125 or 200 Trials Bike for Wife

[mostexcellentdude]

I recently picked up an 04 GasGas TxtPro Raga 300 and am interested in finding a bike for my wife as well. She is a competent singletrack/enduro rider, intermediate I'd say. 

Trouble is, she's petite - 5'-2" and 120lbs. Good shape but not the strongest. She can't even kick my 300 over.

I'm interested in picking up a smaller displacement bike that might be easier for her to start. We live at 5,000ft elevation and could ride as high as 10,000ft. I prefer to go gas over electric, we do a lot of extended trips deep in the mountains or desert far away from a charging source.

Would a 125 have too little power, especially considering our elevation? I'm leaning towards a 200 because although she's a decent rider, I don't want her overwhelmed with all the clutching a 125 might require. The main benefit I see with the 125 is I imagine it would be easier to kick over.

I'd like to keep the budget around 2k USD... in my area that buys me an older GasGas/Sherco 125 or 200 most likely. Is the Sherco kickstart system easier than the 'short throw' TxtPro kickstarter?

Edited 1 hour ago by mostexcellentdude

[lemur]

Dragonfly 👍 

[RonH]

I’d suggest something like the Beta EVO 80 Sr. Since your wife is petite and with little experience, the smaller frame and lighter bike would be easier for her to handle. It’s also much much much less expensive. You can always go bigger if she ends up liking it. A bigger bike could easily discourage her. The Beta EVO 80 will work great at higher elevations with the correct jetting.

Edited 11 hours ago by RonH
Typo

[feetupfun]

TRS sells electric start 250 and 300 two strokes and they are very popular.

[jrsunt]

A 125 would work well, they have enough bottom end to pull away without having to use the clutch excessively and as she progresses the 125 is more than capable when you start exploiting the power at the top of the RPM. 125’s enjoy been ridden hard, if she’s confident with throttle, clutch and brake timings a 125 is a lot of fun. 
I enjoy riding my lads Gas Gas 125, it’s highly manoeuvrable and a lot lighter than the Mont. It only lacks power on the really big stuff. 
The 200cc bikes do tend to ride more like a 250 than a 125, a little more flywheel and inertia keeps everything moving forward a little easier.

[ChrisCH]

I agree with feetupfun - if starting is the issue then go electric start.  Another very obvious choice is the electric motion (or lemur's suggestion of dragonfly).  The 300 gasser is a pain to start and she might well be able to start an easier bike like a TRS or Beta 250

My wife is 5'3" and has an EM Factor-e and loves it.

[lemur]

Dragonfly is 21Kg lighter and I can tell you that TRS electric start is high maintenance, it would work better if you kickstart her TRS bike when it is cold for her if you go that way, the electric works best on a warm engine.  

[konrad]

The air at 5000 feet has only 83% of the density it does at sea level.  This means the engine can only make 83% of the maximum power and torque it would at sea level (assuming it's jetted properly).  It will also be proportionally easier to kickstart due to the lower air density.  The number for 10,000 feet is 69 percent.  You should consider that when thinking about what size engine to buy.

Personally, I don't think an 80cc trials bike is a good choice for any adult-size human -- especially at higher elevations. 

Considering that the OP has a 2004 model bike, it's probably not in the cards to spend 3 to 4 times that for the wife's bike.

A Dragonfly is not really a beginner's machine.  A woman on the Facebook Dragonfly group was seeking advice after smashing her face riding one.  She claimed to be a competent rider (just not at trials) but eventually gave up and sold the bike.  This is a very real possibility with any bike, and you should allow your wife to progress at her own pace.  

If you don't mind going electric, an Oset 24.0R may be a good compromise. 

Honestly, the best course of action is an extended test ride on multiple bikes prior to purchase. 

[konrad]

On 12/23/2025 at 12:58 PM, mostexcellentdude said:

I'd like to keep the budget around 2k USD... in my area that buys me an older GasGas/Sherco 125 or 200 most likely. Is the Sherco kickstart system easier than the 'short throw' TxtPro kickstarter?

We've had both 125cc and 200cc Shercos in the stable.  The 125 is easier to kick.  My wife transitioned from the 125 to the 200, but it took a toll on her knee (which was pretty beat up from running).  For infrequent starts during trail riding, it may not matter.  But repeated starting during competition may be a problem.  

I found the older Ducati Energia ignition system more reliable than the newer Leonelli.   2004/2005 was around the changeover point.