nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
- 5,802
- 1
Yesterday after racing my '01 YZ 125 at Byron (pretty hard packed and rough/bumpy) I had a chance to take an '02 KTM 125 and '02 KX 125 for test rides around the track.
I will be making some comparisons of these two bikes against my '01 YZ 125 and just giving my thoughts on the bikes in different areas.
MOTOR/POWER:
KX - nice bottom end power - could turn corners in 2nd (and some in 3rd) without the use of the clutch and by just rolling on the throttle. Sometimes in 3rd it would fall off the power after exiting the corner and a flick of the clutch would bring it back. I could get up speed for jumps out of corners much better on the KX than the other two bikes. The midrange hit of the KX was fairly strong. The bike did not rev as high as the other two bikes and quit making it's peak power earlier but did not rev out as quick as the '99 and '00 KX 125 did. The engine was very beginner/lower rpm riding friendly.
KTM - this bike has no bottom end power (my YZ has slightly more than the KTM) but has an outstanding burst of power in the midrange that keeps going and going. Corners could be turned in 2nd gear without the clutch but you would come out slower than the KX until the midrange power kicked in. The midrange hit would wheelie you up hills and was very strong. The bike also revs high and keeps making power. The engine was very good for an intermediate-expert high-revving rider.
SUSPENSION:
Headshake - before getting my YZ dialed in - I had lots of problems with headshake. Now, it been months since it was a problem. The KTM gave me pretty nasty headshake (on acceleration) in about 4 or 5 spots on the track. The KX and YZ gave me none.
Jumping/landing - the stock KTM and KX were suprisingly plush on bigger landings. The KX stayed very level in the air and landed very smooth. The KTM felt light in the air and landings were fairly plush and forgiving. (I weight 130 lbs. with gear)
Turning - the KTM turned very sharp and easily and would follow a rut for me very well - similar to turning my revalved YZ. The KX was a little more rigid and choppy in the tighter turns but nice in bigger sweepers. I could still stay in a rut but it was a little tougher to turn than the KTM and my YZ.
Whoops - the KX soaked up the whoops pretty well as did the KTM. But I would say the KX felt a little more comfortable to me.
ERGOS/SET-UP:
KX - Just sitting on the bike - it feels similar to the YZ. On the track during acceleration, the bike felt a little "loose" to me but it worked well. The stock seat was soft like a cushioned couch - but didn't seem to make a difference on the track. The bike was easy to grip with my knees, turned well in wider turns, was a little rigid through tighter turns. The stock grips are HARD and ripped my hands up (3 new blisters!). It was fairly easy to slide around on the seat on both the KX and KTM.
KTM - VERY DIFFERENT than the jap bikes. Feels like you sit up higher. The stock bars are very straight and you feel like you are sitting over the front wheel more. The bike does track well through both tight and wide corners. Knee grip was AWFUL - my knees slid all over (back and forth) when I tried to grip the bike. Bike is very slender and fairly easy to move around on. The stock seat was hard - like the YZ stock seat. I did get used to the different set-up pretty quick - but at first - it's very different.
BRAKES/CLUTCH:
KX - brakes were similar to my YZ. Stopped well and I had good control over stopping power. Clutch pull was fairly easy and I didn't need the clutch near as much as I do on the YZ (or KTM) I mainly needed it to make a power boost when exiting corners.
KTM - brakes were not as good - I had to grab a fist-full of front brakes to stop. Back brakes were good. Hydraulic clutch was nice (nice pull and worked well) but I have seen leaks in the hose (by the clutch side of the motor) cause DNF's on the KTM's also (so I guess it has it's positives and negatives).
OVERALL:
KX - Other than the stock grips ripping up my hands and not turning tight turns as smooth as the YZ and KTM - I felt great on the KX! I was coming through turns without the clutch (I abuse my clutch on the YZ) and the bike has very friendly low-mid power (but falls off the power quicker and faster than the other bikes after about 10,000 rpms). Because of the nice low-to-mid power, I was jumping farther and clearing jumps out of corners that I wasn't clearing all the way with my YZ. And the suspension and the feel/levelness of the bike in the air made me comfortable doing this. Only other concern was the looseness feel in straights. Overall - I think the KX is a little under-rated and a great beginner-to-intermediate bike.
KTM - This bike is very different than the traditional jap bike. It has a whole different feel and set-up - but isn't too hard to adapt to. The bike is definately fast and has a lot of power (and makes that power over a long rpm range) - but has little bottom end power just like the '01 YZ 125. Personally, the KTM was not for me. But in stock form - this bike is a good choice for intermediate-to-expert riders.
I will be making some comparisons of these two bikes against my '01 YZ 125 and just giving my thoughts on the bikes in different areas.
MOTOR/POWER:
KX - nice bottom end power - could turn corners in 2nd (and some in 3rd) without the use of the clutch and by just rolling on the throttle. Sometimes in 3rd it would fall off the power after exiting the corner and a flick of the clutch would bring it back. I could get up speed for jumps out of corners much better on the KX than the other two bikes. The midrange hit of the KX was fairly strong. The bike did not rev as high as the other two bikes and quit making it's peak power earlier but did not rev out as quick as the '99 and '00 KX 125 did. The engine was very beginner/lower rpm riding friendly.
KTM - this bike has no bottom end power (my YZ has slightly more than the KTM) but has an outstanding burst of power in the midrange that keeps going and going. Corners could be turned in 2nd gear without the clutch but you would come out slower than the KX until the midrange power kicked in. The midrange hit would wheelie you up hills and was very strong. The bike also revs high and keeps making power. The engine was very good for an intermediate-expert high-revving rider.
SUSPENSION:
Headshake - before getting my YZ dialed in - I had lots of problems with headshake. Now, it been months since it was a problem. The KTM gave me pretty nasty headshake (on acceleration) in about 4 or 5 spots on the track. The KX and YZ gave me none.
Jumping/landing - the stock KTM and KX were suprisingly plush on bigger landings. The KX stayed very level in the air and landed very smooth. The KTM felt light in the air and landings were fairly plush and forgiving. (I weight 130 lbs. with gear)
Turning - the KTM turned very sharp and easily and would follow a rut for me very well - similar to turning my revalved YZ. The KX was a little more rigid and choppy in the tighter turns but nice in bigger sweepers. I could still stay in a rut but it was a little tougher to turn than the KTM and my YZ.
Whoops - the KX soaked up the whoops pretty well as did the KTM. But I would say the KX felt a little more comfortable to me.
ERGOS/SET-UP:
KX - Just sitting on the bike - it feels similar to the YZ. On the track during acceleration, the bike felt a little "loose" to me but it worked well. The stock seat was soft like a cushioned couch - but didn't seem to make a difference on the track. The bike was easy to grip with my knees, turned well in wider turns, was a little rigid through tighter turns. The stock grips are HARD and ripped my hands up (3 new blisters!). It was fairly easy to slide around on the seat on both the KX and KTM.
KTM - VERY DIFFERENT than the jap bikes. Feels like you sit up higher. The stock bars are very straight and you feel like you are sitting over the front wheel more. The bike does track well through both tight and wide corners. Knee grip was AWFUL - my knees slid all over (back and forth) when I tried to grip the bike. Bike is very slender and fairly easy to move around on. The stock seat was hard - like the YZ stock seat. I did get used to the different set-up pretty quick - but at first - it's very different.
BRAKES/CLUTCH:
KX - brakes were similar to my YZ. Stopped well and I had good control over stopping power. Clutch pull was fairly easy and I didn't need the clutch near as much as I do on the YZ (or KTM) I mainly needed it to make a power boost when exiting corners.
KTM - brakes were not as good - I had to grab a fist-full of front brakes to stop. Back brakes were good. Hydraulic clutch was nice (nice pull and worked well) but I have seen leaks in the hose (by the clutch side of the motor) cause DNF's on the KTM's also (so I guess it has it's positives and negatives).
OVERALL:
KX - Other than the stock grips ripping up my hands and not turning tight turns as smooth as the YZ and KTM - I felt great on the KX! I was coming through turns without the clutch (I abuse my clutch on the YZ) and the bike has very friendly low-mid power (but falls off the power quicker and faster than the other bikes after about 10,000 rpms). Because of the nice low-to-mid power, I was jumping farther and clearing jumps out of corners that I wasn't clearing all the way with my YZ. And the suspension and the feel/levelness of the bike in the air made me comfortable doing this. Only other concern was the looseness feel in straights. Overall - I think the KX is a little under-rated and a great beginner-to-intermediate bike.
KTM - This bike is very different than the traditional jap bike. It has a whole different feel and set-up - but isn't too hard to adapt to. The bike is definately fast and has a lot of power (and makes that power over a long rpm range) - but has little bottom end power just like the '01 YZ 125. Personally, the KTM was not for me. But in stock form - this bike is a good choice for intermediate-to-expert riders.
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