Sunday I rode my 200 for the first time after buying it more than a month ago. Before this I was injured, had sold my DRZ400, and had not ridden in more than 3 months. I bought the ktm without even riding it, and although I knew it was in good shape, I wasn't sure that it was the right bike.
Well it is! I couldn't be happier!
It rained modestly all day Saturday and cleared up totally on Sunday morning. Any of you guys that live out here in the southwest know that this is the best time to ride out here - no dust and great traction! So the conditions were perfect to try out my new bike.
Coming off the four stroke DRZ, I thought the worst. I figured it (the 200) had no bottom end and I'd be stalling it left and right. Not so! I did stall a couple times but only because it was the "oh S*#@! slam on the brakes" technique. It really does make good bottom, and feels like there is even more to be had if I fiddle with the jetting. The guy who sold it to me had installed a flywheel weight, but I took it off and don't see using it. And then it pulls into that hit - I love it! I couldn't keep the front end on the ground in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. I was doing wheelies for the sake of wheelies. And my back tire is 1/3 gone! It was only a matter of being on the pipe, blipping the throttle, and leaning the right way. Easy. On my Suzuki Thunderpig, it took much more planning and a good yank on the handle bars only to have the earth shake when the front end comes back down. Did I mention I love the light weight of the 200?
Lessee, what else... oh the suspension seemed great to me, I mean REALLY good, but I'm only comparing it to the DRZ, if I was spoiled with that fancy damping some of you got I might think different - hopefully my ignorance will keep my wallet thick.
Oh, and I was worried about hill climbing with the 2 stroke powerband, but for not. I motored up some hills that I would have worried about on the DRZ, and that thing was a tractor.
I throughly wore myself out in a few hours, it's not the bike's fault, I hadn't ridden in several months. Again I love the lightweight handling and the torquey motor that revs too!
I think this is the ideal bike for most of my riding. Only in the wide open desert or dunes do I think I might want more cc's. But then again I never found enough room to get into 6th gear...
wp
------------------
William
KTM200EXC
Well it is! I couldn't be happier!
![biggrin.gif](/forums3/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fdirtrider.net%2Fubb2%2Fbiggrin.gif&hash=973179f7f05a55aafbabf3001597d60a)
![biggrin.gif](/forums3/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fdirtrider.net%2Fubb2%2Fbiggrin.gif&hash=973179f7f05a55aafbabf3001597d60a)
![biggrin.gif](/forums3/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fdirtrider.net%2Fubb2%2Fbiggrin.gif&hash=973179f7f05a55aafbabf3001597d60a)
It rained modestly all day Saturday and cleared up totally on Sunday morning. Any of you guys that live out here in the southwest know that this is the best time to ride out here - no dust and great traction! So the conditions were perfect to try out my new bike.
Coming off the four stroke DRZ, I thought the worst. I figured it (the 200) had no bottom end and I'd be stalling it left and right. Not so! I did stall a couple times but only because it was the "oh S*#@! slam on the brakes" technique. It really does make good bottom, and feels like there is even more to be had if I fiddle with the jetting. The guy who sold it to me had installed a flywheel weight, but I took it off and don't see using it. And then it pulls into that hit - I love it! I couldn't keep the front end on the ground in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. I was doing wheelies for the sake of wheelies. And my back tire is 1/3 gone! It was only a matter of being on the pipe, blipping the throttle, and leaning the right way. Easy. On my Suzuki Thunderpig, it took much more planning and a good yank on the handle bars only to have the earth shake when the front end comes back down. Did I mention I love the light weight of the 200?
Lessee, what else... oh the suspension seemed great to me, I mean REALLY good, but I'm only comparing it to the DRZ, if I was spoiled with that fancy damping some of you got I might think different - hopefully my ignorance will keep my wallet thick.
Oh, and I was worried about hill climbing with the 2 stroke powerband, but for not. I motored up some hills that I would have worried about on the DRZ, and that thing was a tractor.
I throughly wore myself out in a few hours, it's not the bike's fault, I hadn't ridden in several months. Again I love the lightweight handling and the torquey motor that revs too!
I think this is the ideal bike for most of my riding. Only in the wide open desert or dunes do I think I might want more cc's. But then again I never found enough room to get into 6th gear...
wp
------------------
William
KTM200EXC