KTM 350 Freeride opinions?

[Crisis management]

Anyone have exeprience with a Freeride they want to share?

I've been thinking of buying one next year but seeing as they are on special now ($10,500) I may have to bring that thought a bit closer. I'm looking for something lighter than the 450 EXC I currently have with a bit more agility in single track, lower seat height and less weight up high, the Freeride seems to offer this. I ride single track primarily and have never been too worried about top speed, it has to be capable of those road legal trail / adventure trail rides which I keep promising myself I will go on.

Any comments, suggestions, opinions or general ass-hattery?

Anyone want an 06 KTM450 EXC 6 day, one geriatric owner, never thrashed, dropped or ridden in the rain......














(There may have been some poetic license taken in this posting)

[george formby]

You may or may not have seen this. Might as well watch it while you wait for a local opinion.

http://youtu.be/1jf57ZtIRs0

[BoristheBiter]

Anyone have exeprience with a Freeride they want to share?

I've been thinking of buying one next year but seeing as they are on special now ($10,500) I may have to bring that thought a bit closer. I'm looking for something lighter than the 450 EXC I currently have with a bit more agility in single track, lower seat height and less weight up high, the Freeride seems to offer this. I ride single track primarily and have never been too worried about top speed, it has to be capable of those road legal trail / adventure trail rides which I keep promising myself I will go on.

Any comments, suggestions, opinions or general ass-hattery?

Anyone want an 06 KTM450 EXC 6 day, one geriatric owner, never thrashed, dropped or ridden in the rain......

If you are going to ride in the rain/water/river crossings etc then don't. (i see you said you don't but never know)
The air box is a major fuckup. once water gets into the filter holder there is no where for it to go but into the engine.
11 were recovered from the Berm buster ride in the weekend. ours had blown it rings due to water ingress (wasn't dropped in water just sucked up)

another down side is if you ride them quickly the radiator is under sized and the fan will be on the whole time.

if you want something lighter then go 300exc or if you don't want 2t then the 350 excf.
If height is a factor, you can get the factory lowering kit for about $79 and with that you can lower it to lees than the freeride.

[Crisis management]

You may or may not have seen this. Might as well watch it while you wait for a local opinion.

http://youtu.be/1jf57ZtIRs0

Thanks, will look at that later.

If you are going to ride in the rain/water/river crossings etc then don't. (i see you said you don't but never know)
The air box is a major fuckup. once water gets into the filter holder there is no where for it to go but into the engine.
11 were recovered from the Berm buster ride in the weekend. ours had blown it rings due to water ingress (wasn't dropped in water just sucked up)

another down side is if you ride them quickly the radiator is under sized and the fan will be on the whole time.

if you want something lighter then go 300exc or if you don't want 2t then the 350 excf.
If height is a factor, you can get the factory lowering kit for about $79 and with that you can lower it to lees than the freeride.

Aaargh! Sounds like not such a good idea then, if it can't get seriously wet then I wouldn't touch it as drowning a bike is something that does happen.
What did you like about it? Actually if you're local to me (Stonefields, Mt Wellington) can I come & talk about it?

[BoristheBiter]

Aaargh! Sounds like not such a good idea then, if it can't get seriously wet then I wouldn't touch it as drowning a bike is something that does happen.
What did you like about it? Actually if you're local to me (Stonefields, Mt Wellington) can I come & talk about it?

I'm on the shore. (work in east tamaki)
I am going up to the sandpit on Sunday.

It is a good bike. it does lack a little power as it is a detuned 350 engine but just change the mapping and that sorts that out.
Around the tight stuff it is great as you can just throw it around as if it wasn't there. I just don't like the fan being on the whole time.

It does come with a bit of foam that is supposed to cover the intake but if it gets dirty it will block the intake I am going to try this on Sunday and see what it goes like.

[Crisis management]

I'm on the shore. (work in east tamaki)
I am going up to the sandpit on Sunday.

Right I will look out for you, I'm the balding skinny white man on a well used looking 450 EXC with a silver Honda Accord wagon.

[Crisis management]

You may or may not have seen this. Might as well watch it while you wait for a local opinion.

http://youtu.be/1jf57ZtIRs0

Thanks, I had seen that on Adv rider, the guy that produces the video is a competent trials and enduro rider and always worth listening to.
It is an interesting concept (the hybrid bike) and I am intrigued but also quite unsure whether it's a good idea or not. Decisions, decisions...

[george formby]

Thanks, I had seen that on Adv rider, the guy that produces the video is a competent trials and enduro rider and always worth listening to.
It is an interesting concept (the hybrid bike) and I am intrigued but also quite unsure whether it's a good idea or not. Decisions, decisions...

I love the concept. Light, go anywhere bikes. Cannot help feeling that the 80's / 90's trail bikes are being resuscitated. A bit more focused but still very user friendly & capable. At some point I will no doubt be in the market for something similar, I lean towards 2t's, though. It's in the blood.

[BoristheBiter]

Aaargh! Sounds like not such a good idea then, if it can't get seriously wet then I wouldn't touch it as drowning a bike is something that does happen.
What did you like about it? Actually if you're local to me (Stonefields, Mt Wellington) can I come & talk about it?

Stripped the bike down after Sunday it all is good. the pre-filter does it's job but gets very clogged so i will be off to get a second one.

I still would like to know why if this is an important part, as it says to use it in the manual, why did Cyclespot not fit it to the bike when we bought it?
And buy how many got pulled out the past weekend, the other two I saw didn't have it fitted either, nobody does.

It is a good bike and for the 10k it's a good price but it is more of a cruising bike, but in saying that it isn't stopped by the technical trails.

[oldskool]

Anyone have exeprience with a Freeride they want to share?

I've been thinking of buying one next year but seeing as they are on special now ($10,500) I may have to bring that thought a bit closer. I'm looking for something lighter than the 450 EXC I currently have with a bit more agility in single track, lower seat height and less weight up high, the Freeride seems to offer this. I ride single track primarily and have never been too worried about top speed, it has to be capable of those road legal trail / adventure trail rides which I keep promising myself I will go on.

Any comments, suggestions, opinions or general ass-hattery?

Have you looked at the 2T model, it might be worth considering.