yamaha 230 vs honda 230 help

[pELYgroso]

hey y'all, I'm lookin for a bike for my wifee (well, she's lookin for a bike, but puts it in my hands to make the final decision/negotiate/test ride/purchase) and I'm pretty set on gettin' her a 230, as she can pretty much take her 2000 XR200 to it's limits, and I'm wondering if any of you have ridden and compared the ttr230 vs the crf230? I'm not here to dispute yamaha brand vs honda brand. I just want to know about the 2 specific bikes. Basically which one has more power, or are they pretty much equal. The TTR 230s seem to be a little cheaper used, and way easier to find.

input?

 

[Maddeh]

My sister has the Honda, it feels pretty gutless to me but I don't know how it compares to the TTR. The Yamaha has a higher compression ratio which would lead me to believe it has more power, but I'm sure they're very close. The Honda is 7 lbs lighter, that's a fairly significant difference to me, especially when its for a female. The Yamaha has more fuel capacity, but I'm sure they both get such good mileage that the Honda tank is enough.

If it were me I'd get the Yamaha, mainly based on my experience of other Yamaha vs Honda models. Yamaha makes a very durable, reliable, pretty much bulletproof bike.

 

[rholbrook]

I have a Yamaha TTR230 that I bought for my son. Its been a great bike. I compared it to the Honda but I don't remember why I finally decided on the Yamaha. Since buying it I put a Trail to Trail Street Legal kit on it and now I have it licensed for the road.

I would be willing to look at selling it if interested. Its time to get my boy something bigger and faster. He likes to take over my WR450 when we go riding now. I don't know what it is worth or what I want for it but its in great shape and I bet it has around 400 miles on it.

 

[benjy]

Aren't the honda's known for valve issues? My FIL is an extremely experienced rider and used a TTR230 for trail riding and loved it...

 

[Vonski]

I don't think you can go wrong with either bike. However, the CRF230 has more aftermarket parts/accessories available. Thats really the only reason I chose the Honda over the Yami for my daughter.

 

[Vonski]

Aren't the honda's known for valve issues? My FIL is an extremely experienced rider and used a TTR230 for trail riding and loved it...

The 230's don't have the valve issues like that of the larger displacement bikes.

 

[Dominic]

My experience with the CRF230f was along side the CRF250X. For a woman the 230 may be an awesome trail riding bike but for me it was a little gutless and the suspension a little soft. I had a yamaha Xt225 years back and I enjoyed that bike over the 230. You might also look into an older DR350. I loved my DR350 so much that I have had a 650 and a DRZ400 supermoto as well at a time.

 

[Mope]

I've been on the honda quite a bit, and it feels like a heavy pig IMO. I was considering one for my wife, but my yz426 felt lighter than it did. The power curve is quite smooth, and its a pretty easy riding bike. Just really heavy.

 

[pELYgroso]

hmm, some good points to think about...hey mope, did you ever get a bike for your wife? I'm almost kinda thinking of maybe a cr250x for her....a little bigger but she prolly wouldn't grow out of it. Maybe I'll have to go test ride them.

 

[Vonski]

I've been on the honda quite a bit, and it feels like a heavy pig IMO. I was considering one for my wife, but my yz426 felt lighter than it did. The power curve is quite smooth, and its a pretty easy riding bike. Just really heavy.

Thats probably because your YZ426 has a dry weight of 231 lbs. and the CRF230 is 238 lbs.

Yeah I know, weird... but true.

However, whether you go with the TTR 225 or the CRF230, either one are considered to be the most user-friendly, most comfortable bike for a woman or inexperienced teen rider (regardless of the weight).

My daughter absolutely loves hers, and after some suspension and power mods (and some more seat-time), wants to do some desert racing.

 

[pELYgroso]

However, whether you go with the TTR 225 or the CRF230, either one are considered to be the most user-friendly, most comfortable bike for a woman or inexperienced teen rider (regardless of the weight).

My daughter absolutely loves hers, and after some suspension and power mods (and some more seat-time), wants to do some desert racing.

that's good to know. We'll see how things go after a couple test rides.

 

[Mope]

Very interesting about the weight... I never did look it up.

We were getting ready to get my wife something, but had an old friend give me an old suzuki quadsport 230 that smoked like a chimney. Re-ringed it, and all is well. It's a riot!

For my wife we were thinking about the Honda 250, and may still do it sometime. She likes bikes better than 4-wheelers. We decided on a cap of a 250. She rode mine, and decided it was a bit wild for her.
Good luck with your choice.

 

[Corban_White]

Sorry to revive an old thread but I need some thoughts on the subject. I am thinking about getting my wife a bike and today we went to the Honda dealer to sit on some seats and get a feel for size. As soon as I saw the 230 I knew it was too big (my wife is 5'2" with a 28" inseam) and when as she sat on it that was confirmed. So we saw the crf150r expert model and she loved it. It is the perfect size for her and the 60 lb weight reduction was very nice as well. Does anyone have any experience with these bikes? I know being a HP thumper that it will require more maintenance, will that be mitigated somewhat by her less aggressive riding style than most purchasers?(am I really looking at replacing the piston every 15 hours?) Does it run well if not ridden aggressively? Does it start easy or do you have to hold your tongue just right? (re original yz 400f and early yz426f) How is the power? She is not portly but she isn't a 110 pounder either. Thanks for the insight.

EDIT: the engine is the same style as the bigger 250 and 400 thumper motors so information on those (maintenance wise) could also be relevant here.

 

[Mope]

I don't know anything about the long term of these, but I rode one last fall, and was surprised at the soup that little bugger had. I think one would be fun!

 

[Vonski]

Keep in mind that you can lower the forks in the triple clamps and also buy a lowering link kit for the rear.

So, with a little work (and $140 for the link), you'll have a CRF230 that is 2" lower.

 

[Vonski]

So we saw the crf150r expert model and she loved it. It is the perfect size for her and the 60 lb weight reduction was very nice as well.

Thats a great bike and the weight difference (and smaller size overall) will be an advantage for her.

Not having that elec. start is the downside, but she shouldn't have any problem kick-starting the 150 (its just an inconvenience that women tend to notice more than guys).

These newer 4-stroke bikes are very reliable and your maintenance is not going to be anywhere near as demanding as if it were for racing, so no worries there...

Let me know if you have any specific questions regarding maintenance. BTW, a good friend of mine is a Honda "master-tech" and I recommend him highly if there is anything you ever want/need done in the future.

One last thing, I put the wrap-around (aluminum frame) hand guards on all my kids bikes and recommend them highly. Sure they're typically seen on desert and woods racing bikes, but they will save you from broken levers, throttle tubes, and master cylinders.

I like the Cycra brand ones pictured below (around $100)

 

[ricsrx]

I have the crf250x, If you dont ride it alot the battery will not last, then if the valves are not ajusted just right it is a pain to kick start, I dont have the correct front tires or some thing is not set up right in the front end because it wants to wash out, I have mine set up for the street, it will ride about 40 MPH with out taching out, after getting into this rock crawling thing i have not been out much but miss it badly. I would not have it for my wife unless she was a good rider

 

[Corban_White]

Thanks! Von, I was hoping you would have some insight! I know I can lower the 230 but my wife was not comfortable with the weight. That is why we are looking at bikes for her (other than the fact that I have 3 )-she doesn't like quads because they are too heavy for her to feel comefortable on at speed. My maintanence question comes from the suggested intervales in the owners manual. So it sounds like if used in a recreational environment that maintanence could be extended quite a bit? What kind of piston replacement interval are we looking at? 30 hrs? 60? 100? We talked about the kickstarter and for her the weight savings is worth the loss of the e-button. Thanks for the help.

 

[Vonski]

Thanks! Von, I was hoping you would have some insight! I know I can lower the 230 but my wife was not comfortable with the weight. That is why we are looking at bikes for her (other than the fact that I have 3 )-she doesn't like quads because they are too heavy for her to feel comefortable on at speed. My maintanence question comes from the suggested intervales in the owners manual. So it sounds like if used in a recreational environment that maintanence could be extended quite a bit? What kind of piston replacement interval are we looking at? 30 hrs? 60? 100? We talked about the kickstarter and for her the weight savings is worth the loss of the e-button. Thanks for the help.

Yeah, the 230 is a heavy bike, no doubt, so the 150 sounds like a good plan in your situation.

I'm glad to hear that your wife is uncomfortable with the ATVs. I know that makes me sound like I'm an anti-4wheeler guy, but I believe bikes are generally safer and also more versatile. Those 4 wheels give you stability, but if (or more like 'when') you roll one, 400+ pounds of machine can work you over pretty good.

 

[Maddeh]

That CRF150R is really quite the badass little bike. It is a high perf motor so yes the maintenance will be higher than the CRF230 (which will probably last forever as long as you change the oil and clean the air filter), but it shouldn't be so much more that's a big deal. Honda valves were notoriously bad for a few years but the word now is that the last couple years they are much more durable.

I'm no engine expert, but I've heard that the smaller the bore is the earlier you will have to do piston and / or rings. 15 hours seems utterly ridiculous though and I really doubt you'd need to even look at it before about 40 hrs.

That 150 will start easily when tuned properly, 1st or 2nd kick.