto Tassinari reed valve.
After I brought my baby home I did exactly what everyone should do with even a brand-new bike: I greased up the linkage and steering stem, put on a new chain, put on my favorite grips (after I trimmed the handlebar a bit) and stuck my racing number on the plates. Yes, I finally get to fly my own number on a Dirt Rider test bike (and it only cost me $3000!). The stock air filter was deteriorating, so I got a new filter, replaced the rear tire with a fresh one, changed the transmission oil, put in a fresh spark plug, threw on my project sponsors' stickers and went out for a shakedown.
After some timed laps, I can honestly say that I'm faster and more comfortable on this bike than just about any other bike I've ridden. Maybe pride of ownership has a little to do with that, but I think it's more about finding that bike that gels with each racer's riding personality, and the RM250 fits me like it rolled out of a Pete's Racing factory rig.
It's a crime that the two-strokes are disappearing, and it looks like Suzuki is the next to go. It's probably too late to reverse things, but if you love your two-smoke like I love this bike, maybe you should do a little write-up of your own-be sure to send it to American Suzuki MC/ATV Customer Service, P.O. Box 1100, Brea, CA 92822. They do read every letter.
Opinions
Hands down, best bike in the test. The owner is a genius. Compared to the others, this bike has the best handling and throttle response. It also feels the freshest and the most modern (maybe because it is). The Taylor Creative YZ could give it a challenge, but if there's a turn in sight, this RM won't be. -Pete Peterson
I was pretty confident that Pete's bike was going to win this test if, in fact, I were to choose the winner (is that even up to me?). Then I rode the Taylor Creative bike (see my opinion). Don't get me wrong, Pete's bike is rad, and he proved if you have a budget, shopping around for the bike that's the nicest you can afford and closest to your price cap is wise. Fixing someone else's broken stuff is a harder route for sure. Besides his dumbly cut-down bar, (what Internet rumor told you to do that?) Pete's bike was grand, like a stocker, which it basically was. So I guess Pete gets credit for stealing Suzuki's thunder. Good job, Pete. -Jesse Ziegler
I never thought I'd say this, but I think Pete just won a shootout. His bike was clean, well maintained and refreshingly simple. I dug the Taylor Creative ride, but something about the Suzuki just clicked for me. Honestly, it's hard to believe that he only spent three big ones on it! If any of you reading this are looking for an economical way to get into the sport, I'd recommend the Peterson method of buying for quality rather than rock-bottom cost-this seems to make more sense than nickel-and-diming yourself into a hole with a total roach. However, something about this bike is a little too "nice." Pete doesn't know this yet, but I'm secretly planning a follow-up story where I race his beloved Suzuki at EnduroCross and do 3K worth of damage to it. Stay tuned. -Chris Denison