520 MXC or EXC?

[Buell]

I've been waiting...saving...waiting...ploting...well the time is here but the question is WHICH ONE!

I ride some MX, trail ride in the desert...will never see a tree on a bike except at the Mammoth Mountain MX and run a GP or two during the year... some Euro Scrambles in the desert....Mostly open country except for some NASTY Rock gardens! I've been making do on my CR250, I love it on the track but it beats me up on the 80 mile trail rides! Not to mention my wife is tired of meeting me with a gas can ;) I may end up keeping the CR for track duty, so the off-road / Desert stuff is the top priority for this bike.

I was "leaning" EXC but the local dealer just got an MXC in... I can get it now or an '02 EXC in a month from them or "mail order" '01 EXC ( at a very good price! ) from a shop in FL. I like the narrow feel of the bike but the MXC tank is a bit strange...I can get an EXC tank at the shop for 120...nice for MX but not enough gas for off road! Is there an aftermarket "big tank" for the EXC?

I guess I don't understand KTM management...in my mind the EXC should have the big tank! :think: I ran a search and saw this topic talked about but I'm still confused! :D I'd like the "SX" gearing for the first 4 ( I think ) and then 5TH and 6th....I thought that was an "MXC", but I read in a post that the EXC and SX share the first 4 gears...which is it? What is the trade off on the top end? We have occasion to run "pretty fast" on the dirt roads connecting some of our favorite trails ;-)

Chris
'00 CR-250
'98 YZ-400F - Gone but not forgotten ( what a PITA it was to start!)

 

[THUMPER-DARRYL]

Get the EXC. more versatile with the wide ratio gear box and the motors can pull the tall gearing easily.. I run the MXC tank on my EXC and love it .The only time I think the MXC tank would be a bother would be on a MX track, other than that you DO NOT notice it. Even with the MXC tank the bike it is still WAY narrower than a YZ 400 or most other bikes for that matter. Have the best of both. :D

 

[Hick]

Originally posted by THUMPER-DARRYL
Get the EXC. more versatile with the wide ratio gear box and the motors can pull the tall gearing easily.

The EXC is only like 6% taller in sixth, the main difference is first and second, 18% and 9% shorter on the EXC.

One of the major tank mfg. co.s already sells an extra cap. tank, but I forgot which one.

As far as I know, the SX and MXC RFS models share the first four gears. That makes sense, you don’t want enduro gears on a motocross bike.

And you don’t want enduro gears on a western bike either. You can always put a light on the MXC, and buy an SX tank/shrouds for the track. The MXC was designed for the dez, which is why it has the big tank, enduros have gas stops so you can rest :D

I’ve ridden my friend’s EXC, and IMO he bought the wrong one. First gear is useless in the desert, second is marginal. He just wanted the damn headlight is all :silly:

Don’t be like him, get the right bike, which for you is the MXC.

 

[Lee520]

I've had my 520 MXC for about 6 month and it just keeps getting better and better. I ride tight trails in the woods during the summer and open desert in the winter and found the tank nor the gearing to be a problem. The large tank will give me 80 to 90 miles easy and I do not even notice it anymore on the tight trails. At first I had to make a conscious effort to keep foward but not now.
I also changed the rear sprocket to a 52, 14 up front, which makes the gearing just right for both. In most cases I only use 1st thru 5th gear anyway, 6th gear scares the hell out me, way to fast.
Lee

 

[z20ate]

I have the 2001 400 MXC and ride alot at red mountain (next to were you live). The tank won't be a problem, put a 13t countershaft on and your going to love the MXC... I'll meet you out there.

 

[Buell]

Thanks for all the replies:)

Sounds like the MXC is the one:cool:

Jeb's cam bearing does have me thinking about waiting a month for the 2002 though:think