Dirt bike saw for trail clearing?

[huskytime]

Hey folks can I ask your advise? I’m looking for a good saw to ride on the front of a dirt bike. I run my Husqvarna 137 w/16”pico just because it’s a starting point. 2 buddies of mine run 026 stihls (18 &20” bars) but I think they are pretty hefty to ride with. Mine rides a little better and is shorter so it sticks up less when mounted. The extra weight up front plays havoc with handling and crashes. For a dedicated 8 hour 21 mile 80 tree trail clearing day like today the stihls did well, and we theorized that if we only had top handle saws we might not have faired so good. One of our crew is ex-tree-worker. Capacity/efficiency isn’t a deciding factor. We can pack extra fuel+oil, and our KX500 member runs a 4.2 gallon desert tank and always has 32-1 to spare.

My search for a new dirt bike saw has a few factors to consider. The usual suspects, weight, size, power... Most of the 2-stroke bikes in our group are either fuel injected or run lectron/smart carbs so they adjust to elevation nicely. My only experience with smart chainsaws was a 550xp and I didn’t like it. Super saw and ran like a hot rod and I loved it, but let it sit for a month and it wouldn’t want to start, drove me crazy. 550xp=sold

Now i’m searching for a new saw, balanced to my needs, please point me in the right direction. I’d consider a top handle saw if it did as good or better than my 137. I’d consider a smart saw with mtronic or whatever if it adjusted to altitude well but didn’t have an attitude. Today we started at 2400ft and topped at 4000ft. I live closer to 500ft. My 137 wasn’t liking any of it once we got higher. Being a homeowner saw it’s already rich at sea level for Pete’s sake and blocked from adjustment. Not sure i’d consider the weight of a 550xp but if she started every time nicely I just might for the performance... my riding buddies are so die-hard on stihls that it might be nice to find a better alternative. But even though i’ve yet to own a stihl saw, i’d get one if it were the best fit. I’m feeling 16” bar, be it pico LP or .325, maybe 18” but probably not.

Please let me know your thoughts fellas, thanks.

 

[drf256]

Find a used MS241 and find a way to mount on the chassis towards the rear if possible. Only rear handle I can think of that’s lighter is an old rear handled 200. There is a also a small 30cc Makita and the new echo 25cc top handle that I’ve seen rear handled versions of if I am not mistaken.

https://opeforum.com/threads/makita-ea3601-the-most-intriguing-saw-to-date.7728/

 

[Deets066]

Ms 200 rear handle or top handle. Will dominate a 16” bar with a muffler mod

 

[beaglebriar]

A quad makes a better trail clearing rig but if that's not an option I'd think about rigging up a back pack for your saw. Having a saw on the bars brings back paper route memories.
A good sharp chain and muffler mod/retune would do wonders for your 137. I use a t540 top handle or a 346 but it's what I have.

 

[Funky sawman]

You up in eastern WA? If so there is a new ms241 at my local north 40 farm store, one of the last new ones in stock in the pnw according to Stihl northwest distribution warehouse. Great light little powerhouse saws!

 

[Woodpecker]

When I read the title I thought you wanted to build a bike engine saw for trail clearing.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Ms 200 rear handle or top handle. Will dominate a 16” bar with a muffler mod

16" or 18" bar... Mine just came in.
Building a guy a mean 200T and one for myself while I'm at it.
You need one to. LP full chisel square on a ported saw with AV update to my spec. Ain't nothing going to catch it but maybe a new tiny Dolkita ported.

 

[Stump Shot]

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms201cem/

The 201C-EM will compensate for changing elevation right along with your bike.

 

[sawmikaze]

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms201cem/

The 201C-EM will compensate for changing elevation right along with your bike.

This.

 

[MarcS]

When I was a kid in the 80’s scouting and clearing single track was a big thing in the family. What I remember is a dedicated trail bike with beefier subframes and low gearing worked the best vs the moto bikes of the time. Mounted the saws and gas/oil cans on the rear of the seat/back fender. Most everyone used 50cc saws for the balance of power and weight. We were clearing hardwoods and needed all the power that could be lugged around. Echos were popular, my dad chose to pack around his 026...still a good choice in my opinion.

 

[Lightning Performance]

026 260 any good running 50cc saw and will do. Big bar though. Can be fixed up to run lp. No 346 guys here yet?

The 200 or 201 are light and efficient like a 242 or 241 or others like a 540T mentioned. The top handles will have the best ptw imo. The 18" is a real options you might never need but could carry just in case. 14" is a trail tool. The top handles also take the most beating imo the motors are tough. Be nice to the AV and sharpen the damn things well. Give it a two second rest during a long cut and you'll be fine. Mount it with a bar clamp holster on your rear frame.

 

[CR888]

Of my personal saws I'd grab my MS201 for that sort of work. But if your regularly cutting larger wood like you say where 'we need all the power we can get' maybe a 60cc saw mounted well is the ticket.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

I'd use my shindaiwa 377. Tiny and dead reliable....

 

[huskytime]

Thank you all for the advise!

Yes I do keep chains sharp. I was the only guy to pack a spare chain the other day and a sharpener. When the 026 running 20” bar caught the ground and dulled his, my pico file wasn’t any good for his .325 chain so he was out of the running.

Quads won’t fit down these trails or switchbacks. Half the time the ridge exposure makes it hard to get 1 bike past another, turn a bike around, or even walk past another bike.

I live at the base of hwy2 on the west side. Eastern cascades have some great riding within an hour drive or 2. For me the whole Mad River, Chihuahua, lower Entiat, Devil’s backbone system is closer to home than Walker Valley ORV in Mount Vernon. So depending on the season I like to hop over the pass and save the sloppy tough Walker Valley stuff for when I can’t get east.

I like the idea of mtronic! The 241 was on my short list. I imagine it also would out perform my husky 137. A 201CEM top handle mtronic sounds like the perfect fit perhaps, or at least I’ll need to consider it vs the 241.

I know a guy who likes to back pack his saw. I like it on the front mount. My 137 still rode better than the 026’s. I’ve heard of guys going for the 25cc echo for weight alone for front mounting to the bike but I need more saw than that.

so tell me guys, the 201cem... will it pull a 16” bar as good or better than my 137? If so then the debate may be over. I bet the 241 is a better saw all around but that sweet size and weight savings of a top handle is a big factor for me. I don’t need the 241 for it’s all around awesomeness, I am pretty happy cutting most of my firewood with my MMWS 359. I don’t mind tuning a saw at all but not when quick drawing it from the bike a couple dozen times over the course of a 1000-4000ft elevation change day

Mr Stump Shot. I’m hoping one of these years I’ll get an excuse to mount up the giant 1100cd to carefully bring up the trail to the rescue when we encounter a massive blockage. I’d love to see the faces of my fellow riders when busting that out. It currently wears a 32” bar or 42” on the Alaskan mill. Would you do a port job on a 201cem? Or point me towards your recommendations for builders porting that model?

Thanks again guys, cheers!

 

[huskytime]

Does the 201 T CM perform just like the CEM? Looks like half a pound lighter and top handle with same 35cc.

sorry but I don’t follow saws too closely, are they dropping the 241?

 

[Deets066]

Yeah they dropped the 241, shameful.

The 201 will pull a 16” bar just fine in stock form, ported I’m sure you’d be smiling

 

[Stump Shot]

Thank you all for the advise!

Yes I do keep chains sharp. I was the only guy to pack a spare chain the other day and a sharpener. When the 026 running 20” bar caught the ground and dulled his, my pico file wasn’t any good for his .325 chain so he was out of the running.

Quads won’t fit down these trails or switchbacks. Half the time the ridge exposure makes it hard to get 1 bike past another, turn a bike around, or even walk past another bike.

I live at the base of hwy2 on the west side. Eastern cascades have some great riding within an hour drive or 2. For me the whole Mad River, Chihuahua, lower Entiat, Devil’s backbone system is closer to home than Walker Valley ORV in Mount Vernon. So depending on the season I like to hop over the pass and save the sloppy tough Walker Valley stuff for when I can’t get east.

I like the idea of mtronic! The 241 was on my short list. I imagine it also would out perform my husky 137. A 201CEM top handle mtronic sounds like the perfect fit perhaps, or at least I’ll need to consider it vs the 241.

I know a guy who likes to back pack his saw. I like it on the front mount. My 137 still rode better than the 026’s. I’ve heard of guys going for the 25cc echo for weight alone for front mounting to the bike but I need more saw than that.

so tell me guys, the 201cem... will it pull a 16” bar as good or better than my 137? If so then the debate may be over. I bet the 241 is a better saw all around but that sweet size and weight savings of a top handle is a big factor for me. I don’t need the 241 for it’s all around awesomeness, I am pretty happy cutting most of my firewood with my MMWS 359. I don’t mind tuning a saw at all but not when quick drawing it from the bike a couple dozen times over the course of a 1000-4000ft elevation change day

Mr Stump Shot. I’m hoping one of these years I’ll get an excuse to mount up the giant 1100cd to carefully bring up the trail to the rescue when we encounter a massive blockage. I’d love to see the faces of my fellow riders when busting that out. It currently wears a 32” bar or 42” on the Alaskan mill. Would you do a port job on a 201cem? Or point me towards your recommendations for builders porting that model?

Thanks again guys, cheers!

PM senteded

 

[Stump Shot]

Does the 201 T CM perform just like the CEM? Looks like half a pound lighter and top handle with same 35cc.

sorry but I don’t follow saws too closely, are they dropping the 241?

Rear handle would be much safer to operate on the ground.

 

[sawmikaze]

Yeah they dropped the 241, shameful.

The 201 will pull a 16” bar just fine in stock form, ported I’m sure you’d be smiling

I muffler modded and gave the timing a smidge on my 201c-m rear handles..perfect small/ground saws.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Rear handle would be much safer to operate on the ground.

This. Seeing guys one hand 200Ts and the like on the ground always gives me the heebie-jeebies.