New 2011 XC 250 or Demo 2012 XC 300?

[Ryan450r]

Looking at picking up a new bike.

I'm new to woods riding but not new to moto, snocross, etc.

I'm 5'9" and 191 before gear.

I have a decision to make and hoping you guys will have some valid opinions.

2011 New leftover 250. All setup OTD except no suspension work yet until winter. Has Sachs OC fork and Sachs shock(red/silver one). Seat height fits me better on this bike.

OR

2012 300. Low hours. Setup pretty much the same as far as bolt ons. Advantage here is the 48 Marzocchi and Ohlin 888 I believe. This bike will probably be better stock suspension but would also need to be sent off over winter. This option is $1000 more.

I don't really WANT to spend $1000 more... but should I?

Life is really tough when you have these kind of delema's isn't it?

 

[jeffs2200]

I would spend the extra and get the 12. You may not even need suspension work.

 

[desertgasser300]

...........12'...........

 

[husley]

Me

If u have not already, get pics of the demo. I bought a demo with 5 hrs on it and it was more beat up then my previous bike that had 70hrs on it. I do not think this is the norm but none the less....

Oh, I am sold on 300's

 

[gasmonkey]

Go the 48 zokies.Big improvemnt over the45's.You wont regret it.

 

[twowheels]

Go the 48 zokies.Big improvemnt over the45's.You wont regret it.

The 2011 has the Sachs 48s, not the Zoke 45s.

Don't be scared off by the Sachs - they can be made to work very well with revalving, and according to our Australian friends even better with TTX inserts.

The 12s retain the excellent handling of the 11s and have a bunch of cool new features not the least of which are the 48 Marzocchi CCs, but the 11s were really solid, well sorted bikes. Desertgasser and Husley were both right - the 300 is sweet, sweet potion, but make sure the demo is in decent shape or the new 250 may be a better option.

(full disclosure - I just sold my 40 hr 2012 300 to Desertgasser, and Husley's bike started out as a 2hr demo unit in my shop before being transferred to another dealer, demo'd some more, and ultimately to him. And I owned a 2011 XC250 with Sachs ...)

 

[desertgasser300]

Looking at picking up a new bike.

I'm new to woods riding but not new to moto, snocross, etc.

I'm 5'9" and 191 before gear.

I have a decision to make and hoping you guys will have some valid opinions.

2011 New leftover 250. All setup OTD except no suspension work yet until winter. Has Sachs OC fork and Sachs shock(red/silver one). Seat height fits me better on this bike.

OR

2012 300. Low hours. Setup pretty much the same as far as bolt ons. Advantage here is the 48 Marzocchi and Ohlin 888 I believe. This bike will probably be better stock suspension but would also need to be sent off over winter. This option is $1000 more.

I don't really WANT to spend $1000 more... but should I?

Life is really tough when you have these kind of delema's isn't it?

I had the same decision to make. I looked at an 11' that Clay had for sale, then emailed Clay about the deal I could get from Twowheels on a 12' Clay's response was very short and simple, "Get the 12', it's a better bike!"

I have no regrets spending the extra(well couple thousand for me)on the 12'. I am barely pushing 5'9" I see no difference in seat height from my 07' with a tall seat.

I never been on a bike that inspires confidence like the 12' does. Since riding it the few times I have, it has made me push harder and faster. And the times I felt in over my head the bike has held it's ground and pulled thru.

The bike I bought from Twowheels had a fork re-valve but the shock is stock. I set the sag and took off and have not touch the rear since.

 

[Ryan450r]

Wow thanks for all the great replies! I really was sold on the 250 motor but going to try the 300 out and see what I think.

 

[Jakobi]

Keep in mind that for only a couple hundred more than a fresh top end you can slide a 250 piston, cylinder and head on and have the best of both worlds. Why not see if you can get a 2013 250?

 

[Ryan450r]

Keep in mind that for only a couple hundred more than a fresh top end you can slide a 250 piston, cylinder and head on and have the best of both worlds. Why not see if you can get a 2013 250?

I can get a new 250... but this is thousands more than these leftovers and demo's... and frankly out of my price range. Resale is already an issue with these bikes unfortunately so I'm saving myself a huge loss if I can pick up one of these great deals that are thousands less than a new/current model year.

I should see about converting the 300 to a 250? Probably a lot of guys going the other way and the parts would be an easy sell?

What's new 250 top end cost and what would the 300 parts yield me?

 

[GMP]

I'm 5'9" but a bit lighter. I have a '12 and an '07 which is the same height as an '11. I have no issues with the '12 height but it is noticable going from bike to bike. The '12 is the norm though and the previous platform GGs are low by comparison to all other bikes. The '12 is a better racer at anything above crawling speeds, its more stable especially in rough corners. For pure hell, survival type trail riding and enduros, I might choose the older bike as its just easier to plant a foot, but the flip side is that the skid plate will touch down more.

My '12 sees mixed duty as a hare scrambles racer and technical trail rider, and its very good. It will need a few details cleaned up but for a moto guy who is going to race hare scrambles I think you will like the way it handles. I've been holding on to my '07 until I was sure I could ride the '12 at least as fast. I beleive I have acheived that now consistantly and I'm faster on the new bike.

 

[Jakobi]

From gofasters, a brand new S3 250 race ported cylinder, piston, rings, clips and pin will set you back $600. Then another $200 for the S3 head with 3 x inserts. Its not bad when you consider a piston kit is around $200 to start with.

I'm sure you could find a second hand head and cylinder a fair chunk cheaper, or regain some of your costs by selling your 300 top end. I've kept mine as its great to have a spare ready to roll if needed.

 

[Ryan450r]

From gofasters, a brand new S3 250 race ported cylinder, piston, rings, clips and pin will set you back $600. Then another $200 for the S3 head with 3 x inserts. Its not bad when you consider a piston kit is around $200 to start with.

I'm sure you could find a second hand head and cylinder a fair chunk cheaper, or regain some of your costs by selling your 300 top end. I've kept mine as its great to have a spare ready to roll if needed.

So you did exactly that? You bought a 300 and necked it down to a 250?

 

[Beta Steve]

Go with the 300 and keep it a 300! Much more forgiving, easier to ride, therefore ride fast, just better all around... Unless you are one of the folks who don't really care about anything but screamin' it. Which often is not relative to how fast you are really going.

 

[Jakobi]

So you did exactly that? You bought a 300 and necked it down to a 250?

Thats exactly what I did.. But I also agree with the comment above. Screaming the 250 I don't think I actually ride any faster than I did using the mid range grunt of the 300. I just enjoy it more