4EverOrange
~SPONSOR~
- Mar 9, 2003
- 291
- 0
Just thought I would introduce myself. I am a regular poster on KTMTalk, and through that site found this one. I am excited to see so many women interested in riding.
I have been riding since 1998 off and on. I started putting around on my mil's 83 XR 200. It was good to get the basics on, but I was ready for more power quickly.
In '99 we bought a used '98 KDX 220. The KDX was head and toes more powerful than the XR, but heavy as hell. Everytime I dumped the thing, which was often, I about broke my back trying to pick it up. Not to mention, riding in the desert on that thing put me out of commission for days from the suspension. It just never felt good to ride. Too heavy, too bulky, and too soft.
I had been pushing to get a KTM since I got my KDX, but the hubby thought the power wold be too much for me. Finally, after a couple of years of me pestering, and bitchinng about the bulky feel of my KDX he finally relented. We found a good deal on a used 200 MXC, and put my KDX up for sale. The first ride out on the KTM, there was a major problem with the jetting. It was obvoious, even to me, that something was wrong. Rick at Gresham KTM, put a #7 slide in it, and it was supposedly ready to go.
Our next trip out was to the Trask mountain in Oregon. The slide didn't fix the problem. The bike wouldn't idle, at all. I stalled the thing at least 5x's going up a hill that I powered up on my KDX. By the end of the day I was totally frustrated, the bike was dead (meaning wouldn't start), I was done with riding for good, and Mark decided I wasn't good enough with the clutch to ever ride a 2 stroke again.
Mark got the bike fixed and ready to sell, and we started trying to figure out what bike would be the best for me. He was leaning towards the KTM 400, but I wasn't looking forward to the 4 stroke power, and more importantly weight. If I had a hard time picking up the KDX, I know I would have an even harder time with the 400. But as all husbands can be sometimes, Mark was determined to get me a 400. We found a great deal on one, scrounged up the $5000 to buy it, showed up at the guys house with trailer attached planning on leaving with the bike, and alas it was a 2000 400 SXC, not the bike we wanted.
Now we have $5000 in our pockets burning a serious hole. The more I thought about the 400 the more I didn't want it. The more I didn't want the bike the more Mark realized if we did get the 400, everytime I was picking it up on a trail, I would be cussing him out for not letting me get the lighter bike that I wanted.
While looking for used bike online Mark ran across KTM Talk, that had a forum specifically for women KTM riders. One of the posts from Kalitude had a link to her website, girlrider.net. I went in there and started reading the bio's of all the chick's out there riding KTM 200's. This was enough for me to be even more convinced that the 200 was the bike for me. When someone on KTM Talk mentioned a flywheel weight Mark was sold too. Wala, by the end of the week I had a brand new '03 KTM 200EXC in the garage!
We have since been out riding 4 of the last 6 weekends. I have proved him wrong and then some! I love that bike more than anything! I actually want to go riding. Can't wait for the next trip. :)
Just thought I would introduce myself, and let y'all know that I am already signed up for the Oregon riding clinic. I figured I better get to know everyone that is going to be there before I go!
I have been riding since 1998 off and on. I started putting around on my mil's 83 XR 200. It was good to get the basics on, but I was ready for more power quickly.
In '99 we bought a used '98 KDX 220. The KDX was head and toes more powerful than the XR, but heavy as hell. Everytime I dumped the thing, which was often, I about broke my back trying to pick it up. Not to mention, riding in the desert on that thing put me out of commission for days from the suspension. It just never felt good to ride. Too heavy, too bulky, and too soft.
I had been pushing to get a KTM since I got my KDX, but the hubby thought the power wold be too much for me. Finally, after a couple of years of me pestering, and bitchinng about the bulky feel of my KDX he finally relented. We found a good deal on a used 200 MXC, and put my KDX up for sale. The first ride out on the KTM, there was a major problem with the jetting. It was obvoious, even to me, that something was wrong. Rick at Gresham KTM, put a #7 slide in it, and it was supposedly ready to go.
Our next trip out was to the Trask mountain in Oregon. The slide didn't fix the problem. The bike wouldn't idle, at all. I stalled the thing at least 5x's going up a hill that I powered up on my KDX. By the end of the day I was totally frustrated, the bike was dead (meaning wouldn't start), I was done with riding for good, and Mark decided I wasn't good enough with the clutch to ever ride a 2 stroke again.
Mark got the bike fixed and ready to sell, and we started trying to figure out what bike would be the best for me. He was leaning towards the KTM 400, but I wasn't looking forward to the 4 stroke power, and more importantly weight. If I had a hard time picking up the KDX, I know I would have an even harder time with the 400. But as all husbands can be sometimes, Mark was determined to get me a 400. We found a great deal on one, scrounged up the $5000 to buy it, showed up at the guys house with trailer attached planning on leaving with the bike, and alas it was a 2000 400 SXC, not the bike we wanted.
Now we have $5000 in our pockets burning a serious hole. The more I thought about the 400 the more I didn't want it. The more I didn't want the bike the more Mark realized if we did get the 400, everytime I was picking it up on a trail, I would be cussing him out for not letting me get the lighter bike that I wanted.
While looking for used bike online Mark ran across KTM Talk, that had a forum specifically for women KTM riders. One of the posts from Kalitude had a link to her website, girlrider.net. I went in there and started reading the bio's of all the chick's out there riding KTM 200's. This was enough for me to be even more convinced that the 200 was the bike for me. When someone on KTM Talk mentioned a flywheel weight Mark was sold too. Wala, by the end of the week I had a brand new '03 KTM 200EXC in the garage!
We have since been out riding 4 of the last 6 weekends. I have proved him wrong and then some! I love that bike more than anything! I actually want to go riding. Can't wait for the next trip. :)
Just thought I would introduce myself, and let y'all know that I am already signed up for the Oregon riding clinic. I figured I better get to know everyone that is going to be there before I go!