General Cycling Discussion - Heavy man looking for bike, help

I am about 6'3" and weigh about 250-255 and need a good mountain bike. I have purchased 3 previous bikes, all Motiv that have messed up on me one way or another. 2 times the frame broke and the most recent time the guts came loose. Anyways, I need a bike badly and I am looking for a good bike for cheap as humanly possible. So anyone please give me suggestions; I have called a few places and one said a Trek 4500, and specialized Rockhopper, and a GT Avalanche. So im not so sure. Please help!

When I got back into biking a few years ago I was larger than you are. I picked up a Trek 4500. As far as I'm concerned for most types of riding that bike is bulletproof. Thats not saying I would go out downhilling or freeriding but for cross country or trail riding it should work for you.:)

Cheap....you're talking $1,000 and higher ...

You might want to check out the hot deals thread on cheap nashbar mountain frames. You could take all the stuff off the broken Motivs and put it on a frame you can get for less than $50.

What is your riding style? Do you jump high and land hard, or pick your way through with finesse and technique.
What budget.
What do you want to use the bike for, fun off-roading, racing, commuting/touring, fitness?

You might want to look at a Cro-Moly frame. I do not reccomend a rider at your size to ride Alu. because of fatigue life. You could get on a 4130 frame or better that would last longer than low grade alu. This of course depends on usage.

I'll second the steel-over-aluminum vote. Riding skills can be learned; there are such things as "light" and "heavy" riders regardless of their body weight.
I know personally: A 220 lb. Cat 2 racer who never breaks ANYTHING; he used a set of Mavic Heliums, for instance, for wet and dry weather training, road, and cross until he wore through the braking flats. Conversely, how about a 140 lb. rider who can't keep a wheel straight--this is someone with a severe discrepancy in leg length who therefore can't sit lightly; she always has one leg hyperextended causing her weight to bear more heavily on the bike. Bike-saving riding techniques can be learned, you don't have to be a slave to your body weight. Read the riding parts of John Forester's "Effective Cycling" for a good start.

Get a Surly Instigator, you will have to build it up, but they are very durable.