Mountain Biking - Point me in right direction

My description 5'9" 240. I am new to the sport and enjoy what I have done so far. So now I am ready to buy my own bike, I was using my buddies old Royce Union. What do I look for in buying a bike for a man my size:confused:

I'm no lightweight either. For "Clydesdales" there are a few things to look for in bikes and some things to avoid.

Most frames will take the additional abuse of heavier riders without a problem. Frame materials really won't be an issue for strength as you're not "Sooo" heavy. Full Suspension will definately be more comfortable, but costs may prohibit you from getting the most for your money. Cheap Full Suspension bikes (under $850) aren't worth it. If you don't want to spend that much, get a hardtail.

The most significant thing you want is a strong wheelset. Avoid low count spokes like the plague. Stick with 32 or 36 spoke wheels. If you can swap out the wheels and get 36 spoke count, you'll be better off! If you can only get 32, I suggest try to swap the tires for a wider size, like 2.1 minimum or 2.25 is good. If you plan on doing any jumps, go even wider.

If you get a decent fork, you'll want to swap out the springs or the elastomers inside the fork for spring rates that are "XTRA STIFF" this will make a huge difference in the performance of the fork. Try to stay away from "Air" suspension, you'll find the action of a coil spring much better for a big person.

The rest is pretty much the same, remeber, XTR is top of the line, but in order to save weight, they remove material. The top level components I prefer is XT. I find most XTR stuff too fragile for the abuse I inflict. O.k., the XTR derailleurs work very well, but I don't see the need to spend the extra cash for anything else!

L8R
Everything else should be fine.

Pretty much anyone will tell you to get a bike that fits your riding style and you. That means the rougher the riding, the better the bike, and you should always make sure to sit down on the bike to make sure it's comfortable.
Name-brand frames are quite strong because of all the advanced alloys used in them, but you want to focus on having durable wheels, tires, fork etc. as those take alot of the beating off road.
I'd say read through previous posts on the site, as there are plenty of big guys who bike and tips from people who ride their bikes pretty hard.
Good luck.