How to start Off-Road riding? Is Yamaha XT250 good for this? Plus how to avoid the mistake I made...

1. Start with the smallest possible bike. Riding offroad is much harder than riding on paved roads. Make it as easy as possible to start. 2. Yamaha XT250 is probably the best bike to start offroad riding. It's small and light enough not to get to scared and give up. Yet, it's SO capable to satisfy even very experienced offroad enduro riders. Other options: Yamaha TW200 or Suzuki VanVan 200 are even easier and will give you much more confidence when you start riding offroad. But they are not as capable as XT250 and after you learned the basics of offroad riding - they may be limiting for you. They are still extremely capable and will slowly go through almost anything, but ultra rocky climbs and higher speed offroad riding will be tough on them. Honda Trail 125 is the easiest of them all (you got the logic - smaller, lighter = easier for offroad beginners). But it can't go on highway legally (at least in Canada). Otherwise great bike. Honda CRF300/CRF300 Rally, Kawasaki KLX230/300, Suzuki DRX400/DR650. All great options, but they are bigger, taller and heavier... So they are better for taller riders or those who already have a bit more experience or those who don't plan to stay away from the most technical single track. 3. Mistake to avoid: getting a wrong bike will make it harder to ride offroad, making the process unenjoyable or even scary. You may conclude that riding offroad is not for you and never give it a another try (the mistake I almost made). So, make sure you have the right bike for you (for offroad it's small, light, low seat height, used or inexpensive). IMPORTANT: Realize that life is not unlimited - give it a try already, be patient, work to improve your skills - and you may love it!