Buying New Bike...Either 2002 KTM 520 EXC or 2004 Yamaha WR450f..Advice/Tips Needed?

[yammieman]

Hey there everyone. I have saved up and now have the money to buy a good Enduro/Trail Bike. I am currently looking and have gotten great prices on 2 bikes...a KTM 520 EXC(2002) and a Yamaha WR450f(2004) for roughly the same amount of price, however want some much needed tips, advice and opinions on which 1 to go for as I am in 2 minds.

What things should I know about either bike before purchase including issues, part prices/availability, ease of riding, etc??
and what are some of the pro's and con's of each??
and which is overall the better bike??

I wouldn't mind the extra bit of power the KTM 520 gives out but I currently have a 2 stroke Yamaha 250 motocross bike so im not sure If i should stick with Yamaha(as I am quite happy with them and know what part availability is like, etc) or choose the KTM?
I obviously do a lot of forest riding, I am about 75kg and 5 foot 10 inches tall...do a bit of single trails and hills and ride for around 5-6 hours.
My biggest concern is part availability and part prices...i have been told the KTM's are quite pricey on parts and maintenance, etc but I also am looking for an enduro bike that is easy to manouver around and control and also that is reliable...any help is greatly appreciated, thanks

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Well, the joke around my club is that KTM stands for Kosts Too Much.....

The guys in the club all complain about the cost of KTM replacement parts. But even so, KTM is still the favored bike, so go figure.

As for the 520 vs 450: As I mentioned above, I am in a club that specializes in racing enduros. Half the club has KTMs, several of the members have two of them. For racing they favor the smaller bikes, 450 or even the 350. For dual sport rides, however, they favor the 525.

Rod

 

[yammieman]

Thanks for that mate. What do you mean for dual purpose...as in enduro and road? And why is it better dual purpose compared to the WR?
i want to know which is the better choice for handling/has better control especially on tight trails and also which is usually more overall mechanically reliable?

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

"Dual sport" refers to a street legal dirt bike. There are many situations where dirt trails are dis-jointed and you need to ride sections of paved road to get from one trail to the next. You can't legally do this on a dirt only bike.

Many of the "dual sport" bikes are a very poor compromise. A street bike wants a large displacement, low performance engine so it will last many miles. A dirt bike wants a lightweight, high performance engine. Street bikes want a low center of gravity, while dirt bikes want ground clearance.

The KTM EXC series, at least the later years, are notable exceptions. They are race capable dirt bikes that happen to be street legal. I would NOT recommend them for commuting to work, however, as they would simply not be suitable. But they are fine for getting from one trail to the next.

As far as reliablity, you won't go wrong with any of the major manufacturers. Pick your favorite color.