380EXCman

Sponsoring Member
Sep 15, 1999
721
1
Well I finally got a new bike... I have been bikeless since March. Since I started riding again in 98 I have gone from a DR350 to a 380EXC to a FC550 to a 380SX and now I have a 525SX. So I have gone from a 4-stroke to a 2-stroke back to 4 then to a 2 again and now back to 4-stroke...... Well I think I finally found the bike for me. The only way I can explain it, is that its a perfect combination of the 380 and the 550.. It has tons of big bore power, but its not very torky like the 550. Its more revy. It has less compression braking than the 550, which is really good thing (my biggest gripe about 4-strokes)... It feels very light. Lighter than the Berg. I think this bike will be very forgiving like my 380's were. Right now my only complaint is the 4-speed. She runs out of gear real quick...
I thought I would be a little more rusty than I was. So other than being totally out of shape, I felt pretty good. Im looking foward to getting the suspension done. Hopefully I will be back up to speed in a month or 2.
 

fatherandson

Mi. Trail Riders
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 3, 2001
3,818
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380EXCMAN (aka 525SXMAN),

Congrats on your new bike!!  Earlier this year I also made the conversation from a 2S KTM to a 4S KTM.  I think you will find the KTM four stroke and enjoyable ride - I know I do.  Napper can hook you up with KTM suspension.

Have fun!!!

 
 

bsmith

Wise master of the mistic
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Jun 28, 2001
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:thumb:
 

Shaw520

Damn Yankees
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May 14, 2000
1,082
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Congrats on the new ride bud, and a wise choice I might ad. I really wish they offered the 5-6 speed as an option in the SX. My 400SX is an 02' and that was the only year the RFS SX came with a 6 speed. When and if I consider a new machine, (450SX) I would probaly have the tranny swapped for a six speed. Old stroker has done the tranny conversion on several, and at a reasonable price.

BTW, there is more topend available through jetting, talk to JD  :aj:
 

MXTex

~SPONSOR~
Feb 29, 2000
417
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Congratulations on your new bike. I'm considering a 525SX too. Any comments on how it compares to the CRF and YZF 450's? I don't race but only ride MX tracks.
 

380EXCman

Sponsoring Member
Sep 15, 1999
721
1
I'm considering a 525SX too. Any comments on how it compares to the CRF and YZF 450's?
I have rode the yzf and sx 450's only once. I rode them back to back but it has been a while. They both felt very weak compared to my Husaberg. The 525 has a big power advantage. As for how it compares in the handling department I cant make a good call cause it was quite a while ago. What I can say though is that I used to think my Berg felt light, but the 525 feels way lighter. I think this bike will work great for moto. Especially for slower guys like myself that probably are not as sensitive to certain things. I know one thing though. I hear alot of guys say that they cant use all the power their bike makes anyway so the big bore bikes are overkill or inaffective. The guys saying this are usually skinny little wee men.. For someone like me, who is a B motocrosser and a B off roader that is close to 300 lbs all geared up, I need a minimum amount of hp to be effective in all the different types of riding I do. Someone who is 190 lbs and rides a 250 has a better power to weight ratio than I do by a long way. So to cleanly haul my butt up a technical climb, I need at a minimum more hp than the next guy. So I guess what Im saying is that while this bike feels perfect for me, you would need to ride one and see what you think for yourself...

Jeremy will have my suspension tomorrow. Im really looking foward to giving the bike a real workout when I get it back... The dark cloud has lifted woooo hoooo, no more prozac for me........ :thumb:
 

CAL

Sponsoring Member
Jul 19, 2000
2,032
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Originally posted by 380EXCman
They both felt very weak compared to my Husaberg.

Ya think!!??

I've never had such a "pucker-factor" as I did when I rode that Berg!  Acceleration wise, I don't think anything could compare to the Berg.  I rode an '03 525 EXC and thought "this is the fastest bike I've ever ridden"....Then I rode the Berg and thought "HOLY CRAP, THIS IS THE FASTEST BIKE I'VE EVER RIDDEN!!"  Maybe the '04s have more spunk, but I don't think that '03 525 could touch your Berg.  I still tell people about riding that bike!

Glad you're happy with the new bike.  I'll be on my first KTM in a couple of days. :aj:
 

Shaw520

Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
May 14, 2000
1,082
6
That Berg must make some power !

Cal, Tell us about the 02' 450SX ! What kind off goodies does it have, and who/what company did the overbore. I just got back from a little ride out back and I'm really starting to like the close ratio 6 speed.   :thumb:
 

Zoomer

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 17, 2000
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Hey EXCMANS way to go, I think this is the best bike I have ridden! (estart really makes it top shelf. I also wanted the 6 speed, but I could not beat the price on the SX over the MXC EXC. I figure I will put the tranns gears in one of these winters till then, :aj: I rode an 03 last sunday done by Jeromy, and an 01. Mine box stock was good, but theres where tons better, so jeromy will also be getting mine as soon as the ground freezes up. MX TEX, I had a chance to ride 04 YZFs and CRfs, great bike, but I just liked the KTM better. The bottom end pull just can not be beat. All though the yzf really has good bottom end, it just seemed to run out of rev. The CRF had good bottjt om and revved more, but I just like the way the KTM feels, it has tons of bottom and will rev. Best of both worlds. You will not regret a KTM ;)
 

380EXCman

Sponsoring Member
Sep 15, 1999
721
1
Then I rode the Berg and thought "HOLY CRAP, THIS IS THE FASTEST BIKE I'VE EVER RIDDEN!!
Oh yeah that bike has gobs loads of power. But I think if you lined em up (525 an the 550) at the gate and dropped it, they both would get to the first corner about the same time... Oh dont get me wrong that 550 was an animal.. Lots of compression, lots of torque and lots of HP. But it has more of a typical XR600 (but multiplied by 10) right off the bottom grunt with a good long pull out to the red line. But to me the KTM feels more YZF when compared to the Berg. Its weaker off the bottom pulls real smooth, then it kicks in that huge midrange hit and screams to the red line...... The Berg will always hold a special place in my heart... It was kinda cool to ride a bike and know that only 250 of that model were built (and it worked) that year... I might be back on one again some day.... But not for a while as I have signed a contract with Stalin.. errr..a the wife to keep the one I have for 3 to 5..... That is, unless every memeber of DRN buys a bag of packing....... :laugh:
 

CAL

Sponsoring Member
Jul 19, 2000
2,032
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Originally posted by Shaw520
Cal, Tell us about the 02' 450SX ! What kind off goodies does it have, and who/what company did the overbore. I just got back from a little ride out back and I'm really starting to like the close ratio 6 speed.   :thumb:

I'm buying mxbundy's 400SX.  Here's the list of offroad goodies:

IMS EXC tank
SDG seat
skid plate
works connection radiator braces
pro moto billet sparky
ktm hard parts wheels ( black rims ) 18" rear
Brand new Dunlaps
hand gards ( cycra pro bend )
hand shields ( aceribus ) mounted on bike
new plastics and graphics
EE axle pull
EE rear disk guard
EE clutch master cyclinder guard
stainless oil filters ( new in box )
GPR stabilizer
Pro-Action Susp.
Has the bladder conversion.

I rode Chris Smith's '01 450EXC at DW and fell in love!  Every RFS I've ridden was just too smooth for me.  The short stroke 450 has some good quick revving punch.  I decided right then, I had to have one.

Travis Smith from TrackSide Moto sold me and installed my kit.  He did Chris's kit as well.  It just so happened that Travis is 90 miles from Bundy, so they met half way, and he took the bike and installed the kit.  A big thanks goes to Bundy and Travis for doing that for me.  And Travis was the one that made the offer!  I didn't even ask him to do that for me.  That saved me a huge hassle of either attempting to do the install myself, or yanking it and sending it back to California.  He was going to port the head while he had it but his valve spring compressor broke.  He went ahead and installed the new balanced cam gear instead, and told me that whenever I had my head off for maintenance to send it to him and he would port it for free.  He is also a GPR dealer and slapped a brand new orange GPR on it for a great price too.  Travis is top notch!  I highly recommend him if your going to buy/install a 450 kit.

Here's another bonus (for me).  Bundy has a race in Oklahoma Sunday.  And he had a bike at Eddie and Aimee's in St. Louis that he needed to pick up.  AND we're having a big ride here tomorrow, so he is delivering the bike right to me from California!  I'm grateful, but I think he's nuts!  He left California yesterday...arriving at Eddie's tonight...coming down here to ride tomorrow...driving to OK to race Sunday...then driving back to California!  Now that's hardcore enthusiast!

Here's a pic of the SX.
 

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CR Swade

~SPONSOR~
Jan 18, 2001
1,764
5
Congrats Cal, you won't be disappointed. Looks like we've got close to the same setup:

TR450SX kit
EE Revalve, front and rear
Power Now
GPR stabilizer
EE guards everywhere (disc, handguards, skidplate)
Black Excels w/ WER spacers & solid disc out rear
Grip heaters-these are pretty cool
JD jetting
Ironman Sprockets
Moose seat
Flatland guards(radiator and clutch slave)-soon to be replaced w/ custom billet beauties on the radiators

Can't get a pic to post
 

CR Swade

~SPONSOR~
Jan 18, 2001
1,764
5
oh well, I'll e-mail you a pic
 

CAL

Sponsoring Member
Jul 19, 2000
2,032
0
You don't have to email me a pic.  I know what it looks like.  I was trying to buy it...remember!!! :)   I thought I had a pic of it on my cpu, but can't find it.  Must have deleted it when I found out you bought the bike! ;)

I just spent 10 miinutes looking on KTMtalk for the for sale post, but can't find it.

 
 

CR Swade

~SPONSOR~
Jan 18, 2001
1,764
5
Oh yeah...YOU were trying to snake my new bike away, j/k. Small world huh? :laugh:
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 16, 2001
6,452
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Charlestown, IN
Corey,
You still thinkin Revloc?
 

CAL

Sponsoring Member
Jul 19, 2000
2,032
0
Originally posted by Jaybird
Corey,
You still thinkin Revloc?

I don't know.  Only if I can find one at a STEAL.  I've spent more money on this bike than I should have, as it is (big bore kit, GPR).  I'll have to see how the suspension is.  If I have to get the suspension built, then a Revloc is out.

But oooh man would it be sweet!  I can't believe I liked it so much.  When they first came out, I thought it would be ridiculous and akward.  I was wrong!

 
 

DougRoost

~SPONSOR~
May 3, 2001
720
0
380EXCman, it appears you have validated KTM's strategy of dropping the 380 since the 525 is the natural substitute for those types of riders.

As for power on an MX track, all I can say is I was in awe at DW'03 when DrD and Coop were racing. Coop was of course on his modded 525 (now a 540?) and DrD was on the borrowed '03 YZ450F. In their second race I was flagging the first large tabletop and watching Coop whip it over it, not to mention seeing him come around the starting turn in a fantail of roost as he laid it on the bars! Anyway, what blew me away was several laps in I saw Coop come up to this table, COASTING as he was trying to wipe his goggles due to the light rain that started falling. Just as his front wheel was about to hit the face of that huge double -- and he was COASTING -- he gassed it and easily cleared it! Unbelievable that he had the power and traction to be able to do that.
 

CAL

Sponsoring Member
Jul 19, 2000
2,032
0
Hey, they're brothers! :thumb:

Had the first ride on it today.  I like it!  Completely different power delivery than the YZF and the CRF.  Major torque right off idle and perfectly flat HP curve.  It's going to take some getting used to, but I'll adapt.  Short shifting is a good thing on this bike.  The suspension is set up for Bundy's big ole butt, so a revalve is in order.  Not sure when that will come about.

 
 
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