I can see that being an issue depending on how hard the bike is being ridden. I use mine for tight trails and exploring. If you ride it fast in the ditch or out on an MX track the suspension will bottom. When I want to rip around I ride my YZ250X. I’ve read that guys will put in stiffer fork springs as the front is softer than the rear. You can also install thicker viscosity fork oil. I’d just be careful not to put much much $ into the suspension as it’d be more cost effective to buy a used, higher performance bike for when you want to rip around and leave the TTR to what it does best. I find the TTR is still fun on a track or riding fast though bumps as it teaches you to ride more smoothly and use the terrain, timing and your legs to get a better ride. That’s pretty fun to me but yes, it’s easy to override the stock suspension if you push the bike too fast/hard and slam into everything. I think the stock suspension is great for riding in tight woods and rocky stream beds.
I researched all of these types of bikes but there were a number of reasons I wanted the TTR. The big ones are the TTR has a lower seat height, bigger gas tank with reserve and I actually prefer that it is carbureted. I tend to keep my machines for many, many years and I know from experience I can always keep a simple, carb’d, air cooled 4-stroke running with hand tools at my house. I also like my Yamaha dealer and don’t have a good Kawasaki dealer that I care for. The Honda was out due to the shim & bucket 4 valve head. Plus it was also fuel injected. Both the green and red bikes offer more performance but that’s not why I bought the TTR. I use it to trail ride with my kids and go on exploring type rides on tight, technical trails. When I want to go fast and rip I ride my YZ250X. The Kawasaki 230 looks like a nice bike and my ‘00 KDX 200 has been a great bike. Any of the Japanese OEM’s make excellent and reliable dirt bikes.
@@thatalaskaguy Makes sense to me. I'm torn on the fuel injected thing as my 06 bruteforce is carb but my husqvarna is fuel injected, I see the benefits of both. I have a good kawi and yamaha dealer nearby so this will be a tough choice lol.
@@zeelastman yeah, it just depends on what you want, how the bike is used and how long you plan to keep it. My kids all quickly figured out how to use the chokes on our other bikes but fuel injection is definitely easier. At least until you have to troubleshoot and make repairs. Of course you may never need to do anything to it. Our Yamaha Viking side by side is fuel injected and it’s been trouble free since ‘15 and we got it as a left over ‘14 model. My dealers are located 250+ miles away so it’s a huge hassle if I have to take a machine in for anything. I did replace an engine in one of my fuel injected Polaris sleds and wow! What a pain in the ass. I didn’t at all care for dealing with the electronic connections and fuel injection parts.
Doing this oil change right now on my TTR230. Love the bike BUT the suspension sucks. I am bottoming out being 6'2 @ 210lbs. Way too soft.
I can see that being an issue depending on how hard the bike is being ridden. I use mine for tight trails and exploring. If you ride it fast in the ditch or out on an MX track the suspension will bottom. When I want to rip around I ride my YZ250X.
I’ve read that guys will put in stiffer fork springs as the front is softer than the rear. You can also install thicker viscosity fork oil. I’d just be careful not to put much much $ into the suspension as it’d be more cost effective to buy a used, higher performance bike for when you want to rip around and leave the TTR to what it does best. I find the TTR is still fun on a track or riding fast though bumps as it teaches you to ride more smoothly and use the terrain, timing and your legs to get a better ride. That’s pretty fun to me but yes, it’s easy to override the stock suspension if you push the bike too fast/hard and slam into everything.
I think the stock suspension is great for riding in tight woods and rocky stream beds.
i love yamaha but I've been cross shopping this with the klx230r, what made you go with the ttr230 over the honda or kawi?
I researched all of these types of bikes but there were a number of reasons I wanted the TTR. The big ones are the TTR has a lower seat height, bigger gas tank with reserve and I actually prefer that it is carbureted. I tend to keep my machines for many, many years and I know from experience I can always keep a simple, carb’d, air cooled 4-stroke running with hand tools at my house.
I also like my Yamaha dealer and don’t have a good Kawasaki dealer that I care for. The Honda was out due to the shim & bucket 4 valve head. Plus it was also fuel injected. Both the green and red bikes offer more performance but that’s not why I bought the TTR. I use it to trail ride with my kids and go on exploring type rides on tight, technical trails. When I want to go fast and rip I ride my YZ250X.
The Kawasaki 230 looks like a nice bike and my ‘00 KDX 200 has been a great bike. Any of the Japanese OEM’s make excellent and reliable dirt bikes.
@@thatalaskaguy Makes sense to me. I'm torn on the fuel injected thing as my 06 bruteforce is carb but my husqvarna is fuel injected, I see the benefits of both. I have a good kawi and yamaha dealer nearby so this will be a tough choice lol.
@@zeelastman yeah, it just depends on what you want, how the bike is used and how long you plan to keep it. My kids all quickly figured out how to use the chokes on our other bikes but fuel injection is definitely easier. At least until you have to troubleshoot and make repairs. Of course you may never need to do anything to it. Our Yamaha Viking side by side is fuel injected and it’s been trouble free since ‘15 and we got it as a left over ‘14 model.
My dealers are located 250+ miles away so it’s a huge hassle if I have to take a machine in for anything. I did replace an engine in one of my fuel injected Polaris sleds and wow! What a pain in the ass. I didn’t at all care for dealing with the electronic connections and fuel injection parts.
where did you get the oil filter from?
@@chasehartman3719 I bought it from my Yamaha dealer in Wasilla, they weren’t very expensive.