Oh Boy...what bike to get

[Michael15 1]

Hello everyone. I've really enjoyed reading the various threads on what bike to buy. The videos/pics that are posted up really get the riding juices going. There is so much information on the site and the web in general on enduro/DS bikes. I'm not sure I even know the difference between the two. I'm a smaller guy at 5 8" and 155lbs and at 48yrs young I'm not sure I want to wrestle with a bigger bike. I have a GS for road and some small excursions. I do not have a lot of experience on enduro, dez and/or single track. My experience on dirt has been almost exclusively motocross in Texas and here in SoCal. My bike of choice was the CRF 450 for the tracks. What I'd like to do is explore some enduro riding here and in Colorado as we travel there often in the summer. I'd also like to take the bike to the tracks on a much scaled down level than I did before, probably vet track at Pala and Cahuilla. Here are some of my observations:

KTM 350 exc-f(whatever the 2012 street legal version is called)

Although I've not seen the bike or read any independent reviews this bike seems that it may fit my needs....at $9500 the entry price is STEEP. I like the fact its relatively light, plated, fuel injected and there is a very large dealer support system throughout the country.

Husky TE 310(2011)

I really don't know much about this bike but the price(under $7k)is a lot more attractive than the KTM. I'm not sure if the dealer network is as widespread as the KTM and I just don't know much about the bike. The reviews seem good, its fuel injected and plated.

Used bikes-

I've looked on craigslist, ADV, etc for used KTM's and/or Huskys. The only really clean ones I've found seem to only be discounted by 1500-2000k off of new. Don't get me wrong that is a lot of $ but for some reason I'm really uneasy buying a used dirtbike from someone I don't know. The KTM 530's I've seen alot but that might be a lil big for me, not so good fro the track and again its used.

Would love to hear some of the suggestions from you folk. Should I just bite the bullet and sell the dog, the wife's treadmill and the kid's computers to buy the KTM? Take a chance on the Husky and save some $$? Or just keep looking for a good used bike and roll the dice there.

Thanks!

[dirt dame 559]

Husqvarna's are probably the most underated bikes out there. I have 7600 miles and well over three hundred hours on the engine of my 2007 TE450 and it finally needed it's first valve adjustment last week. There are a few of us on this forum that ride Husqvarna, and almost all of us really like our bikes. I just rode some the 2012 Huskys at a press day, and they were pretty nice, especially that two stroke WR300. Anyway, I'm sure that there will be other Husky folks who will chime in if they read this thread.

[Uncle Champ 116]

You meet the nicest people on a Honda, just saying. What about the new 500 KTM? Oh my!

[Michael15 1]

I loved my crf450r's. They were bulletproof. I have found a couple of KTM 530's. I'm just a lil afraid that is to big a bike for me in the tight trails? Not having to much enduro experience I'm really struggling to know if 10lbs will be a huge difference for me? I know the $2500 diff I save off of new would make my CFO(wife) very happy!

[Bagstr 287]

"Struggling to know if 10lbs will be a huge difference for me? "

One would think choosing the motor characteristic you want is more to the point. Torque down low (500EXC) or Horsepower up high (350EXC).

You will not be racing anyone to the first turn! Using a Dualsport at the Track,,,there are knowledgeable folks here on that subject.

Buying new, personally the 500 would have my attention.

[Sneeker 29]

Another consideration is the reciprocating engine mass of a 500ish motor vs. a 250-300 motor. A smaller bore provides less gyroscopic effect and feels many lbs lighter, add in the actual weight savings and a small bore is much more manageable in tight situations.

There are times when I’m on a 250 trail riding and cringe thinking if I was on my 650 at that moment.

[Bagstr 287]

"small bore is much more manageable in tight situations."

Correct as usual, King Friday! As all these discussions go, the rider should consider what intended use he/she has in mind. Big spaces or tight spaces?

Dare I say, some of us are Not looking for tight spaces. Would love to have three bikes for diff applications. If a gent is limited to one, she/he would make a diff decision than a gent with the luxury of three. In the end this is Not a question of logic but one of emotion. Where are you in your Moto Journey,,,this week?

[Guest Crusty]

Since you have a GS why not a GREEN STICKER bike for the track and single track.

The best single track I have been riding is GREEN STICKER.

[PastaPilot 17]

Go plated or turn your "sticker" bike around when you reach the first paved/"No OHVs Allowed" trail connector. Welcome to the New World Order. That's the way it is and that's the way it will be. When the options exist for plated bikes that are as good as ANY off road only bike why would you buy an off road only motorcycle and limit your off road riding options?

Spaugh has a KTM 350 and from his raving reviews you'll be fine. At 155# the 310/350 will have plenty of piss and fire to move you easily along anything you plan to ride. Since you're intending on riding local tracks and travelling to high elevations bypass the, natch, completely remove carbureted bikes from your list. As a proud owner of an Aprilia RXV the benefits of fuel injection far outweigh the pitfalls. And having to pull the jets and needle clips before and after any road trip is a PITA.

Bennies - Perfect "jetting" all the time, everytime, no matter where you go, what the temperature or barometric pressure is. Fuel delivery tuning is done with a plug in cord and a laptop or electronic controller (not dirty, fuel soaked fingers). Flip your bike upside down in a ditch and restarts are a non-event (it starts right up no kidding). Never any hesitation when whacking the throttle open because, well refer to reason #1. In my experience more reliable.

Cons - Unless you buy an EFI tuner you can't fine tune your fuel delivery (but if it's already perfect why mess with it). Fuel pumps and electrical circuits can fail and on the trail that can't be fixed (but how many fuel pumps and CPUs have failed unexpectedly in the cars and trucks you have owned over how many miles you're driven?)

[Beezzz 6]

Which DS Husky's have a wide ratio 6 speed transmission?

[dirtdiva 0]

OK Mimi - I'll be the next Husky owner to chime in. Can't go wrong with the Husky TE 310. I have a 2009 and I can take this bike anywhere. A month or so ago took the bike to Baja - 400+ miles in two days and rode everything from single track to sand to graded road - alot of high speed and many hours of riding - bike came back looking a mess but cleaned up perfect (except for the warped aftermarket tank - IMS don't cha know). Then a couple weeks ago hubby and I were at Big Bear and rode Gold Mountain. Anyone who has ridden that trail knows what I am talking about. Bike handled it awesome!!! I must confess though, when we got to the football field size rock garden I had to pull the Diva card and let hubby ride it across. Just too many jagged big rocks for someone like me who can't touch the ground. Bruce did comment how light and nimble the bike felt in that rock terrain, compared to his Husky TE 510. As for riding the bike at the track - well I have a Kawi for that but let me share this - a few weeks ago we were at the Ranch and there was a factory rider literally tearing up the track on a new TE 310 - the bike was stock except for the suspension.... The newer model is basically a race bike with a plate. Do your research, Husky is a prime contender in the Enduro world and if you can only have one bike - it covers all your riding needs (except alot of pavement - not good for that). I am only 5'4" and 130 lbs (hey, in my defense, muscle is heavier than fat ) and the only time the bike feels big to me is in the deep sand or when it starts to fall over. As for service providers, well, we never have a problem with it so not much of an issue - and if we do, there are two dealers right here in Escondido..... Anyway - that's my 2 cents..... Happy shopping....

[bikeslut 1]

Spaugh has a KTM 350 and from his raving reviews you'll be fine.

At 155# the 310/350 will have plenty of piss and fire to move you

Spaugh's bike is not plated, is it?

155#... hahaha... have you seen most of us? SPAUGH may be 155, but I haven't been 155 since I was 11 years old... nor have you, I suspect... not Crusty...

that being said; Spaugh's 350 has plenty of spunk for any of us, without a doubt

[PastaPilot 17]

Spaugh has a KTM 350 and from his raving reviews you'll be fine.

At 155# the 310/350 will have plenty of piss and fire to move you

Spaugh's bike is not plated, is it?

155#... hahaha... have you seen most of us? SPAUGH may be 155, but I haven't been 155 since I was 11 years old... nor have you, I suspect... not Crusty...

that being said; Spaugh's 350 has plenty of spunk for any of us, without a doubt

Get back to those budget reports or start loading your gear!

Perhaps my wording was a bit off, but after offering a counterpoint to crusty I was directing my post to the original poster not to you. I know that may be difficult for you to grasp, nonetheless it is true. Furthermore, I sure know your fat ass hasn't seen 155 since middle school and that goes for many of us here. Again refer to the OP's OP.

Now Spaugh's 350 is not plated, it is one of the first run of 350e-xc-wrfd whatevers and is actually a red sticker bike. Later bikes will certainly have improved EPA ratings and possibly be plated. Spaugh weighs around 170-180 and he's told me many times it has more than enough power for him. (Funny that he made his old 450 a 540 ).

[racerbill 0]

I'm old and need a light bike so the 2011 KTM 300 fit the bill for me. I have a plate on it and just got back from a 5 day ride in Utah. We rode 625 miles of jeep roads and quad trails all over central Utah. I got about 33-34 mph so it worked well as a dual sport.

[Guest Crusty]

When the options exist for plated bikes that are as good as ANY off road only bike.

I wish this was true.

[Crawdaddy 96]

I'm old and need a light bike so the 2011 KTM 300 fit the bill for me. I have a plate on it and just got back from a 5 day ride in Utah. We rode 625 miles of jeep roads and quad trails all over central Utah. I got about 33-34 mph so it worked well as a dual sport.

I agree with you Bill. A 250/300 XCW plated elsewhere seems like a great solution for ~75 mile dual-sport loops. And at 60:1 ratios it's not like you'd need to carry much oil if you want to add a gallon of gas to get you back to camp.....

[dirt dame 559]

I'm old and need a light bike so the 2011 KTM 300 fit the bill for me. I have a plate on it and just got back from a 5 day ride in Utah. We rode 625 miles of jeep roads and quad trails all over central Utah. I got about 33-34 mph so it worked well as a dual sport.

I agree with you Bill. A 250/300 XCW plated elsewhere seems like a great solution for ~75 mile dual-sport loops. And at 60:1 ratios it's not like you'd need to carry much oil if you want to add a gallon of gas to get you back to camp.....

2T plated is great. My old KDX200 has a stock 3.3 gallon tank on it and probably gets at least 35 mpg. I carry a four ounce bottle marked at each ounce for a normal day ride. I know one ounce to a half gallon of gasoline works out to 50:1 and can get the mix very close when refilling at a gas station.

[Spaugh 1]

Spaugh has a KTM 350 and from his raving reviews you'll be fine.

At 155# the 310/350 will have plenty of piss and fire to move you

Spaugh's bike is not plated, is it?

155#... hahaha... have you seen most of us? SPAUGH may be 155, but I haven't been 155 since I was 11 years old... nor have you, I suspect... not Crusty...

that being said; Spaugh's 350 has plenty of spunk for any of us, without a doubt

350xc may hit a little harder than the street legal one and it has the MX suspension valved for offroad which works well. I did some sand dune and dry lake bed testing this weekend. It has enough juice to get it done but it gets a little busy in the uppper rpms. You can ride 90 a little more comfortably on a bigger bike that is for sure. I'm adding a stabilizer and changing the triple clamps and doing some desert racing in two weeks. Ill take a video and post it.

[Guest Crusty]

After spending another day at Pala on my 450X all I can say is buy one.

This bike ROCKS!

The only bike I want now is a brand new CRF 450R.

2005 450X with CURRENT CA registration and plate. It has been ridden very

little, and has an estimated 50-60 total hours on it. It was street-legal in

Ohio and ridden primarily on the Hatfield-McCoy trails in WV. I moved here in

January and transferred the title, reg, and plate to CA. It has a larger Clarke

3.4 gallon tank, a Utah skidplate, a Shark disc protector, several other case

protector plates, Cycra aluminum brush guards and a ProMoto billet luggage rack.

Yeah, no sh*t, a luggage rack on a 450x. This bike has been used for exploring,

not for competition or track days.

It has been street-legalized using an Electrix Trick-Dual sport kit. Hi/low

beams, horn, flush-mount turn signals, and brake light. Original front/newer

rear tire. It also has a Shorai Lithium-Iron battery.

Why am I selling it? I need something more sedate and streetworthy. Trades with

cash are welcome.

Alcosta Rd exit on 680 north from 580 in Dublin.

Randy

(216) 509-2458.

[Michael15 1]

Thanks for the comments. I have been browsing the used bike markets without much luck. I really don't want to old a bike as I'm not the best mechanic(ok..understatement). Crusty, I did love my previous CRF 450's and everytime I see one for sale I'm tempted. I can see where this is going....a bike for track and a trail/enduro bike. I have a feeling I'm going to wait until the new 350exc comes out and if its all its suppose to be it could be both a track/enduro bike. I think I'm having a hard time psychologically dropping $10k on a dirtbike...I'm sure I'll get over it quickly.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Street Legal CRF450 Orange County

You can find them around often enough. You could always ride it for a year then get the plated 350 when it comes out? Happy shopping

[hoss314 0]

I have a plated 06' 450X I may be arm twisted into selling.....

[Crawdaddy 96]

I'm old and need a light bike so the 2011 KTM 300 fit the bill for me. I have a plate on it and just got back from a 5 day ride in Utah. We rode 625 miles of jeep roads and quad trails all over central Utah. I got about 33-34 mph so it worked well as a dual sport.

I agree with you Bill. A 250/300 XCW plated elsewhere seems like a great solution for ~75 mile dual-sport loops. And at 60:1 ratios it's not like you'd need to carry much oil if you want to add a gallon of gas to get you back to camp.....

Took my own advice .......closed a deal this morning on a 09 300 XC-W in Tucson ......picking it up Sat the 5th....it's loaded with goodies

Bling:

• Rekluse Z-Start Pro Clutch with brake kit

o http://rekluse.com/zstartpro.shtml

• Mule Engine Modification by Jeff Slaven

o http://slavensracing.com/services/ktm-2-stroke-services/ktm-2-stroke-engine-services

• GPRV3 Remote Adjustment Damping

o http://www.gprstabilizer.com/prod_v3

• Trail tech hid x2 with stator

• Suspension by factory connection (180-220)

• Street legal (AZ.)

• Tubliss tire kit

• Procircuit platinum II pipe

• FMF Q2 Stealth

• Pivot Pegz footpegs

• Handguards

• New plastic

• 1 previous owner 57 year old/well maintained

• Hyde skid plate

• Enduro engineering radiator guard

• Shark fin

• Stealth chainring

• Map switch

• New battery

My 520 is at All American KTM getting a full service then I'm putting it on the sales block for ~$3500 with new Seat Concepts seat/new graphics......it has freshened top end (reseated/replaced 2 valves) and freshened suspension front (new seals/oil) and rear (revalved shock), new clutch, freshened GPR (new oil/seals), desert tank, bark busters, rad guards, blah, blah, blah......it's all set up for someone to have fun.....

[Uncle Champ 116]

This post is BS! Hoss I was thinking I was getting close to putting all I needed on my X, then I read your list . I quit! Maybe I should look at new bikes too.

[jbw 0]

09 300 XC-W Street legal (AZ.)

How is that going to work out?