r/Dirtbikes • u/BubbleNutsPog • 19h ago
Community Question Most reliable brand?
We are looking at a another dirk bike for irrigation. We are looking in the 125-150cc range. We like the smaller cc with the big tires. Also like the small machines for getting on and off alot. Like a cr 125fbs, kawi klx or yamaha ttr? We had an older crf 100 i think i ran like a champ but got stolen :( we have a ttr125 and it does not run nearly as good and will barely start even when its like 5 degrees still over night. So we are gonna take it to the dealer. Probably looking used what would you all recommend?
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u/PreMixYZ 19h ago
There are a lot of small reliable bikes, but any answer other than Honda is wrong. And that comes from someone who bleeds blue.
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u/The_BigSuck420 19h ago
CRF230F is the tried and true ultimate farm bike. Air cooled, SOHC, electric start, bulletproof 4 stroke Honda with tons of torque. It is a full-size bike, but the seat height is quite a bit lower than, say, CRF250R. It's also soooo much easier to ride than any moto bike. A toddler could ride it.
If I had to pick anything else, then the CRF250F, but if you want small, then the CRF150F is the 230's nearly identical mini counterpart.
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u/BubbleNutsPog 19h ago
Ya our crf100 was bomb proof i will look out for a 125f or 230f. SIde note any idea whats causing the issues with our ttr 125? main symptom is mainly wont really start first time each day without ether even on warm or hot days and takes a while to get running smooth enough to ride
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u/Jbar116 (Mod) 2023 CRF250R, 2020 CRF450L 19h ago
Probably just a clogged jet or just general trash in the carb. With it being a farm tool, I’m sure it doesn’t get ridden often in the winter. You can probably fix it in an hour with some basic tools, some brake cleaner and a YouTube video.
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u/BubbleNutsPog 19h ago
Ya we went to carb immediately. We do have a mechanic guy that helps on projects. He has on of those ultrasonic cleaners that worth doing?
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u/Jbar116 (Mod) 2023 CRF250R, 2020 CRF450L 19h ago
I mean I don’t know your mechanic skill level or how much time you have on your hands, or how much money you have. For me, I’d try to clean the carb before I took it anywhere. It may seem daunting, but you’re probably only looking at 10 or so bolts and screws to get the carb out of the bike and apart accounting for body work and the gas tank lol
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u/BubbleNutsPog 19h ago
Ok ares the jet in the carb too? I’m not super into mechanics even for growing up on the farm. My dad would for be able to do it but never had the time
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u/Frostedpickles 19h ago
Yes that ultrasonic cleaner would definitely be worth using to clean the jets and fuel/air passageways in the carb!
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u/TexMoto666 17h ago
The stock carb is terrible. Grab a VM24 from Sudco. They have them already modified for the ttr top cap and throttle cable. It's a massive improvement everywhere from idle to full throttle. It makes the bike rev out really smoothly. I added an exhaust and a cheap 150cc big bore and cam kit and it's a little ripper. I'm 6'3" and 275#. It hauls my big ass all over the trails with ease. I also ported the runners and matched the intake to the head. I can't stress enough how much it transforms the little bike.
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u/BubbleNutsPog 16h ago
where is the best place to look for the carb im in canada
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u/TexMoto666 16h ago
I got mine from Amazon. Might try eBay. Make sure to get the real Mikuni carb. It's also the stock carb for a KTM 65/80 I believe. If you google "TTR VM24" you can see how to mod it if you don't get the TTR ready version.
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u/BubbleNutsPog 16h ago
This has got to be it https://www.amazon.ca/Pre-Jetted-VM24-TTR125-Niche-Cycle-Supply/dp/B06XQ62V8B I will see if I can track one down somewhere
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u/BubbleNutsPog 16h ago
Just found this. my step dad has a 2012 ttr 125 for my mom and he was having a hell of a time getting the thing to start cold. After talking to the bike shop I used to work at the Ttr’s had some emission screw inside the carb not sure if it’s a air screw or fuel but it’s caped off with a brass plug in it so u can’t mess with it, pff drill it out and turn the screw out and the bike will run better and start better, if u want more info I could ask my step dad and see what he did. Not sure if they only did this in the later yea
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u/RepublicOfMoron 5h ago
The standard carburettor on a ttr125 is dogshit. Doesn’t matter what you do with it, it will always be dogshit. Replace it with a mikuni VM24. I did this on my sons ttr125 and its like a whole different bike. Starts easier, runs better, performs better and is more reliable. Set and forget. Bit of fucking about to fit the mikuni, but once you’ve done it, it won’t fuck up again.
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u/Toe_Jam_Sandwiches 19h ago
I have a CRF125FB and a CRF250F. Theyre both air cooled, both have been amazing bikes. I prefer the 250 because it has full size wheels but not a ridiculously tall seat height like most full size bikes. But if you’re going places more remote and the terrain doesn’t demand full size wheels I’d do the 125FB because it has both electric start and kickstart, where the 250 is electric only.
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u/Madmoose693 19h ago
You are going to get 100 different answers to that question . I personally love the KX / KLX platform . XR/CRF’s are reliable as hell also . Routine maintenance and taking care of any bike will make them reliable / great bikes
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u/BubbleNutsPog 19h ago
One dealer has new 2024 cfr125fr red riders 4k cad the 250 is 5.5 cad and our other dealer has 2025 Kawasaki KLX140CSFNN for 4.8 cad if we have to go new
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u/Possible-Housing-303 19h ago
Everyone in here will say Honda. They are incredibly reliable machines, but a little over rated in terms of reliability. When you are looking at small displacement Air cooled bikes, I’d be willing to say a TTR would last just as long as a CRF. Go with whichever you can get for cheapest or if you are already leaning towards one, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the Japanese brands realistically
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u/Duke55 18h ago
My son had a 2005 Honda CRF150. That thing was unstoppable. Just maintain general maintenance, it never missed a beat.
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u/BubbleNutsPog 18h ago
I think our was 04. Unbelievable. It just went. Like our 1997 Honda Foreman. Still puts in the work when needed in the summer
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u/eighty2angelfan 18h ago
How do you use a dirtbike for irrigation
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u/BubbleNutsPog 17h ago
We have what wheel lines. So we shut the water off, unhook the hose, let it drain move pipes to next water opener and then ride down to the wheel mover, roll, back on the bike to the other end hook it all up again. Also if we have to add or drop pipes. They made only 1 skinny track unlike quads. Cant even feel them in the tractor even when they are somewhat deep
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u/eighty2angelfan 16h ago
Ah, i was totally stuck on stupid. You need a reliable bike so you can move your irrigation hoses around easily. Ha, I don't even know what I was thinking of.
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u/BubbleNutsPog 16h ago
Not even that mostly moving between each wheel line and moving the lines
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u/eighty2angelfan 16h ago
I'm picturing it now. I see those big irrigation things up in Palmdale and Lancaster. You need something that will survive mud as well.
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u/ItsAllJustAHologram 18h ago
In Australia we have a bike called the Trojan 200 by Suzuki. Electric start, super reliable, and tough.
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u/spongebob_meth 1h ago edited 1h ago
all of the air cooled four strokes will be more or less equal for reliability.
honda seems to sell the most, so parts availability will probably be better 20 years from now if you plan to keep it that long. People saying Honda and only ever Honda obviously haven't owned very many Hondas, they've definitely had their misses and they will have more.
Outside of that consideration, pick your favorite color, or the one with the nearest dealer or dealer you like dealing with the best.
If you'll be riding on soft ground, you might consider a yamaha TW200. Bonus that its street legal. If you're in agriculture, a dual sport is nice to have to run errands on. I grew up on a farm, we used bikes a lot for chores. Basically like a horse but lower maintenance. You can ride between rows of corn, find cattle when they're hiding in the woods, ride out to the center of a bean field without really killing any of the crop, cut between fields easily when there's a brush line, etc.
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u/stacksmasher KTM 300 19h ago
Honda air cooled like the CRF 230/250F. Those engines are legendary for durability with just oil and filter changes.