125 & 200 EXC's
I have a '99 125 EXC and '01 200 EXC, both are great bikes. The 125 has more low end power than any other stock 125 I've ridden and it still rips on the top end. It's a really fun motorcycle (I'm kind of a 125 addict!). Where I primarily ride is infested with roots & rocks, kind of technical riding and it does great. However, it works great in the desert & more open stuff as well. I ride every weekend and the stock top end on my 125 lasted 14 months, the clutch plates went two years - you won't get that with a Jap bike! I jumped to the 200 because I heard the new 125's are using the SX motor and they are now more difficult to ride in the woods; tuning them to work like a '98 or '99 is not possible with the new porting. I've also been riding more in the mountains and wanted something that pulls the big hills better, so the 200 was a good choice. The 125 & 200 are the same chassy, so they feel very similar. The 200 pulls harder and chugs better than the 125 and doesn't require you to ride as aggressively. It's nice having nearly as much power as a 250 without the weight. Since 1998 KTM reliability can't be beat, before that is a crap shoot. Either of these bikes is a good choice, just decide what kind of riding style you enjoy the most and go for it.