KTM brand piston & rings vs. Wisco?

[Jeff Siegel]

I have replaced the rings in my MXC 200 a couple of times with the stock KTM brand rings. I keep good records of my riding and maintance so I know that I have gone up to 110 hour of some pretty hard riding between ring changes and, when checking the ring end gap, the old rings were still well within tolerence.
I asked Scott with Plessinger Cycle if it was normal to be able to get so much time on a set of rings. He said that it is not uncommon for guys to go 150 hours between ring changes on the KTM rings.
I am having a hard time convincing a friend to replace the piston and rings on his MXC 300 with KTM brand piston and rings when they cost 3 times a much as Wisco.
My question. Are the KTM piston and rings really that much better than Wisco?

 

[Dave.Smith]

The OEM KTM piston assembly (piston, rings, wrist pin and clips) is $234 via mail order. (FWIW, a couple of years ago the OEM assy. was $139) A Wiseco assembly is about $120. At that price difference I might be willing to try out Wiseco. BUT, you might have to send the cylinder out for re-plating and honing to match the Wiseco piston dimensions...

 

[KTM Pete]

I have owned three KTM's and never like spending more than I have to. I have found the KTM pistons will last twice as long or better than a Wiseco. I judge this by piston to cylinder clearances as spec'ed by KTM. I installed a Wiseco piston once in my '96 360 and it was beat after one season of racing. Since then it's always been OEM parts (8 years). The KTM pistons got two race seasons and could have gone longer but i don't like to tear apart an engine when I can be riding (mid season).
Count in your labor and down time and I think the KTM parts are the better value.