KDX to KTM 200 or 250

[KDXKID]

Hi all,need some advice as to which bike to move on too.Am late 30's 5'7 and 86kgs.Use bike for trails only and a squirt down beach and river now and then.Have a 95 KDX with FMF pipe and boyseen reeds at present.Wish to stay with the 2 smokers.Not a pro rider but can hang on to the KDX allright.Looking at a 200 or 250 EXC around 03-05.Your thoughts please.
cheers.(and yes will have to change my name....ha ha ):rolleyes:

[Danger]

'05 onwards KTM200EXC.

[crazyxr250rider]

'05 onwards KTM200EXC. yep they're all pretty good even the 97 I re-built (250) was in pretty good nick inside considerin it did 3/4's of a trail ride with no premix before it siezed the big end.:blink:

[KDXKID]

leaning towards the 200. soundz like a real fun bike to ride.:niceone:

[Crisis management]

The 200 is a great bike althought the 300 feels stronger all over so may be worth a comparison. Be prepared for spending some cash on suspension as the 200 is sprung for a 70kg rider and you may need to replace springs to get the suspension working well for your weight.
Having said all that, they are a neat bike and a light year ahead of the kawasaki in handling, braking and suspension, it's money well spent!

[NordieBoy]

KDX200 won the South Island Cross Country Champs 0-200cc class.

[cheese]

Yeah but its not teh bike its the rider!

anyway the KX is great, but a 1995 bike in new trim. KTM is much better IMO. Get a 250 if you are finding the KDX's power a bit lacking. @00 will probable be the go though/

[KDXKID]

went and had a look at a 03 250EXC today.about same height and weight as KDX.
KTM Guy said 200 might be lacking a bit top end after KDX if looking for a bit more top end and be a bit pipey compared to KDX.
No one seems to have ridden a 200 i talk too.
On a tricky woody section of a trail could you just put the 250 in 2nd and just lug its way through nicely?Or is this where the 200 would shine ??.
same on a big hill , 250 or 200.
guessing there is not much in these two bikes,which beast is easier to tame you think??
oh ...the 300 sounds awesome but too much for this cowboy !!!!
cheers.:niceone:

[Danger]

Guy said 200 might be lacking a bit top end after KDX if looking for a bit more top end.

That guys talking shirt! :innocent:

[KDXKID]

funny that i thought 200EXC would shirt all over KDX.
can you explain some more .......cheers

[dammad1]

funny that i thought 200EXC would shirt all over KDX.
can you explain some more .......cheers

Actually horse power figures for the two are quite similar with the KTM being slightly ahead, I wouldn't go for the 200exc if you hope to get a huge power increase.

[Danger]

I come from an MX back ground, I've raced a TT600 and YZ250's through my serious MX days and these days I have an RM250 and an 02 KTM200EXC. The KTM is my bike of choice, I use it for everything, trail riding and some MX (less and less cause the races are too short and I get bored going around and around). In B grade MX I've been into the first corner in 3rd place (on a sand track uphill start too) against all manner of bikes including 450F's and finished 2nd at the end of the race, even won a trophy at Ardmore MX when I just showed up out of the blue for a practice not realising it was a race day.
I use this bike in rutty slippery slimmy root infested Riverhead forest, on rocky terrain, fast trailrides like Dessert Storm but mostly in the sand of Woodhill forest. This bike has plenty of power for me. Sure the RM has a little more power in real soft sand in the summer but for most rides I prefer the KTM. It can be torqued over technical terrain or ridden like a MX bike over faster terrain. It has a small chassis and is easy to manhandle over just about anything. Nothing is quicker through the trees.
Can't think of anything else I would rather ride.

[Reckless]

From the experienced above (Danger) to the less experienced under ME!!!!
Power to weight needs thinking about here! My 200exc has a 125 size frame but still has very good torque. I only use second or even 3rd over logs and very slow stand up stuff. Never in first unless I'm doing something wrong and have to pop it down another gear to rethink or restart. And never have to clutch it to keep it going. So the 200 torque is very good. I can't see the 200 being out paced anywhere on any trail except perhaps a gravel road section or a long open paddock when flat out in top, then you'd catch him on the tracks again anyway. Perhaps a fraction less than the Cr250 in all out grunt but over all a quicker bike for x country. Might be different in the hands of B0000M or the likes but if Danger rides it over his RM250 I'd go with the fact that's quicker all round because of its frame size but still plenty of power. Its a very nimble bike that can grunt like a bigger bike and scream like a 125 if you want. You only need what you can use. With the CR250 it had too much for my type of riding and frankly the extra and how it was delivered got in the way and made me slower.
I haven't previously answered this thread as I haven't ridden the 250 or the 300 and I didn't want to wank on without having ridden the other bikes. I just decided after the CR250 I'd take a step backwards in CC's and frame size to improve my skills. The more I ride it the more I like it, I'm 100 kg with my gear on and its all I could need. I haven't been riding MX for as long as most of the guys here and I haven't ridden the 250 or 300. But compared to the CR250 I'm light years faster through the trees and I like it enough to pass it on to my boy and get an 08 200exc "hopefully".

just my 2c!!

[KDXKID]

i see an 05 up to 4000.Also an 06 with no bids that he wants 6500 for.what year would be a good option you think ??? thanks.......

[KDXKID]

cheers reckless,no what you mean ,had a CR125 years ago and could get away with anything with that.200 seems to fit into this catagorey too.the 250's seem to be a lot more expensive too.200 firmly back at top of list thanks.(:niceone:for now)

[Danger]

Personally I think if your riding a KTMEXC 2 stroke you should go for either a 200 or a 300 depending on the sort of power delivery you like. If you have a mangina or are fat and slow you might prefer the lecky start 300. All that power and electric start makes up for a poor rider technique. :whistle:
I can't see that the 250 is a good option for most people in the KTMEXC 2 stroke range.
Buy which ever one is in your price range as far at the Trade Me options go. Newer is better usually eh?

[KDXKID]

not souding like too much of a pussy ,but wouldn't the 300 be a real rip snorter cob ???am into a bit of life preservation at this stage of life ..ha ha .
300 reminds me of the old CR500's crikey!!!!!
How bad is the power band on a 300 ??? or is it more torquey??
wouldn't they be hard work on a woody trail section ??
I'm not a big guy at 5'7 .......
real nice 03 300 on trade me for 5995 (Classified Number: 118856045)

[Danger]

The 08 300 is pretty easy to ride. I have ridden an '06 300, just not my cup of tea, never really liked big bore 2 strokes. Used to ride a YZ490 in the trees, again just did not like the power delivery. Just torque everywhere. I like to use some revs out of corners. The 200 gives you the choice of revs or torque.
A friend of mine who is a good rider with an '08 300 who I ride with often swapped with me recently and he said he was surprised at the amount of torque my 200 had and he now saw why I was so quick in the trees. Personally I think he would be quicker with a 200 as well but as long as he stays on the 300 I think I have the advantage.
I think you can be a more lazy rider on the 300, but thats boring kind of like riding a four stroke. I like to be busy and have to work the gears to get the most out of a bike.

[KDXKID]

when you say "torque everywhere" do you mean like rear wheel planted and front in launch mode?
Like i want to turn left and the bike wants to keep going that way !!!???
Have seen 400's and 450"s bite people like that.
this is where the 200 is max fun factor i think.......:woohoo:

[Danger]

A big bore engine turns over slower than a smaller engine for the same amount of go forward, so it feels like you are putting around like an old man even though your speed might still be up there. I'm not ready to ride like an old man.:buggerd:
One place the 300 has an advantage is on real steep technical sand hills. The 200 can run out of torque and either you need to be able to keep the revs and the speed up or you would be better of using the torque of the 300. But that is not a common scenario.

[KDXKID]

don't know about old men on 300's but think i know what you mean.
more fun to ride the 200 aggressively ???
correct cob ?:mobile:

[Danger]

You got it.:yeah:

[noobi]

i cant believe
as soon as a buy a bike
heaps, and i mean millions of ktm 200s turn up on trademe and also lots of kdxs for less than i paid for my new bike
i didnt know that the 200 ktm had a 125 frame, cuz i wanted to get a 125exc, but they dont get imported by ktm nz, but then again my bike doesnt get imported by gasgas nz either, i think i got the only ec125 in nz??? :rockon:
mayb lol:sweatdrop

[Danger]

Yeah the KTM125EXC is imported into NZ, I know of several people with them, a few '07s to test the market and word is that KTM was going to import them, but have you heard different?

[noobi]

Yeah the KTM125EXC is imported into NZ, I know of several people with them, a few '07s to test the market and word is that KTM was going to import them, but have you heard different?


awwwwwwwww what
that sucks, but iv never seen one a
wouldnt they be real expensive if there new 07's ???
i read a review http://www.tmxnews.co.uk/content_database/step_on_the_gas_the_gas_gas_enduro_machines/index apparantly my bike is better for what i want than the ktm, i dont know about this
but a ktm would have been my first choice
argghh

[Danger]

They were new '07s bought about a year ago. Last I heard the same guy was waiting on his new 08 125 to hit the shores. Not sure about the 09's.

[noobi]

step up to the power of orange

[dammad1]

Mate some people on here like the sound of there own voice far to much, go and ride a few different bikes and choose the one that you feel the most comfortable on and that gives you the most enjoyment, you really can't go to wrong with any of the modern jap or european bikes.

The old saying "when the flag drops the bullshit stops" sure rings true.

[Danger]

Ha ha I think I gotta a bite and not for the first time from dammad!:jerry:

I think I told you once before dammad not to take things too seriously. I'm here for entertainment.:Pokey:

[dammad1]

Ha ha I think I gotta a bite and not for the first time from dammad!:jerry:

I think I told you once before dammad not to take things too seriously. I'm here for entertainment.:Pokey:

I new you were fishing. LOL

[noobi]

danger i think he was giving me my first bite not you, but i dont know

:Playnice:

[Danger]

And I knew you would bite!:apint:

[dammad1]

And I knew you would bite!:apint:

Nah that was just a nibble.

[noobi]

:Pokey::Pokey::Pokey::Pokey::Pokey::Pokey::Pokey:: Pokey::Pokey::Pokey::Pokey::Pokey:

[dammad1]

danger i think he was giving me my first bite not you, but i dont know

:Playnice:

Ahhh no.....

[noobi]

on re evaluation of the thread i understand where your coming from
i apologise, o settle-for-no-bullshit

[Danger]

Nah that was just a nibble.

Yeah it was, I should of played you for a bit longer.:pinch:

[noobi]

:girlfight:

[Danger]

Sorry man I just know a lot of fat old slow guys that ride 300's, but so does Chris Birch!

[dammad1]

Sorry man I just know a lot of fat old slow guys that ride 300's, but so does Chris Birch!

Yep and i've seen David Knight on a few of them as well.

I thought most fat, old and slow guys rode 4 strokes? LOL

[Danger]

Well to tell you the truth the fat old guys I know are not really that slow, I'm just winding them up too!:cool:

[dammad1]

Well to tell you the truth the fat old guys I know are not really that slow, I'm just winding them up too!:cool:

They must really hate you.

[Danger]

Nah mate they're always trash talking to me over the text but like you said once the gate drops.....

[dammad1]

Nah mate they're always trash talking to me over the text but like you said once the gate drops.....

Yep 4 sure....

[Danger]

And actually I'm older than them, and just as fat so good thing I'm on the faster bike.:girlfight: