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Hayden you asked about the 300 EXC. Mine is an '02. Some background; The KTM 200's are based on the SX125 motor and are real snappy, alot of fun to ride, but you have to stay focused. Anybody can trail ride one, but trying to go fast for 2 hours non-stop, you have to be on your game. The bike is less forgiving than others. You can however use FWW's, pipes and different PV springs and change the power of the 200 to suit your tastes, just like you can on any KaTooM.

The 250's have a bit more torque that the 200's down low and in the mid range but I'm not real sure they are much faster on top if any. I think they're a bit easier to ride than the 200's. I've only ridden one EXC250 so I'm not that familiar with them.

The three-hundy; The 300 puts out alot of torque, all over, thus you can ride it a gear high in the tight stuff and it is very forgiving and like a big electric motor. Since it's a 2T it has virtually no compression braking which I like alot, it doesn't wear you out like a 4T. Depending on how you have it tuned, and with the torque in the low and midrange there is no real noticeable hit in the powerband. If you get caught in too high of gear and all of a sudden need a big blast of power, just roll on the throttle, the 300 will pull you thru. The smaller bikes may have you doing the panic down shift thing. I have the FMF Fatty pipe, (real good on the 300), a Steahly flywheel weight and am currently running the green PV spring, this all equates to making the bike about as "soft" and rideable as you can get it, just what you want if your an old C-Vet woods rider. With it's current setup, it will lug and chug all day in 1st gear but still haul azz on top if called upon. At the last Quenemo race I saw 69 MPH on the trail tech on one long straight and still had motor left. I just ran out of nerve. Ihad a Gnarly pipe and the red PV spring and stock FWW on it right after I bought it and it was a monster, I had to soften it up. It's a 2T so maintenance is a piece of cake. The 300 won't need top end maintenance like the smaller bores as you don't have to spin them as hard to generate speed. This is my 2nd 300 and both have been ultra reliable. When it's late in a race, your tired and just holding on for dear life, the 300 is your best buddy. All these characteristics makes it a good trail bike too. I've had people say the '00 thru '02 series were some of the best KTM made, '03 and up you get some frame and suspension upgrades. There's not much to dislike about a 300 KTM. Hope that helps.

-Harvey
#75

Keep in mind that 2004 or 2005 on have the new motor. It is lighter, but also has a snappier feel to it. It will not lug as well as the 2002 w/o head / piston mods (Clay at Munn is supposed to be great at this - had I kept my bike, my engine would have found its way to Waco). My '05 was a great bike, but when I was tired, it was not my best friend. Keeping it crackling on the edge of the pipe was best for woods riding. when you were on the pipe, it was scary fast in the tight stuff. I absolutely loved it on the 2006 April fools ride in AR, but in Ohio single track it could be a handful. If I buy another smoker for Ohio woods, it will be a 200. I took a 200XC demo out the day I broke my leg at Crow Canyon and it was just too much fun to run single track on the pipe. The best mod I did to mellow out my 2005 300 EXC was a throttle cam.

Thanks guys. Good info. Im looking for a tight woods and nasty hill climbing bike. Never had a 2T before so not sure what to expect. I want something for like......the 5 miles of hell in Moab. I really didnt think I would buy a non street legal bike but now there is stuff I would like to try that really doesnt have to be legal. Like some stuff in Moab and Hatfield/Macoy etc. I was thinking about the 300 as Im a power monger and want it when I want it. Im not excluding a 200 or 250 but thought the 300 would be easier to maintain. I dont want to ring the heck out of it to pull me around(5'10 - 180lbs). I found an 05 250XC in Topeka with 4000 miles on it. Not sure what Kind of milage I need to keep in mind for maintence issues. 4k on a 2T seems a lot to me. Maybe not anymore but just dont know anything about them. Im learning though.

Would also like to go ride the Last Man Standing area and maybe a Harescramble here in Wichita.....so you have in mind now why I want 2T.

Hayden

Just so you dont get confused........Im on mikes computer.


Hayden

Hayden, keep in mind any of the KTM's, 200/250/300 has more than enough power to do what you want to do, each motor size just has a different personality, (power delivery) and thru tuning, you can make any of them do just about anything. Personally I'd rather buy a bike with considerably more hours on it that has been well maintained than a low hour unit that hadn't had the oil and air filter changed on it on a regular basis. In a perfect world, you'd like to find a bike that had not been raced, and the owner has realized he should have bought an XR250 to follow his kids around the back yard on. It's OK to buy a bike that's been raced but I'd prefer to buy one from a slower Vet rider than a AA guy as the bike has generally not been ridden as hard. I bought my 1st 300 from a 3rd row guy, and he raced it three full seasons but took real good care of it. I rode it for 2 years and it still held good compression when I traded for my current 300. If you get a bike that has been well maintained out of the gate, it will last you a long time. Don't rule out a KDX 200/220. I had a 220 years ago and it was a good reliable woods bike. Watch the Forward Motion Hare Scrambles web site, I've seen some killer deals on used bikes all blinged out. The owner just gets the itch for something new.
Good luck.

-Harvey

So what do you think of the 08s that have a starter?? Is this the first year the 300 has had a starter?

(Edit: Tracy [Hayden] forgot to log me off and log himself on ... Doh!)

There was a XCW250 e-start bike at C-Dale late last year. It was strange hearing the electric start spinning then a 2T sound afterwards. E-start and a kicker on a 2T is the best of both worlds. Don't be afraid of kick starting a 2T, they start very easily. It sounds like you are wanting to "try out" the 2T thing. Unless you're just loaded with $$$, I'd buy a used bike and avoid the brand new one. If you ride it for a year and decide it ain't your bag, you won't take the financial hit selling a used bike compared to the depreciated new bike.

Enough talk, now go buy something and give us a trail report.

-Harvey

PS: There is a nice looking KDX for sale on the FMHS site right now as a matter of fact.

http://74.220.205.183/messageb/viewtopic.php?t=1077

Well if money is no object check out the Husky WR250, Troy, Dave and I will let you in the club....

http://www.husqvarnausa.com/2008/EN_WR250.html

Here are the specs
http://www.husqvarnausa.com/2008/pdf/08_WR250.pdf

TBM

What about the 300 MXCs ?? There is a 2000 up at Streamline Performance in Hutch for $1600. I've been watch'n and think'n about it for a couple months. I haven't been up to take it around the parking lot yet, and it looks like it has a lot of rust on the chain/sprockets from being left outside. Here is a link to it:

http://www.streamlineperformancecycles. ... l?90708069

The MXC will have a closer ratio transmission with a taller 1st than an EXC.
FWIW: The 300 pulls the gaps of the EXC / XCW gearbox nicely. The 200 XCW seemed too gappy for my taste. I didn't ride the 250s. I really liked the 200 XC and feel it is the easiest bike to ride fast that I have been on. Keep in mind, I'm not talking hole shots or shooting hills from a stand still - just keeping momentum and rhythm through the woods. I'm sure it will require a bit more clutch fanning on some hills than the 300 did - then again in the mud, I often found myself fanning the 300's clutch to find traction so... I'm hoping to pick up a second bike next winter, and the 200XC is on the short list.

I had a 2000 300exc. Motor was great, but the jetting situation was ridiculous. I never fiddled with a bike so much. JD kit, staring at needle charts the whole nine yards. There is a reason there are tons of 300 jetting threads on ktmtalk. I finally concluded it was squish band (head) work by Clay Munn that would solve it. So I sold it LOL.

It would tractor up anything but had an annoying blubber off idle and wouldn't rev out which I know they aren't made to necessarily. The forks even after a Letko revalve weren't anything to write home about. Overall I would receommend a later model 300 they appear to be much more refined although jetting is still an issue to an extent. If you want a an orange woods bike, try for a 250.