250/300 Dilemma

V

v-tec

New member
Hi all, Just sold my trusty yam WR250R to fund a new gasgas,
Im 52 been riding 40 years, but now i seem to do more trail riding and as many uk rallys as possable.
I sort of decided on a ec300,
Im only 160 lbs and 5ft 7ins short,
Am i over bikeing myself with the 300,is it going to pull my arms off,
Would the 250 be better, or just to complicate things more,what about the 250F. (Is this smaller/lower) or will it feel heavy like my WR

The thing is i broke my back last year and i was finding the WR a little heavy,thats why i thought 2 stroke,

Thanks V-tec
 
I don't know if anyone here has put the 250F on the scales, but I have no doubt it would probably weigh around the same as the 2T range. It will carry the weight up higher though and has more moving parts so will feel heavier.

Either bike will do well. If you like to grunt around off idle and take it easy the 300 is probably the bike you are looking for. The 250 is a little more racing/agressive in nature. Both bikes will pull your arms out in the upper revs, and both will lug down to below idle just fine. The 250 just has a bit less in the lower mid and a more defined transition into the top end.

The 300 can wear you out in about 20 seconds if you try to ride it like a 125, but the real beauty of it is that you can ride it all day without ever coming onto the pipe and it will behave just like your 250F. When you spot an opening wick it up and it'll run just as hard as a 450F. Best of both worlds really.
 
I've been riding/racing off road for over 45 years and have always been a 200 or 250 rider. I never liked any thing larger than a 250 because 1) the bikes, 300cc and larger vibrated so much it tired me out just hanging on and 2) I was afraid the power would get me hurt. I am 5'11" and right now 175 lbs without gear on. When I saw the 2011 6days, I had to have one and for some reason I was really attracted to the 300, don't really know why, I just wanted to try it. I am really glad I did. It is a blast to ride. I ride single track and its almost like having an automatic. I put it in 3rd gear and pretty much just leave it there. In third, it will lug way down but will rev out when you need some speed, when you need a little more speed just click it up and away you go. I could really get by with just 3 gears...2nd, 3rd and 4th...
There is no more vibration than my old 250.

You can't go wrong with either one. Let us know what you decide.
 
I'm another who has mostly ridden 2-stroke 250s (5 of them so far). I had a couple of KTM 300s, but could never really warm up to them. I traded my last 1 for an '07 GG 300. the GG 300 is WAY smoother than the 2 KTM 300s I had (an '01 & '07), it's far easier to ride in the tight/nasty terrain (setting aside for the moment that it also handles better, has better suspension, & no gaps in the gear ratios). it hits the spot for all those times when you make a sharp turn & look up & there is a slimy, steep, rock-strewn, root-infested, almost-vertical bank to climb--it will climb things that you would think would stop it, & it does not kill you in the tight/when tired.
 
Don't forget ,

There is a throttle control on the right hand side of which you can let go of at any time .. However when you need to get a hand full of it and climb that shag nasty incline or that bumpy, rocky nasty drag , you can do it with the 300 effortlessly. Learn how to ride the bike so that it makes you comfortable and you wont regret the 300 purchase !:D
 
Hey V-Tec, my vote is for the 300. Bought mine 3 years ago, it was "new" never sold '04. Just got the 450 FSE '05, new as well, never sold.

I'm an old guy, 56 and all of 135 pounds on my 5'9" frame. Been riding since I was 13 or so. My list of dirt bikes is quite long and crazy. Recently the ones in the shed, all at the same time were, CR250R (bad ass, built to the gills, all the "good stuff"), KX125 (awesome), CRF230F, CRF230L CRF 150, CRF100, Yamaha DT100 '83 (daughters) and the EC 300.

Got rid of everything except the 230L and the EC300 to get the 450FSE. We decided that having tags was important.

I can not tell you how much I love my EC 300. It pulls like a tractor and feels light as a feather (to me). Not like my old KX125 but riding the "Ting Ting" is effortless. I have not had a "legitimate" crash on her. The kickstand from Hell has made her fall over a couple times but as to actually crashing, nope, not yet. Of course I only have 4500 miles on her so it's still early :).

I've had zero problems and the engine seems as good as new. Never fouled a plug and they look "perfect" when I change them out of boredom and feeling the need to "do something". While the subject of oil ratios always causes discussion I'd like to say "do what you want, I run full synthetic (any type) at 28:1" I NEVER, I repeat, NEVER go less than 32:1 regardless of what the manufacturer says. I also have never seized a motor. My KX and Bunny (CR250R) loved 20:1 the Gasser seems to prefer 28:1. Never fouled a plug in any of them.

The suspension is actually too stiff for my weight but since I can drive it like Charlie Daniels can play a fiddle I have been reluctant to change it. The 450 is actually closer to "correct" for me, go figure!

I have the big power valve cover and the flywheel weight (mine is actually a DE, with the light flywheel) but prefer the engine w/o them.

As I typed this I realized there is not a single thing I can think of about the 300 I dislike or would change. Even the suspension being a little stiff for me is not an issue and it may have saved me.....I was alone in the woods at the state forest (bad idea, the alone part) cruising down a trail at decent speed and came up on a series of "bumps". I hit the first one at maybe 30mph and found myself about 10 feet above the ground!!!!!! Took me by complete surprise....the Ting Ting's suspension compressed fully on impact. The next bump came fast but the trail did not drop straight down after it. Went straight to the car and came home. Riding alone in the forest was as bad an idea as my wife said it would be. I was shaken.

I credit the Gasser for saving my butt on a jump I'd never do on purpose.

Go for the 300 and never look back!
Ed
 
Nice replies boys, thanks for taking the time to write,
My mind is made up,
Its a 2013 ec300,
I should have her in the next 10 days, I will post some pics

Cheers
V-tec
 
jdtriplett said:
Don't forget ,

There is a throttle control on the right hand side of which you can let go of at any time .. However when you need to get a hand full of it and climb that shag nasty incline or that bumpy, rocky nasty drag , you can do it with the 300 effortlessly. Learn how to ride the bike so that it makes you comfortable and you wont regret the 300 purchase !:D
Click to expand...

That's a great point!
 
v-tec said:
Nice replies boys, thanks for taking the time to write,
My mind is made up,
Its a 2013 ec300,
I should have her in the next 10 days, I will post some pics

Cheers
V-tec
Click to expand...

Congratulations! I the calls for the 300 were really stacking up! Wasn't a hard one for you at all. Haha
 
What is the deferance internaly between a 250cc 2T and a 300cc 2T engine?
Is a 300 just a 250 with a stroker crank?
 
Heathen said:
What is the deferance internaly between a 250cc 2T and a 300cc 2T engine?
Is a 300 just a 250 with a stroker crank?
Click to expand...

The 250cc runs a 66.4mm bore vs the 300 that runs a 72mm bore. Both use a 72mm stroke (same bottom end shared).
 
Heathen said:
So with a little work you could make your 250 a 300? or vice versa?
Click to expand...

For under $800 from Gofasters you can buy an S3 head, 3 x 250 inserts, Se race ported cylinder, piston, rings and clips.

If you found someone with a different capacity that wanted to swap top ends you could. Also a FYI. The S3 head is the same for both models and its only the inserts that vary for the 250/300.

I personally have both top ends for mine.
 
Anytime Trev. Hope it arrives soon! I still have the silver insert if anyone else with a S3 head looking at doing a 300 to 250 convert is after one too.
 
Smaller piston and barrell, if you don't like the 300 it's $850 odd bucks
to change to a 250. ( that's getting a worked barrel and insert s3 head, nice!)
 
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