All of the big 5 manufacturers make a great bike these days. My only suggestion would be going with a 4 stroke over a 2, but that's your call. If I were buying a new 250F right now it would be the KX-F, but I'd be happy with any of them. If I were buying a new 250 2 stroke for motocross it would be the YZ250, wouldn't even consider any other models. If I were buying a 250 2 stroke for the woods, definitely a KTM250XC-W.

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My wife rides both street and dirt dikes with me. She loves it. She has a TTR-125 dirt bike and rides the crap out of it. And she has a Suzuki Savage 650 she rides alot.

That really isn't the best way to find a dirt bike for sale that you are looking for. The likelyhood that somone would respond with one within your price range and within driving distance and the type you are looking is slim to none.

Your best bet would just be to go on ebay or craigslist. If there aren't any up, you could try looking under ebays completed listings at bikes that didn't sell and ask to see if they still have it and it's still for sale.

And one last thing, 2 stroke vs 4 stroke really does make a difference. the 2 stroke 250 would be more along the lines of a 4 stroke 450 powerwise. I'd reccomend a yz250f.

A Suzuki 110 is a play bike. It is not sweet for jumping. Is your friend Napoleon Dynamite? Either way, never take his advice on motorcycles again.

I think you should look for something in the 250cc range, good power, balanced. And you can touch the ground….j/k Try the 250, RM250 from Suzuki is nice

A 125cc two-stroke or a 250cc four-stroke would be a good choice for your age and weight. Choosing between a two and four stroke is mostly based on personal preference. Each has their own advantage and disadvantage over the other. The most obvious difference is that two-strokes require you mix your oil with your gas. However Two-strokes are also lighter than four-strokes and have a much simpler design. It usually costs less to modify and repair a two-stroke engine than a four-stroke engine. But two-strokes can also be finicky and a lot less forgiving than a four-stroke if you don't know how to tune it properly. four-strokes also have a more user friendly powerband, they tend to make more power than two-strokes on lower RPM's so it's much easier to putt around and go as opposed to a two-stroke which tends to like being revved high. I personally prefer a two-stroke over a four. But you need to decide which would suit your needs better.

Choosing a brand of bike is the same also, whether it's Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki or KTM. All manufacturers have their advantages and disadvantages over the other. Just keep in mind there's nothing that will affect performance, handling and reliability more than how you set your bike up, and how good of a rider you are. I've had friends on modified 250's and 450's get spanked by 8 year olds on 80's for that same reason.

So do some research and see which bike would suit your needs better. Once you buy your bike be sure to also get a repair manual for it and learn how everything works and how to properly set it up. You'll end up being safer, faster, and a better rider.

Good luck with your purchase.

Well, you are going to probably have to decide what kind of riding you like to do. Starting off on a dirt bike will have set you up well, for handling any emergency manevers you might need on a ligh weight street bike. If you liked playing in the dirt, something on the sporty side is probably going to appeal to you more than a cruiser, but that just depends on you.

I'd start out on something like a used Suzuki GS500, or a Kawasaki Ninja 500. They are great to get the hang of street riding on. Take a motorcycle safety course, just to get use to the "rules" of the road if nothing else.

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Definitely agree. Try to find a good used 250cc dual sport (dual purpose). Check craigslist and bike trader. Kawasaki KLX250 or Suzuki DR-Z200 would be good choices. Fairly inexpensive used.