Any KTM's fair well in the Baja 1k or 500?

[HomeMadeSin]

It seems that KTM is the only brand close enough to knock Honda off in the Baja races (big bore), but i never here of one doing it.  Do i have my head buried in sand or dos the XR stand alone?

Also, I seem to recall one of the mags doing a write-up on a KTM model "pulled together as a parts bin bike" and put at $5999 list to compete with the XR650R, but I haven't been able to find anything on it since.  Anyone know about it?

 

[KenR]

The magazine was Dirt Rider and they were talking about the 625 SXS. It's based on the LC4 engine and has a lot of cool stuff. Would be an excellent platform for a hardcore dualsport project. They have everything you'd want to put on a 640 LC4 to make it more desert capable, but they are still pretty heavy.

Honda has dominated Baja because they are one of the only, if not THE only factory team racing in Mexico anymore. Of course it doesn't hurt that Campbell is such a good desert racer either. Kawasaki was the dominant force down there until Danny Hamel was killed. That was the end of Team Green south of the border.

 

[92cr]

Actually it was DIRTBIKE magazine.

 

[KenR]

You're right - DirtBike magazine. I subscribe to DirtRider, but remember seeing the new KTM 950's on the cover of DirtBike and bought it off a newstand. Good issue by the way.

 

[HomeMadeSin]

Actually, I guess my Baja statement was semi-ignorant.  The other ultimate off-road endurance test is the Paris-Dakar.  Out of the top 75 finishers (motorcycle) last year, only about 10 were Honda, with the highest finish being 14th.  Almost all of the rest were KTMs. :worship:

 

[MackMoto]

Though I bleed Orange, I suspect Yamaha will make a run at Dakar using the technology from the Yamaha/Ohlins two wheel drive bikes. In the right conditions I'm afraid this thing will "two wheel roost" the field down to the last bike. Hope I'm wrong, then again some competition in the Dakar would do KTM some good.

 

[Buckholz]

After Danny got killed down there, Kawasaki stopped racing it, leaving it to Honda.

It's the talent of the riders, and the committment from the factorys that result in success.... not the particular bike brand or model