Trailmaster TM36

[BigEd]

Does anyone have the skinny on this bike? I am teetering on a fw different bikes with this being the top at the moment. I like the soon to come Orion, although it already has the rear lights, front blinkers and mirrors to be street legal here in Colorado it is down on cc's and hp as well as not having the liquid cooling.....but it will have a 6 speed gearbox and efi which is a plus with the 3,000-5,000 feet of elevation gain/loss I will be riding. I actually talked to a dealership here in Colorado about the Kayo bikes, they have some in stock but they are at the top of my range. I'm already pushing the budget trying to finish building my house.

This bike will be a 50/50 street/dirt bike so it needs to be good at both not great at either. My motocross days are long gone and I just want to scoot up and down fire and forest roads, over passes and just cruise up and down the backroads and trying not to have to fill my F250 too much......

So, with a budget of around $3,500, which would you choose between these two, or is there an equally performing bike in that range for a 6'4" 220 pound guy that you recommend?

Thanks all

[culcune]

Originally Posted by BigEd

I like the soon to come Orion, although it already has the rear lights, front blinkers and mirrors to be street legal here in Colorado

Are you planning on registering and plating the bike? I don't have personal experience with Colorado, but from a few members here, I am under the impression that there are quite a few hoops to jump through for bikes that are not EPA/DOT certified as 'On Highway Motorcycles' (If you do have a way to plate it, ignore this part of my answer).

The Trailmaster is a pure dirt bike, so if street legality was part of the plan, you will have to piece together a kit to make it street legal. The Orion is probably a good way to go for street legality.

I don't know the ratio of the upcoming Lifan KPX 250 as far as how close to 50/50 it will be, but it will probably be the easiest bike to street register in CO, and does look like a stout contender (just about 250cc--not 223cc, FI, 6-speed) in that price range. It will probably not have the as much of an offroad-oriented suspension of the other two have, but since they have not been released in the US as of yet, I cannot say that for certain. A couple members have one on order, so it might be worth waiting the few extra weeks.

[JerryHawk250]

Lifan KPX 250 should be out in the next few weeks. Venom Motors Sports will be one of the dealers selling the bike. It will be a true 250cc engine with a 6 speed, EFI and about 20 hp. It does have 49state EPA approval. I'm waiting on them to come out myself. It looks like it will be a good 50/50 bike.

[culcune]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

Lifan KPX 250 should be out in the next few weeks. Venom Motors Sports will be one of the dealers selling the bike. It will be a true 250cc engine with a 6 speed, EFI and about 20 hp. It does have 49state EPA approval. I'm waiting on them to come out myself. It looks like it will be a good 50/50 bike.

The KPX is supposed to be right around $3K if I recall, which I did had failed to mention, so fits within the budget of the original poster. I just looked at the Orion once again--I always like having an excuse to look at it -- and it looks like a good bike for the lowest cost ($2900) but it explicitly states 'Competition Use Only' which I interpret to mean they will not state 'Motorcycle' on the MCO, but rather 'Dirtbike' or something to that effect.