Motorcycle Recomendations

[Idaho_bow_hunter]

Looking for recommendations on motorcycles/dirt bikes for hunting. I live and hunt Idaho. Mostly archery elk and deer. On the maps I see great access in most of the units on dirt bike and very little on 4-wheeler. I bought a Honda CRF250L (dual sport) bike for the purpose of getting back in deeper then camping and hiking. I have very little motorcycle experience but I'm willing and excited to learn. I see and hear a lot of guys hunting with bikes around here and know it's done, I'm primarily looking for advice on bike choice. I like the CRF250L but it's heavy and I really struggled ridding single track with it. I'm not sure if that's because of my inexperience or the bike. My question is, would a dual sport bike like the Honda be a reasonable choice to continue on for my purposes or should I save myself some headache and sell it and now and buy a lighter bike? I prefer not to drop 10K on a higher end bike like a KTM. my buddy has a Kawasaki 250 4 stroker that weighs about 260lbs while my bike is 320lbs, I wonder if that weight difference would make learning and hunting from much easier, or it's really a matter of more practice and doable with my honda.. Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[TheTone]

I personally think lower weight would help. I looked at the bike you had and liked most things about it except the weight and all the road legal stuff. I think the current crf250f and previous 230 would be better, especially for a new rider. They’re lighter and have a lower seat height. I grew up riding a ton of bikes and those are the Honda’s that would be most interesting to me from a hunting stand point.
You might also look to see what the aftermarket supports with accessories that would be beneficial such as a rear rack. I would never want to carry much on a bike since the weight is up high but having the option to strap some stuff on or even just have a good lift point would be useful

 

[bradyhunt]

Practice and get more comfortable and that bike should work great for the intended use and be very reliable. If it doesn't ever get to the level of comfort you need and have trouble horsing it around in precarious situations, a lighter/smaller bike might be worth considering. But definitely give that bike a chance.

I have a '93 kdx200 I use for the same purposes. At 230ish it's pretty light and I can muscle it up and down some nasty areas when needed. But I'm on the opposite end of things and have often considered newer, bigger and more reliable, although this one hasn't crapped out in the field yet (kow).

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[isItFallYet]

I have a KTM xcf-350 that is one of the best bikes I’ve ever owned. I’d recommend trying to find a xcf-w or xc-w that is 2016 or newer. They’re made for what you’re looking for and are really nimble but have the power when you need it.

 

[ahlgringo]

Yamaha tw200
They call it the goat for a reason


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[CApighunter]

Strictly for hunting I’d be looking at a TW200, low center of gravity, fat tires and easy to ride. That said I do have CRF300L on order…

 

[Dirtscoots]

I agree with the tw200. Out of the 14 bikes in my shop I don’t own one but I also wouldn’t want to hunt off any my big bikes. If you are looking for a year round trail bike to do it all I would look at something else. Maybe a Ktm 200.

 

[IdahoElk]

If it's to be used just for hunting get a Yamaha tw200

 

[Idaho_bow_hunter]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the tw200, but I was hesitant to get one due to the lower ground clearance and concern how it would do on single track, with anything technical. I assume the wide tires will help but not sure how well the motor will climb.

I hit a single track trail this fall with my pack and rifle and very little ridding experience on my Crf250l and struggled. I think more experience riding this fall, spring and summer will help. I’m just trying not to thrash the bike (and my body) in the process. Maybe I need to look at the crf250f closer and find someone to let me ride a tw200. Maybe a purpose made trail bike would be a better choice.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I ride dirt bikes quite a bit. Currently on a 2022 YZ250F, coming off a 2019 KTM XC-W. If I wasn't an experienced rider and was looking for a dirt bike for hunting only, I'd probably be looking at a smaller bike that I could really man handle around. I wouldn't want a typical single track bike that I couldn't handle & would potentially hurt myself on. Especially trying to ride it with a backpack on and carrying a rifle.

So I'd be looking at maybe a Honda CRF 125 or Kawi KLX 140 or something similar. Maybe a big wheel option? The Yam TW 200 is a good recommendation as well. The smaller bikes are cheaper too which is nice.

 

[Ross]

The bike you have will work out some time in on it and refine your skillz…may also want to gear it down a little so you can low grind in 1-2 there is a fine line you will learn on single track with roots rocks climbing off camber etc and then throw an elk quarter on and watch out…..and in the dark serious pucker factor I’ve seen some nasty wrecks on single track by hunters that are not riders and it can be dangerous….my ttr 250 is geared down a 2003 bought in 2005…my brother is using my old Honda xr200 from the 80s a great reliable option but the non suspension beats you to shit be safe and good luck

 

[Peaks&Creeks]

I went through the same dilemma a few years back. Thought the dual sport sport was gonna be the ticket so I bought a Yamaha WR250R. It’s one of the lightest dual sports there is and I even spent more money on aftermarket parts and lightening it down to 285-290 pounds. It completely sucked on single track or any tight trail that was involved to get to hunting spots. Once I had my full pack on it was even worse and borderline dangerous since maneuverability was so slow.

I sold that bike after the first hunting season and bought a 2018 KTM 250 XC. This bike comes in around 215 pounds, has the quick power to get over stuff and is like riding a mountain bike when it comes to maneuvering. It truly is a dream to ride, and in the summer I go out and ride singletrack for fun and so the bike has doubled into two hobbies. Riding dual sports on singletrack sucks, as you’ve found out.

I also wanna add that I grew up racing dirt bikes so am comfortable on them, but I would not be afraid to throw a low-intermediate rider on a KTM XC or XC-W. The low 2-stroke power doesn’t come on as rapidly as a MX geared bike like a YZ, KX, or CR. Feel free to PM if you have anymore questions.

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[danarnold]

put a giant rear sprocket on the rear on my tw200 along with 2" riser extensions, does everything i need for that application
I also have e excf350 that is a great bike but take the tw hunting

 

[Idaho_bow_hunter]

Great advice everyone. I actually plan to get into riding in general and then mesh it with my hunting when applicable. So a bike for hunting and general trail riding would be fun.

you will learn on single track with roots rocks climbing off camber etc and then throw an elk quarter on and watch out…..and in the dark serious pucker factor I’ve seen some nasty wrecks on single track by hunters that are not riders and it can be dangerous….

This has me thinking I should sell the heavy crf250l. I'm not a big guy (175lbs) so when that bike goes down especially with gear on it is a beast to get back up.

It completely sucked on single track or any tight trail that was involved to get to hunting spots. Once I had my full pack on it was even worse and borderline dangerous since maneuverability was so slow.

I've heard a lot of guys rave about the Yamaha WR250R, and was questioning that, so I guess I should cross it off the list. Your KTM looks sweet. I would love one but cost is a factor for me getting into a new hobby with already expensive hobbies, at least my wife would think so. I'll keep the KTM in mind. My buddy got an entry level 4-stroke Kawasaki for hunting and riding year round and it's significantly lighter and about 4-5k. I've also thought about the Honda crf250F, which is about a 250lbs bike and 4-5k. I've looked at the Yamaha WR250F which is more expensive at about 7-8k used. the TW200 looks fun but not sure if it's the best choice if I plan to ride the rest of the year also.

I'll look at selling the CRF250L around spring and between now and then look for something to replace it.

 

[Dirtscoots]

If you go the route of a more motocross bike like the crf you might look into a Rekluse clutch for your single track needs. The one downfall is on down hill you can’t kill the motor and use compression to slow you down.

 

[Coldtrail]

If you are looking for a bike just for hunting/exploring the Suzuki DR200 is very underrated. My wife has one and I sneak it out on occasion, its got great low gearing so you dont have to be feathering the clutch on your single track, its got virtually no maintenance (air cooled, takes one quart of oil) they have to be the cheapest out there to buy and expect about 75mpgs. I have other bikes including a 400cc dual sport, but the easiest riding bike is the 200 hands down. They are small, but im 6'3 and can ride it a while in a pinch, I just hope nobody sees me because I look like a turtle trying to have sex with a tic tac when on it. Speeds 60/65mph is about tops but 30mph and under it rules, very easy riding bike.

 

[Peaks&Creeks]

Your KTM looks sweet. I would love one but cost is a factor for me getting into a new hobby with already expensive hobbies, at least my wife would think so. I'll keep the KTM in mind. My buddy got an entry level 4-stroke Kawasaki for hunting and riding year round and it's significantly lighter and about 4-5k. I've also thought about the Honda crf250F, which is about a 250lbs bike and 4-5k. I've looked at the Yamaha WR250F which is more expensive at about 7-8k used.

So if 7-8K is your top end, then a newer KTM isn’t out of your budget. I picked up my 2018 with 45 hours for $7K. Things may be a bit more expensive during this pandemic, but if you’re not in a rush and you stay on top of classifieds and then jump on any bike that interests you, then you can find good deals. Just don’t be in a rush. Winter is a great time to buy as folks are selling their bikes for snowmobiles or other winter toys. Spring is usually a worse time for summer toys, but then again, I found and bought my bike in July.

I’m also 175 pounds, and yeah I think for medium sized guys like us the bigger dual sports take more effort to move around. Weight is weight though, and lighter is always easier no matter the size of the man.


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[CoHiCntry]

So we went from... "Looking for recommendations on motorcycles/dirt bikes for hunting" and recommending Yamaha TW 200's to now... "I actually plan to get into riding in general and then mesh it with my hunting" and recommending $8K Austrian bikes with $1K Rekluse clutches... You gotta watch these Roksliders... they will spend tour money!!!

 

[h2so4]

I’m a 2-stroke guy at heart- so i'd usually say KTM 250 xcw or exc. however the 4-strokes would be really easy to ride for your application. My wife has a KTM xc-f and I love it. It’s actually the only bike we have at the moment and it can do pretty much everything I ask of it. Tight trails or wide open cruising.
the 4 strokes are going to be easy to ride slowly and power more readily available (or at least feel that way) with a heavy pack and/or game.
Buy quality the first time and not a low end bike. You’ll enjoy it way more and it will perform just as you hope.

 

[Dirtscoots]

A do everything motorcycle is like a do it all hunting rifle. Yes you can shoot rabbits with a 338 lapua I could definitely pack my gear on a cr500 however not my first choice tho.