KTM FOUR STROKE OR TWO?

T

tjcool

New member
looking to trade/sell my current bike for a KTM..not sure why some buy two stroke and some four....wondering about engine size...not a heavy person..about 173lbs..6'..like power if if not used all times..nice to know it's available when i do want it...probably going to buy used if i can find a good deal and once i sell my honda..what years are best for what models?...i saw lots, well most were, ktm's at a ride i attempted to join so i guess the consensus is ktm are the favourite and best brand for off roading..any advice on what to look at buying will be appreciated...taking to utah next year..and why are the gas tanks so bloody small?

tj
 
M

Marilius

Member
Hey TJ,

You just asked the hardest question to answer in dirt biking " whats the best best brand for off-roading".

I just started back into dirt biking and did alot of reading on whats is the best bike. What i have found out is there is not really a best brand it's more what best for you.

Honda's are tanks they are hard kill and easy to work on however they only come in 4 stroke and they are heavy. They have lots of mods out there if you go with the 250x.

KTM are light, there are lots of mods out there for them and they come in 2 and 4 stroke but they need alittle more work done to them more often. there is a lot of options for size with KTMs for your size and skill level i would go with a 250 or 300/350. for which model i'll let the team orange recommend one as i don't know them all.

Yamaha there in the middle of Honda's and KTM's not to heavy but also not as light as the KTM's. they come in 2 and 4. there are some mods out there for them but not as many as the Honda 250x or the KTM's. they need about as much work on them as Honda's which is not much at all but they are alittle easier to work on. however i been on 3 rides this year with people with Yamaha's and all 3 bikes had issues and it cut the riders day short.

Husqvarna don't know alot about them.

here's a youtube video for your entertainment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vr1EE3VxP4 FYI i'm type 3 lol :p

Now for 2 vs 4 stroke again this comes down to what do you like and your riding style. here's a nice read on 2 vs 4 https://rideexpeditions.com/two-stroke-vs-four-stroke-the-truth/

Why are gas tanks so small because the manufactures hate us :( lol.

hope this helps.
 
A

Aube

New member
This is also a question that I struggled with recently and ultimately it comes down to your personal preference. Some will say 2T is a must for gnarly riding, but a top 10 finish on a 4T in the erzberg rodeo this year suggests otherwise.

I recently bought a new bike and the first thing I did was decide what the bike MUST have.

#1 for me was the wp AER, reviews were great and my need to ride both the MX track and single track made this fork a great choice.

#2 I wanted the motor to be between a 250-350. To me that's the best range, I've had a 450 and while it was rideable, one slip up and your off to the emerg.

#3 Blue plate was not a requirement for me. If a Blue plate is a must for you it significantly limits your options. I don't know of a new/recent 2T that is truly road legal, guys have been able to blue plate them but there's a risk that you may not be able to, def not if it's used and already green plated.

#4 Long term maintenance and the cost of a rebuild. This is what sealed the deal for me. I've owned both, have rebuilt both and a 2T is always easier, quicker and generally cheaper to rebuild.

I myself considered the 17 ktm xcf250, 17 Husqvarna TX350, 17 Husqvarna TX300 and 17 Yamaha fx250f. I bought the Husky TX300 and love it. The bike ia fantastic, my only complaint was the jetting which has been fixed with a 100$ update kit.

Marty
 
T

tjcool

New member
thanks gentlemen....very helpful..if only one was able to actually test ride the bike interested in...I read an article about the 2017 KTM 250 XC-W ..good review....crappy exhaust connection...and a slight glitch in mid range throttle..also read about the 2017 KTM 250 EXC-F...another good review...never considered the other makes..kinda have my little brain semi-set on a KTM...if only just to be cool!....for now..that can change any second....cannot afford the husk...KTM's are expensive enough...they do have good resale value....plus they seem to be everywhere which makes me think they are a good bike....would slightly prefer the four stroke if only to avoid the mixing of gas and oil...that is lazy I know but the less I have to do the better....would be nice like I said to try one....the Honda is like you said a tank..solid, unbreakable etc...not as nimble as I thought it would be coming from gsa's...plus the fact I'm not as nimble as I thought I was...I gotta sellthe Honda asap and get me something else..also I think I'm leaning towards something I can take on road for a bit....might have a little land rented up near Norway lake next year and riding to the north end trails would be like ten minutes away...this wouldn't be a deal maker but if it came at a good price I would consider it...if you know of anyone selling used in good nic, let me know...or if you know someone would wants an extremely low mileage xr650l, let me know..it's a 2015 with 2200 kms..I have it on kijiji and there are lots of upgrades to it...commission to anyone here who can help me sell it!
 
M

Marilius

Member
As Marty said if you are looking at blue plate Bike you're going to significantly limit your options. Not only the type of bike you can get but also what you're going to be able to/ should do in the trails.

Keep in mind The MTO cracked down on the type of bikes you can ride on the roads in 2006 in Ont. You can no long convert a off road bike to be street legal in Ont, it has to come from the manufacture as street legal. Also if you take a street legal bike and make it an off road bike you can't convert it back to street legal.

I would recommend that you should make a list of your needs and wants and go from there. Once you have your needs and wants listed out post them here and it will be easier for people to recommend a bike for you.
 
B

barbotte

Member
if you dont want to mix the oil with gas ,,and want a 2 stroke ,,,get the new 2018 husky or ktm they have fuel injection now but you have to ask for it (option) .. i had a 4 stroke suzuki drz 250 then change it to 4 stroke crf250x that all i did to them it is change oil twice a year and put gas in and was very happy ,,, now i have a 2 stroke gas gas 300 engine and ho ley crap there is a difference in power as most time its too much power ( 1/4 turn and it lunch like a rocket ) but it is my first year with a 2 stroke so it is a learning curve but i spend more money in oil and time adjusting the jet to be were i wanted that 50 % of the time i ride I wish i was back on my honda as i love my honda, i crash so many time with the honda and it never broke or let me down and if i ever need fuel on the road i dont have to worry about oil i put any gaz in it and voila back on track ..i find the 4 stroke is better in fuel and less aggressive on the throttle unless you take a 450 ,, keep in mind that with the new fuel injected 2 stroke you dont have to mix oil and it is like a 200:1 ratio ,,or something crazy like that so it should be cheap on oil as my 2 stroke oil is like $20 for a small container and i am on my 3 th one already ..and i also have to change engine/clutch oil more often than my honda
cheer
Henri
 
R

rossw

Administrator
Staff member
Let me play devil's advocate for a moment...

IMHO, you are switching from one extreme to another, what about getting something closer to the middle but still plenty capable on the trails? Something like a used CRF230F or TTR230? It will be a fraction of the cost and allow you to test the waters. When you are ready to move on you can likely get close to what you paid for it. These bikes hold their value.

The CRF230F can haul my big ass anywhere I want to go and yours is a lot smaller than mine. I suspect you could ride it for a year and not miss a thing. This would buy you some time to get a feel for your preferences and what you really want.

Feel free to discard and ignore ;-)
 
M

Marilius

Member
If you go with Rossw recommendation there is away you can try out both the CRF230F and the CRF250x before you buy it. http://trailtours.ca/ rents both bikes and not only do you get to try them out but you also get lessons and a trail ride with them for the day. I think it's around $260 for the day and you get the Bike, a lesson and a trail ride.
 
G

Gord

Member
Does not help answer your question, but for an entertaining take on how unimportant bike choice is (both to having fun and handling tough trails), read the "Africa Twin (Shock)" article in Traction: http://www.tractionerag.ca/nov2016

Cole's notes version - Traction entered and finished the Corduroy Enduro on a 35 year old Honda XL185. Regular class with modern bikes, not some vintage class.
 
R

rossw

Administrator
Staff member
Marilius":23bo1c58 said:
If you go with Rossw recommendation there is away you can try out both the CRF230F and the CRF250x before you buy it. http://trailtours.ca/ rents both bikes and not only do you get to try them out but you also get lessons and a trail ride with them for the day. I think it's around $260 for the day and you get the Bike, a lesson and a trail ride.
Click to expand...

That is an even better idea. Would allow you to feel the difference between the classes of bikes and determine which one you are most comfortable on on the trails.
 
P

pat74

New member
KTM is coming this fall again for a full line of bike Demo. You would be able to try them all their.
 
Z

zedro

Member
In your situation you probably couldn't go wrong with a Beta Xtrainer....lower prices than the Enduro bikes, bit shorter, easy to ride, all the benefits of a 2 stroke but with oil injection, it's a very capable true trail bike with gobs of linear torque, and not a racing machine. Plus has the light kit too.

So what changed? Just the other week you were saying trailering dirtbikes was for the birds? :mrgreen:
 
T

tjcool

New member
no no no..it was cars are for the birds....i wasn't stating that for motorbikes of any kind...you misunderstood my attempt at humour..sorry..just cars...i'm not in the least bit interested in cars.....as a matter of fact, i was looking at a demo(?) beta 250rr yesterday...this oil injection is not a new thing..it is on a 1976 suzuki gt250 i'm trying to restore but, a very nice thing to have...one less thing to sort of do..i was humbled by the single track on this heavier bike..i suppose with more experience i could eventually handle it but, in the meantime i need something lighter....
 
Z

zedro

Member
I would stay away from the Freeride, it has its issues and is being discontinued...it's kind of its own unique platform. The Beta 250rr is pretty much a race bike, the 250 is very spirited, the 300rr would actually be an easier bike to ride.
 
K

ktmdirtbiker

New member
Hi tjcool...
I started out 10 years ago as a new rider with no street license.

I bought a new 2007 TTR230 (someone posted it's a good startup bike on your thread)...
That 4 Stroke was good for my first 15 months...but I outgrew its ability to take me on the North Side trails...Literally--It couldn't take the trails up there..good for Limerick Forest though!

I then bought in Aug. 2008 from Woody a new 2008 KTM 250 4Stroke...Carb engine...That bike was excellent for the abuse that I put it through hauling my sorry butt around Calabogie for 8 summers.

Others can attest to its ability to take abuse with all those rocks and trees jumping out at me on the trails!

The 4 Stroke for me was the way to go...no oil mixing and also very important for me..the engine back pressure was extra braking on those knarly downhills (Newfie Autobahn!) especially in wet conditions.

I got my road license in 2012, so last year I bought the new 2016 KTM350 EXCF..road legal bike...plenty of power on demand versus the hesitant 250 carb engine...and NOT the serious power band blowouts of the 2 Strokes...my buddy has gone from KTM 300 to 200 to a 150 (all 2 Strokes)-as we get older we don't heal as well!

My KTM 350 needed some Mods, as noted by another another poster, to make it more off-road oriented (but remain street legal);
1-like getting smaller turn signals,
2-changing the plate location,
3-taking the big mirrors off to smaller folded mirror,
4-metal engine skid plate,
5-put metal handguards on--MANDATORY for off-road if you want to keep your fingers!
I've kept everything to put back on should I sell it or move to the Dual-Sport side of the club.

2 other bikes to consider are the WR250 or the Beta 350's.
Hope this helps...Tom in Brockville
 
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