Advice needed, bike choice

[telliman]

Kato's are more expensive bikes but they come tricked out factory so you do pay an excess for it.

Personally I've heard nothing but horror stories about green bikes so personally i'd steer clear of the kwaka's (i'm sure someone will say otherwise here).

I'd go honda but that's cos i'm strickly a honda man haha. If I was giving advise I'd be inclined to ask: How much do you want to spend? Remember that you'll really need to do a top end on it once you've bought it if it's second hand so you know the history. The newer the better if you ask me. I'd probably go Honda or Yamaha as they're both good reliable brands and parts are cheap enough and readily available.

Just my 2c's

you know it,me same boat,im in the market for a new kx as well,wish the o8 came with black rims stock!

[jimmy 2006]

telliman, scott just offered me a good price on a new kx that i don't think i will take him up on. pm him.

[Danger]

I can also do the Steahly flywheel weights for $199.00 fitted plus a free sag set lol.
I use a light 8oz or 9oz on my RM but you may wish for heavier.

But Tjebbe Bruin probably has the cheapest weights. I think he makes them as required though so there might be a bit of a wait.

I sense a new RM is coming your way. Jelous! Least you won't have to change the colour of your riding gear.

[jimmy 2006]

color of riding gear? white and green top with grey pants. ? more confused than anything else.

[Reckless]

Hey Jimmy mines all Honda redish! I'd look bloody funny on a green machine (although I'm a Kwaka man at heart). So lets choose our bikes on the colour of our gear. Problem solved!
Anyway after going over all the pros and cons I think the best way for my type of riding where I want the bike to do everything! I'll go for a 250 MX'er and do what I did for my present CR, seems to be the best comprise. Although 2 bikes like Danger has would be nice. I'm not that experienced but from what I have seen the MX'er seems to be able to make the transition to Cross country better than the other way around. The enduro bikes always appear to me to look a bit wrong on the MX tracks where the MX'ers seem to go OK on the cross country stuff. Especially if its a 250.
I think form your answers Jimmy we have come to the same conclusion?
My opinion only feel free to disagree?

[cheese]

Don't worry Jimmy, black plastics are cheap and will hide the yellow.

[Ktmboy]

Ah yes, we are missing one thing though. We did a 50k loop on Sunday and 2-3k from home we both hit reserve(300 exc). 9.2 litres.

Its always good to know that I'm going to finish a cross country race or trail ride.

[Reckless]

yes you're are quite correct there, good point.
My Cr250 Handboook says 7.5 litres so The mx'er wouldn't make it. I'd say 40k or so. Did a 35k at Trailblazer and seemed to have heaps left maybe the lighter bike and my nanny riding would chew less fuel?? But the enduros have far bigger tanks and a reserve so you know when to cruise home on the big cross country loops.

[chop]

My kx is pretty good on gas suprisingly if you are riding around the forrest its pretty good if you caining in its not so good.

[warewolf]

Yup the KTM will need springs.

You sure about that? My KTM books indicate they always set up for a 75kg rider weight (with riding gear). Every 2003 2T 125-200-250-300 SX/MXC/EXC and even my 2005 640 Adventure - all set for 75 or 70-80kg according to the book.

[Danger]

Yeah and like KTM know anything about suspension right? Don't believe the KTM manuals they have not changed them for years (until very recently anyway). And he is 85kg, not 75kg. KTM's have always been under sprung and over damped. I get more KTM's through the door for work than anything else. At least in '07 they finally went up a rate on the forks which suits a heavier range of rider. Before that you needed to be under 70kg to make the fork springs work for you. The rears have been all over the place since the progressives and gradually getting even lighter. BTW the progressive springs work better over a wider range of terrains than the straights do as well. And most Kiwi blokes use them for a multitude of purposes, trail rides, MX, GNCC, enduro's, sand mud and rocks. The rears are also under sprung and over damped, particularly in the high speed damping.

[warewolf]

Yeah - hear you about KTM's documentation, and the setup.

I was/am confused I thought you were saying one of the KTMs would need springs and the other wouldn't, and I meant to say they both would for 85kg

[Buddy L]

Ah yes, we are missing one thing though. We did a 50k loop on Sunday and 2-3k from home we both hit reserve(300 exc). 9.2 litres.

Its always good to know that I'm going to finish a cross country race or trail ride.

Thats not many kays out of a tank!!! i managed to get 52 kays out of my
cr125 small tank, heavy drink.
But the rmz im sure ill be able to get about 60-70 kays a tank.

[dammad1]

Yeah and like KTM know anything about suspension right? Don't believe the KTM manuals they have not changed them for years (until very recently anyway). And he is 85kg, not 75kg. KTM's have always been under sprung and over damped. I get more KTM's through the door for work than anything else. At least in '07 they finally went up a rate on the forks which suits a heavier range of rider. Before that you needed to be under 70kg to make the fork springs work for you. The rears have been all over the place since the progressives and gradually getting even lighter. BTW the progressive springs work better over a wider range of terrains than the straights do as well. And most Kiwi blokes use them for a multitude of purposes, trail rides, MX, GNCC, enduro's, sand mud and rocks. The rears are also under sprung and over damped, particularly in the high speed damping.

Well thats a debate thats been going on for a long time, Mark Patterson doesn't like the old progressive rear springs he thinks that the straight rates behave better over a series of bumps and I actually changed to a straight rate spring on my old 03 300 and it defianetly made the rear end more compliant.
and the rear end on my 08 is really good tracks perfect but the forks need a little work, just a little harsh on the real hard pack.

The beauty about the KTM's is that they are made for offroad you dont need to go and add flywheel weights and with the dual ignition (07 onwards) and the different powervalve springs you can tune the power to suit your riding style.
But with all that being said I dont think you can go to wrong with any of your choices they are all good bikes.

[Ktmboy]

Thats not many kays out of a tank!!! i managed to get 52 kays out of my
cr125 small tank, heavy drink.
But the rmz im sure ill be able to get about 60-70 kays a tank.

Yeah I've noticed the difference between the 200 and the 300. Used to get close to 80k out of a tank.

Bigger bore, bigger carb and way heavier drinker.

The KTM two stroke have always tended to be a bit light in the front and is something that does need attention. Fitted a damper and fuck it has saved my bacon a couple of times. I can even take my hand off to pull remove a tear off without shitty myself.