the ultimate trail bike, not vmx!

[Ktm181]

Now this is just a general idea, you blokes modify more bikes than i have ever seen, so......

current modern is a Ktm450 2009, i reckon the perfect bike for me would be DR650 AIR COOLED engine in a similar chassis to my modern, what are you all running,seen or built???

p.s. sorry its not vmx but i dont talk to many modern bike riders,not dirt anyways!!!!

cheer,
Kt.

[Tony T]

Have a chat to Norm Watts. 
He's got a DR650 with some very trick KTM suspension courtesy of his young fella! 
He had it at Harrow last year but I never took any pics of it.
He might have it at Stratford next weekend. If he does, I'll get some photos this time.

[DR500]

At least you wouldn't have to keep rebuilding the motor.

[popeye]

Mate got to be a KTM 300 EXC-E for me, I had a 2010 model for awhile and it was the best thing I've had by a country mile.......

[Ktm181]

Mate got to be a KTM 300 EXC-E for me, I had a 2010 model for awhile and it was the best thing I've had by a country mile.......

i
Yep, have to agree, i have a 450exc 09 as a traily, a good thing for a 4st, but i do miss the 250 and 300s i have had, especially a '92 250gs....a pearler.  I like the Kato but worry about the engines longevity, looked after they seem to get to about 15k as a trail bike, i'd reckon that dr650 engine in the Kato with a cush drive hub would be about perfect all-rounder (for a 4st!)

Kt

[evo550]

Mate got to be a KTM 300 EXC-E for me, I had a 2010 model for awhile and it was the best thing I've had by a country mile.......

I've got a '13 model.....I will never get another bike that doesn't have that magic button

[topari]

This 250R Freerider from KTM could break new ground.


http://www.ktm.com/freeride/freeride-250-r/highlights.html#.UiiCoeBRqpg

[popeye]

I only did about 3500 klms on my 300 but a mate of mine still has his and he does 200 hrs between a top end freshen up, and we ran them at 60.1 motoul 800 and they will hose any 450 that I've ridden with any time you like.

[FourstrokeForever]

Yep, the kato 300 are damn good alright. I had an 04 and an 05. Brilliant on the MX track and single trail yet could be ridden a gear higher like a 4 stroke when needed.

But really, ya can't beat a Husaberg! Light, powerful, magic button and great handling suspension. My first berg in 02 (501) never missed a beat. It had done over 13000k's by 2003 and the only drama was the auto decomp lever wearing out. Husaberg replaced it with an updated version at no cost to me, which I thought was great as the bike was nearly 12 months old and out of warranty. And the dealer knew I raced it and trail rode every weekend

I've had a FSE450 Gas Gas, A filthy WR450 Yamaha and had the 09 570 Husaberg as well. The 570 was a great trailbike but geezus, it was too much bike for me when I tried racing it.

I sold the 570 and found myself a good 2003 501 Husaberg. Gave it a bit of TLC and a few new bits and it's all the bike I will ever need now. I'm over the whole "must have the latest and greatest" thing. All it does is drain money out my bank every year when I "update" 




 

[Nathan S]

You crazy kids - KTMs seem great right up to the moment you ride a (modern) Beta enduro bike.
As someone else described it: "Betas are like heroin - you get hooked the first time you try it".

More reliable, too... There's one locally that belongs to a young bloke - 80 hours between oil changes(!!), ride to the shops, flog it around on the weekend, all that sort of thing. Only drama he's had is a water pump seal.
And they don't break hubs, either.

[crash n bern]

You crazy kids - KTMs seem great right up to the moment you ride a (modern) Beta enduro bike.
As someone else described it: "Betas are like heroin - you get hooked the first time you try it".

More reliable, too... There's one locally that belongs to a young bloke - 80 hours between oil changes(!!), ride to the shops, flog it around on the weekend, all that sort of thing. Only drama he's had is a water pump seal.
And they don't break hubs, either.

They only break hubs if the chain is too tight.  Should actually be a bit looser than the manual recommends.
I don't upgrade very often as by the time I get them how I want them, it's too much to strip it all off to sell.  Then half the stuff wont fit the new models and you get peanuts for the parts because no ones running the older stuff.  Like TBM, I've chosen slightly older models over newer stuff because time has proven their reliability and some of the new stuff is getting too high tech for me. I don't care for fuel injection on a dirt bike.  I bought a 2007 Husaberg 650 over the newer ones because I liked the simplicity of it and love the motor. I no longer fear greasy creek banks and big hills.  It will chug through anything and reminds me of a faster lighter, slicker version of my ATK. I just wished I bought one earlier.

[FourstrokeForever]

  I bought a 2007 Husaberg 650 over the newer ones because I liked the simplicity of it and love the motor. I no longer fear greasy creek banks and big hills.  It will chug through anything and reminds me of a faster lighter, slicker version of my ATK. I just wished I bought one earlier.
[/quote]

Good to hear another happy Husaberg rider. I hear what ya sayin brother! When I first rode a Husaberg back in 02, it reminded me of trimmed down, faster and lighter version of the old XR600's. It just fit and I felt right at ease with it from the outset.

[80-85 husky]

ktm 300 is the go. Husabergs 4t's are good but it always seems im riding them up hills for the owners....then they get a kato 2t and ask me why they didn't do that years ago....

the husaberg 2-'s are nicer than the kato's fyi out of the crate

[FourstrokeForever]

The KTM300 is a great bike. No doubt about that. The only downsides are that it is a 2st and has that big fat pipe hanging out just waiting to get squished.... I know because I was forever repairing the pipe!

If ya mates can't get a husaberg up a hill, they need to take up golf or something. Husabergs eat hills!

[80-85 husky]

A pickles pipe guard solves that problem. its a cage, not a alligator style, can hit things with confidence ...and I do ....