Bit of advice...YZ250f or a KTM200exc

[r.2stroke]

I know! another "please help,i can't make my mind up between the two" thread,but bear with me!!
Im gonna update this year,on my old but very trusty '04kdx200,had it since new,been a great bike,got the suspension mostly sorted(stiffer springs),but didnt go down the revalving road(should have)with it.Lately,iv'e been riding some mates bikes(08 yz250 2t,07 cr250f)and have been noticing how they seem to just handle that much better,and...to me anyway...make riding that much easier!especially when i stuff something up...these bikes i get away with a bit more!
So,i want something light,the '08 yz250 2t was way mucho power than i can use in the bush,natural progression would be a ktm200 i spose,ive read lots of threads about them and they sound like the go,pity about the price tho!!
But wot about a 4T?my pick would be the Yams caus they seem to have the better reliability cred,i should be lookin at a wr250 instead of a yz250,but the wr's weigh in at 118kgs wet,and seem a bit porky,so yz250 i think.I really liked the smooth power of the 4ts,easy to ride i thought,but am well used to riding 2 strokes too.Havn't had a ride on a ktm200 as a camparo...so thats wot im asking advice on,pro's and cons on the yz250f(or any newish 250 4t)vr's a ktm200exc.
Cheers.

[camchain]

This isn't advice, just another angle. I went for an exc200 over a 2504t. It's stroppier, but I wanted something a bit more demanding to ride - something that required me to sharpen my riding bit more. Copy that on KDX handling. I jumped on a newish KDX recently. I was real surprised at the difference. KDX felt heavy & hard to flick around (plus had very soft stock suspenders, especially front). Analogy that came to mind was the KTM felt like a scalpel, KDX felt like a box-cutter (craft knife). Sorry KDXers, they are still a legendary machine though.

[Rupe]

With the pros and cons we could all go on for ages. Some people would give you facts, and others would post utter bullshit about stuff they've heard off someone else etc.

I've ridden a few kdx's, and a couple of ktm200's and a few 250 4t's. I found the ktm a modern 250 4t's much better to ride alll round. And for some reason when trying new bikes out a little while ago, I just loved ridding the 250 4t's, and feel I can ride with so much more confidence. So go out and have a blast on a few thats the best way, get the one YOU like the most, whatever it is.

[xen]

Those 2 choices are quite different man 2t vs 4t, did you prefer 1? I was on a kdx200 and upgrading was looking for a ktm200 but wound up with the 250 and find it awesome to ride. Powers really manageable and controllable. Also chassis's can be quite different from the kdx I tried a cr250 which felt way smaller, ktm200 about the same and the 250 just a bit bigger.

[t595]

ktm is a dearer purchase price but comes ready 4 bush/enduro riding ,i have yz and revalved,flywheel weight and all the other bits add up 2 more than the ktm price! and at the end of the day its still a mx bike

[r.2stroke]

Yep,i know,kdx's have long been overtaken by the others,in saying that though,i do like the way its not too demanding to ride...which is why i was surprised by riding my mates crf250r,it was greatly better suspended than the kdx(i thought),and seemed easyish to ride,and had a bit of balls when needed,...i really do need to ride a ktm200 and see.Then there is the old maitainence issue between the 4t and a 2t i guess.

[t595]

yea ,try all the bikes you can wld be the best bet,depends wot sort of riding you prefer to? thort bout a 125?

[Taz]

Get the ktm then you won't have to change your user name to r.4stroke.

[retired motoman]

All those bikes you spoke of are all good in there own rights.
My 2cents swings to the 4 stroke, and why i feel that way ?
The yz250 t2 was and will all ways be one of my favs, i owned 4 from 99 to 04 models rode the alloy frame o5 one aswell a few times , but when i stated riding the 4 stokes in 02, yzf250 then a 04 crf 250 and the 05 rmz450 in 05. i had a break away from riding for 3 years . I started back riding in mid 08 on a t2 yz again lol, but soon came to relise the 4 strokes are just that much better to ride now , better traction , less taxing on the body , easier to ride in the wet , easier to be smooth , and thats a biggy for me. I just felt i could not be where i was at in 05 on the two stroke . The new 4ts raised the bar imo though the grades when they first come out just cuse they are so easy to ride , c graders were going b pace and some b graders started scaring the a grade riders. t2s are a solid cheap to maintain nice fast bike but the 4 strokes have come so far along now im sad to say i dont no if i would ever get a t2 again, god bless them. budget has to be thought about in saying all that thou ofcourse . If you do lots of hours and cant afford to be rebuilding your 4t a few times a year maybe , then the t2 may be the better option for you. The newer ktm 4ts from what ive heard around the traps are very solid and reliable but you pay for it . I really like the rmz450 nice bike allround, but just for there reliabilty record id go for the new yz250f , they look sick and the new 450 out next year should be even better. thats my well 10cents rather then 2 lol :2guns:

[Reckless]

All those bikes you spoke of are all good in there own rights.
My 2cents swings to the 4 stroke, and why i feel that way ?
The yz250 t2 was and will all ways be one of my favs, i owned 4 from 99 to 04 models rode the alloy frame o5 one aswell a few times , but when i stated riding the 4 stokes in 02, yzf250 then a 04 crf 250 and the 05 rmz450 in 05. i had a break away from riding for 3 years . I started back riding in mid 08 on a t2 yz again lol, but soon came to relise the 4 strokes are just that much better to ride now , better traction , less taxing on the body , easier to ride in the wet , easier to be smooth , and thats a biggy for me. I just felt i could not be where i was at in 05 on the two stroke . The new 4ts raised the bar imo though the grades when they first come out just cuse they are so easy to ride , c graders were going b pace and some b graders started scaring the a grade riders. t2s are a solid cheap to maintain nice fast bike but the 4 strokes have come so far along now im sad to say i dont no if i would ever get a t2 again, god bless them. budget has to be thought about in saying all that thou ofcourse . If you do lots of hours and cant afford to be rebuilding your 4t a few times a year maybe , then the t2 may be the better option for you. The newer ktm 4ts from what ive heard around the traps are very solid and reliable but you pay for it . I really like the rmz450 nice bike allround, but just for there reliabilty record id go for the new yz250f , they look sick and the new 450 out next year should be even better. thats my well 10cents rather then 2 lol :2guns:

Firstly let me say I agree with your overall assertion that the 4T delivers a more tractable type horse power than the 2t. Argument over the 4t wins, until this direct injection thing takes off that will always be the case.
The 200exc is a different beast than the YZ or Cr250 2t. Much much more torquey and enduro based. I went from a CR250 to an 08 200exe and I rode A&R's Crf250 4t for a few laps out the sandpit only 2 weeks ago. I was talking to JT119 in the weekend at Thunder and he's looking at going back to a 2 stroke exe from an 09 250 4T. Thats not to say the 4t is not a good bike!
There has been many threads about this and my leaning towards the 2 stroke is well known here, do a search, there's even a parallel thread here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=107108.
I've posted this here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=136827&d=1249186511 before but its what made me go for the 200exe other than the above, what surprised me was all the guys underrated the 200 (even after they had riden it) but where faster on it.
Just go ride the two of them the forest, its the only way!

[vazza]

200exc mate, very good bikes.

[hondagirl]

I started on a kdx200 - very forgiving bikes but lacking on suspension . For the last 4 years, Ive been on a 4 stroke - Honda CRF250X - nice bike, forgiving and truck like a tractor - over and through everything .. very easy to ride. But the weight is a real negative. Finally Ive seen sense and gone back to a 2-stroke - 2009 KTM 200 EXC. Its light, well balanced and the suspension is plush beyond belief. I had a 200EXC back in 2002 but the power of the 2009 is totally different, not so vicious and almost feels like 4stroke engine braking down the hills. Only thng I miss with the four stroke is that up top power. On the big open straights & fire breaks the 2-stroke feels like its screaming its head off. So my recomendation is - buy a KTM200EXC - what a bike!:love::love:

[Taz]

buy a KTM200EXC - what a bike!:love::love:

Yeah but now you're gonna have to change your user name to maybe...... Excgirl :lol:

[r.2stroke]

So...im wondering,the ktm200 not a really peaky/snappy,your either on or your off type of power delivery then?You can tractor it round snotty/slimey rocks and slippery/wet rutted out steep clay hill tracks then?Kinda why i thought of the yz250f as a main contender as well.

[vazza]

the 200exc can be what you want it to be really. you can chug it around like a tracter for sure, doesnt stall. Great for enduros man trust me, gets up anything especially when you're light. It also has a powercurve switch aswell which adjusts the power delivery from smooth to snappy.

[Reckless]

the 200exc can be what you want it to be really. you can chug it around like a tracter for sure, doesnt stall. Great for enduros man trust me, gets up anything especially when you're light. It also has a powercurve switch aswell which adjusts the power delivery from smooth to snappy.

and an adjustable power valve which makes it whatever you want it to be.

In saying that the 250f will be quite good as well. But you have to make a choice 2stoke or 4stroke. Id go for 2 stroke maintenance everytime but I like them>

[Rupe]

So...im wondering,the ktm200 not a really peaky/snappy,your either on or your off type of power delivery then?You can tractor it round snotty/slimey rocks and slippery/wet rutted out steep clay hill tracks then?Kinda why i thought of the yz250f as a main contender as well.

Ridden both quiet a bit, the ktm200 is not too snappy and hadles the conditions you describe very well. A 250f does too and will also ways have more tourque tractor ability, and in my experience finds grip much better than a 2stoke will. However the 250f's suspension is not ideal, and without a flywheel weight they do stall easy when the rev's are low, unlike the ktm.

You need to go ride both, neither is better, just one will suit you better.

[retired motoman]

You need to go ride both, neither is better, just one will suit you better.

Thats it in a nutshell . The ktm 200exc is a great small bore tool , there 200 sx that they did for a limted time was a great bike , not many were sold here. The new 300exc is a sweet tool for the job to .
Fitting a fly wheel weight to a yz250 will make it more enduro/bush friendly, it is the current champ after all :rockon: The 2 stroke . Im just getting old and lazy and like the 4 strokes not knocking you around so much when your on the pipe.

[retired motoman]

I started on a kdx200 - very forgiving bikes but lacking on suspension . For the last 4 years, Ive been on a 4 stroke - Honda CRF250X - nice bike, forgiving and truck like a tractor - over and through everything .. very easy to ride. But the weight is a real negative. Finally Ive seen sense and gone back to a 2-stroke - 2009 KTM 200 EXC. Its light, well balanced and the suspension is plush beyond belief. I had a 200EXC back in 2002 but the power of the 2009 is totally different, not so vicious and almost feels like 4stroke engine braking down the hills. Only thng I miss with the four stroke is that up top power. On the big open straights & fire breaks the 2-stroke feels like its screaming its head off. So my recomendation is - buy a KTM200EXC - what a bike!:love::love:

Its funny to here how many people started out on the good old kdxs .
I to had 2 of them in c grade back in the day , but as i improved i soon had to step on to a mx bike. Ktm and yamaha have changed there power bands
in recent years to be more like a 4 stroke and i suspect that has a lot to do
with why they have kept selling well and remained competive.