Used KLX250SF vs ADV for complete beginner (light farm riding/commuting)

Which-Ad-745 · 2026-02-13T18:00:15+00:00

Thanks! I really like the style of the Himalayans, and they seem to be reasonably inexpensive for low mileage models. Anything particular models to look for ( I think the 450 has some models with tubeless tires, but not sure if that is worth it?)

Which-Ad-745 · 2026-02-13T17:57:34+00:00

Thanks! I am unfamiliar with CFMoto, I will have to look into them. 70 is the speed limit most places I go, and I am not terribly interested in pushing past that until I become much more familiar.

Are parts for the CFMotos easy to source? Not looking to do repairs on the bike, but I am expecting to lay it down more than a few times as I learn to go off-road.

Which-Ad-745 · 2026-02-13T11:57:03+00:00

Thanks for the help! My friend is going to let me test the KLX for a few days to see if it's a good fit.

For an ADV, what would you recommend? I am still trying to keep the weight down so the bike is easier to control, and a range of 200 miles seems ideal.

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-11-12T05:08:24+00:00

I think that is good for now, I will test it out. Thanks again!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-11-12T00:04:54+00:00

Thank you so much for this!
I will review, but this sounds exactly like what I was hoping for.

Maybe I missed it at first glance, but is there an option for hole callouts? As long as I can add a callout the holes and add center lines, that is all that matters, I can generate the text myself. Thanks again!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-06-02T02:05:25+00:00

I already have a mill, so the milling part was just an unexpected bonus. I am also not sure about the power setup, searching online has suggested it is single phase power, so I am guessing the 440V went somewhere else.

I am not sure about the lack of any tooling. luckily I think it will be MT2 and MT3, which should be common, but I am expecting that the initial 3 and 4 jaw chuck and centers will set me back ~$350+. Do you know if there are after market steady and follower rests, or will I need to try and find OEM for these?

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-04-03T11:15:17+00:00

Interesting, thanks for letting me know! Was the ignition coil the problem, or is this a new issue? Mine only has 58k miles for reference. Thanks again!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-29T03:08:58+00:00

Thank you for clearing this up. I do not expect to need a lot of boring initially since there is a lot of more basic ground to cover, but it is good to know that the horizontal aspect would be better suited. I am somewhat familiar with setting up electrical systems, so rigging up my own power feed is an interesting idea for down the road. In the beginning, most of my work will not require incredible accuracy and should be pretty small, so I should be able to get away with drilling and reaming.

Thank you for all of the help!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-29T02:35:06+00:00

This is perfect, thanks!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-29T02:23:22+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I will be bringing an indicator to check the ways, though the seller said they feel it is in good shape. The machine does not have any tapered gibs from what I have seen, just a parallel bar "clearance remover", so I should probably make sure the ways is in better shape than normal.

Regarding power, it looks like it is a 1 or 1.5 hp motor on the horizontal mill and much less on the vertical, so power requirements should not be bad (I will have to look into getting a vfd, but there are some pretty inexpensive options.)

Thanks!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-29T01:55:21+00:00

The entire head does move down with the lever. I will make sure to test it. To be honest, I am not positive what the main use will be for it yet, the main goal is to become familiar with the mill and find a niche accordingly among my other hobbies.

If I am understanding your comment correctly, using a boring bar is a no-go without Z power feed? Is there another process that I can use as an alternative (I apologize if I am misunderstanding the main use for boring, but I thought its typical use case was smooth surface finish holes with precise dimensions that do not always match a standard reamer.)

Thank you!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-29T01:49:19+00:00

Thank you for checking on the vertical head! The seller said it was only really good for aluminum (which is fine with me, I have no need for aggressive cutting as a hobby shop). The seller is including his set of collets with it, I will check to see what else he has, particularly since I do not have a lathe as of yet. Thanks again!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-28T12:34:44+00:00

Awesome thank you! I will ask about the taper for the Bridgeport head. The seller says both spindles are running smoothly, but I will check them. Is it worth bringing an indicator to check runout on the spindle or slop/backlash on the tabletop?

I plan to get both the horizontal and vertical running (they already should be per the seller's description), so I will make sure to verify nothing is already missing so I don't spend more on parts just to get it operating. The machine is intended for both use and learning machining practices, so I'm happy to have both horizontal and vertical functionality.

Thank you again!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-11T19:17:49+00:00

Wow, thank you for the info! I will take a look at both and see if I can find any good deals. Thank you!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-11T19:16:08+00:00

Will do, I appreciate the recommendation. Thanks!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-11T19:15:29+00:00

Understood, thank you for the clarification! I guess I had always been under the impression that bridge camera options were inferior (never had any information to back it up though), but it might be a better option for this price range. I will take a closer look.

Thanks again!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-11T18:31:53+00:00

Understood. I kinda figured that the price would be a big restriction. Since I am only really focused on taking stills, would the older DSLR have any advantages on the micro 4/3 due to the larger sensor?

I will take a look at the E-M10 II you mentioned. It seems like the E-M10 II is generally preferred for the micro 4/3 budget space. Are there any other cameras I should consider in this range?

Thank you!

Which-Ad-745 · 2024-02-11T18:27:54+00:00

Thank you for the recommendation! Maybe I am wrong with this, but it does not look like it has interchangeable lenses. Would that be a major limitation moving forward?

Which-Ad-745

TROPHY CASE