Ride report on 2003 KTM 250 EXC 2 stroke.
I know this is the KDX forum but I was asked to compare the 2 bikes so I will. I rode a KDX 220 for just about 2 years. If you refuse to believe that there is much difference between the 2 bikes I suggest you stop reading now. The KDX is a great bike and I had a blast on it. The KTM is a race bike capable of tremendous speed if you are willing and able; it likes to go fast. I like to go fast too so that’s why I decided to try the KTM. I found that I was able to go fast with less effort today. I rode some ORV trail that was freshly groomed with less whoops in the sand than is normal for this riding area. It was fast trail that was wide enough for quads. We rode 70 miles of trail today. At first I found my self getting to the corners so fast I could barely slow down in time – that’s because of the wicked fast motor, believe me if you grab a handful you are going to fly! The bike has much better brakes than the KDX – they stop much better, don’t SQUEEK and the front takes a little getting used to because it grabs so well. Other things that I never knew I was fighting on the KDX are fork flex and frame flex. The KTM feels solid and the bike just floats below the rider with out the little wrestling match I recall on the KDX. You don’t know what you don’t know and the frame on the KDX is flexing and the forks wallow in turns compared to this machine. I kept thinking to myself that I felt that I was moving pretty fast but it just seemed like so much less work and the bike is laid out so that you can move around on it easer to transfer your weight. The handlebars are big and beefy but for me they were a little too wide stock and I’ll need to cut them down a little so I can squirt between the trees easier. The bike has a “big bike” feel to it, the cockpit is roomy and the bike is taller than the KDX from the hand grips to the ground. I was able to slide way up on the tank much farther than the KDX when needed which I thought came in handy on some corners and in the very tight trails. The suspension is not comparable to the KDX even in the highly modified state that my KDX was – this suspension combined with the rigidity of the bike just lets you hammer rugged terrain. I was going over whoops with less effort than I would at the same speed on the KDX and I hit a few spots on the trail that I thought would send a jolt through the handlebars but it really didn’t. The bike steers more with the rear wheel too making it easier to get on the tank and motor your way through tight twisty corners, I cannot do that with the KDX because of a lack of HP. I really like the KTM, it’s going to take me a little more time to fully adjust and get real comfortable on it but my overall impression is that it’s just plain easier to go fast on the KTM, it won’t beat you up as much and has as much motor as I think anyone would want. It’s really wicked fast and will pull the front tire in the air even when you are moving at break neck speeds, I found out that today too! I was on the pegs on a fast straight 2 track and I pinned the throttle and I was doing a wheelie standing on the pegs and hauling the mail! I would not recommend this bike if you are not an experienced rider because if you do not have a good throttle hand you are in for some interesting experiences. I really, really like the bike though
I know this is the KDX forum but I was asked to compare the 2 bikes so I will. I rode a KDX 220 for just about 2 years. If you refuse to believe that there is much difference between the 2 bikes I suggest you stop reading now. The KDX is a great bike and I had a blast on it. The KTM is a race bike capable of tremendous speed if you are willing and able; it likes to go fast. I like to go fast too so that’s why I decided to try the KTM. I found that I was able to go fast with less effort today. I rode some ORV trail that was freshly groomed with less whoops in the sand than is normal for this riding area. It was fast trail that was wide enough for quads. We rode 70 miles of trail today. At first I found my self getting to the corners so fast I could barely slow down in time – that’s because of the wicked fast motor, believe me if you grab a handful you are going to fly! The bike has much better brakes than the KDX – they stop much better, don’t SQUEEK and the front takes a little getting used to because it grabs so well. Other things that I never knew I was fighting on the KDX are fork flex and frame flex. The KTM feels solid and the bike just floats below the rider with out the little wrestling match I recall on the KDX. You don’t know what you don’t know and the frame on the KDX is flexing and the forks wallow in turns compared to this machine. I kept thinking to myself that I felt that I was moving pretty fast but it just seemed like so much less work and the bike is laid out so that you can move around on it easer to transfer your weight. The handlebars are big and beefy but for me they were a little too wide stock and I’ll need to cut them down a little so I can squirt between the trees easier. The bike has a “big bike” feel to it, the cockpit is roomy and the bike is taller than the KDX from the hand grips to the ground. I was able to slide way up on the tank much farther than the KDX when needed which I thought came in handy on some corners and in the very tight trails. The suspension is not comparable to the KDX even in the highly modified state that my KDX was – this suspension combined with the rigidity of the bike just lets you hammer rugged terrain. I was going over whoops with less effort than I would at the same speed on the KDX and I hit a few spots on the trail that I thought would send a jolt through the handlebars but it really didn’t. The bike steers more with the rear wheel too making it easier to get on the tank and motor your way through tight twisty corners, I cannot do that with the KDX because of a lack of HP. I really like the KTM, it’s going to take me a little more time to fully adjust and get real comfortable on it but my overall impression is that it’s just plain easier to go fast on the KTM, it won’t beat you up as much and has as much motor as I think anyone would want. It’s really wicked fast and will pull the front tire in the air even when you are moving at break neck speeds, I found out that today too! I was on the pegs on a fast straight 2 track and I pinned the throttle and I was doing a wheelie standing on the pegs and hauling the mail! I would not recommend this bike if you are not an experienced rider because if you do not have a good throttle hand you are in for some interesting experiences. I really, really like the bike though
