I recieved my new bike last friday and after breaking it in today was my first day on the track. I can't say enough about it, it's everything I expected and more. The motor is down right nasty:p Only problem I can see now is the tires. What is a good combo that anyone has found. I'm thinking the michilin m12 front with s12 rear?? Anyone esle out there have experience with the bike? Just wanted to say how, once again, I am tickled to the bone with my new katoom, they never cease to amaze me!
02 125 sx, can't say enough....
- Thread starter ktmrider
- Start date
motojunkie
Member
- Apr 25, 2001
- 88
- 0
Try Michelin MH2s. I use them on my 520SX, and have had excellent results on int to hard conditions. I'm running 12 psi in them, and haven't had any problems.
smb_katoomer
Member
- Feb 24, 2001
- 132
- 0
if i am not mistaken, i believe that lafferty uses the m12/front and s12 rear combo. i have s12 front/rear, front slides a bit on hardpack but nothing really bad.
ktmrider, i saw there in your signature you have a 98 125, and i have a little question. have you had problems with headshake on the 98's. Mine has a little headshake on really hardpack/choppy sections. have you tried a steering dampner? thanks for any insight
ktmrider, i saw there in your signature you have a 98 125, and i have a little question. have you had problems with headshake on the 98's. Mine has a little headshake on really hardpack/choppy sections. have you tried a steering dampner? thanks for any insight
smb_,
I noticed with my '00 that it hates to have it's forks raised in the clamps. Even a little (3-5mm) makes it scarey shake at high speed. Feels real nice at about 1mm above and still turns well.
I noticed with my '00 that it hates to have it's forks raised in the clamps. Even a little (3-5mm) makes it scarey shake at high speed. Feels real nice at about 1mm above and still turns well.
smb_katoomer
Member
- Feb 24, 2001
- 132
- 0
jaybird, does yours have the conventional forks or the upsidedown forks? Mine are about 3mm from the triple clamp, would that really make that much of a difference?
The '00 has the upside down models. I too was surprised at how much difference 3 mm would make.
- Thread starter
- #7
Yes I purchased a scotts steering damper after headshake put me on the ground once. I've had one ever since. My 01 200 exc actually feels more shaky than my 98 125 but it never seemed to get to the out of control point, it was like the front end was just wandering.
smb_katoomer
Member
- Feb 24, 2001
- 132
- 0
hows the dampner feel?Does it help alot or just a little? (you see it is hard to justify something that costs that much to girlfriend). I mean the suspension is leaps and bounds better than what i am used to, but the headshake is something i just can't get over. Also, this may sound stupid, but does your bike have headshake when you land the front from a good wheelie? A ktm mechanic friend of mine told me about it and i have experienced it a few times. thanks for the help guys.
- Thread starter
- #9
Yes indeed does it help. You won't notice a drastic improvement right after you put it on, but if you ever hope on a bike similar to yours without a damper you won't want to get on a bike without one again. Deep sand is much easier to ride with a damper. I definately recomend the scotts damper. All their dampers are tested and are tuned to their best performing settings before shipment. I have seen and heard of headshake after a wheelie but never experienced it. When your landing are you setting the front end down under power or are you chopping the throttle and bringing the front end down abrubtly? The more abrubt it is the more chance you have of headshake.
smb_katoomer
Member
- Feb 24, 2001
- 132
- 0
now that i think of it, most times it after i almost flip it so i would say that it is a rather abrupt throttle chop. I'm gonna try and get ahold of a friend with a 99 200 exc and ride his. he has a dampner. Good news is my girlfriend agrees completely that i should get a dampner, bad news is she told me i could get one as soon as we have the extra money. hmm, anybody want a 94 ktm? oh well, come on next spring!
nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
- 5,802
- 1
Headshake
Yesterday after racing my '01 YZ 125 at Byron (pretty hard packed and rough/bumpy) I had a chance to take an '02 KTM 125 and '02 KX 125 for test rides around the track.
Before getting my YZ suspension dialed in - I had lots of problems with headshake. Now, it been months and months since it was a problem.
WELL, the '02 KTM 125 gave me pretty nasty headshake (on acceleration) in about 4 or 5 spots on the track. The KX and YZ gave me none. So I can say that stock this bike may be prone to headshake.
Other impressions on the '02 KTM 125:
The bike has NO bottom end power, great midrange hit, and keeps making power. The stock bike set-up was very different than your traditional Jap bike set up (especially the front end of the bike). While trying to grip the bike with my knees, the bike was very slick and I was sliding back and forth with my knees and had poor grip. The bike is also very slender and the stock seat is pretty hard (the KX seat was like a fluffy pillow). Turning was pretty nice - comparable to turning my YZ. The KX had much different turning that the KTM and YZ. The KTM brakes were not all that impressive - I really had to grab the front brake hard to slow down. The hydraulic clutch was nice, but I have seen leaks in the hose (by the clutch side of the motor) cause DNF's on the KTM's also (so I guess it has it's positives and negatives). Overall I think the bike had great power for a high-rpm intermediate-expert rider but was not the most beginner friendly bike and was very different that what I have rode in the past (YZ's and RM's).
Yesterday after racing my '01 YZ 125 at Byron (pretty hard packed and rough/bumpy) I had a chance to take an '02 KTM 125 and '02 KX 125 for test rides around the track.
Before getting my YZ suspension dialed in - I had lots of problems with headshake. Now, it been months and months since it was a problem.
WELL, the '02 KTM 125 gave me pretty nasty headshake (on acceleration) in about 4 or 5 spots on the track. The KX and YZ gave me none. So I can say that stock this bike may be prone to headshake.
Other impressions on the '02 KTM 125:
The bike has NO bottom end power, great midrange hit, and keeps making power. The stock bike set-up was very different than your traditional Jap bike set up (especially the front end of the bike). While trying to grip the bike with my knees, the bike was very slick and I was sliding back and forth with my knees and had poor grip. The bike is also very slender and the stock seat is pretty hard (the KX seat was like a fluffy pillow). Turning was pretty nice - comparable to turning my YZ. The KX had much different turning that the KTM and YZ. The KTM brakes were not all that impressive - I really had to grab the front brake hard to slow down. The hydraulic clutch was nice, but I have seen leaks in the hose (by the clutch side of the motor) cause DNF's on the KTM's also (so I guess it has it's positives and negatives). Overall I think the bike had great power for a high-rpm intermediate-expert rider but was not the most beginner friendly bike and was very different that what I have rode in the past (YZ's and RM's).
- Thread starter
- #13
Nikki,
Did you set up the suspension on the SX before you rode it? Was it properly broken in (both engine and suspension). I am very used to the ktm geometry and think that the 02 turns pretty darn good, once you get rid of the front tire. I noticed some slight headshake on the 02 when i rode it but nothing like my 98. The motor to me, seemed to have good bottom end it's just hard to notice that bottom end when you have such an awsome mid-top hit.:p How would you rate the power compared to the YZ, I heard the yz was pretty good this year too.
Did you set up the suspension on the SX before you rode it? Was it properly broken in (both engine and suspension). I am very used to the ktm geometry and think that the 02 turns pretty darn good, once you get rid of the front tire. I noticed some slight headshake on the 02 when i rode it but nothing like my 98. The motor to me, seemed to have good bottom end it's just hard to notice that bottom end when you have such an awsome mid-top hit.:p How would you rate the power compared to the YZ, I heard the yz was pretty good this year too.
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