The Yas and Nays of a 05 KTM 200 Please

[T-Bone]

Hi I have been looking at buying a new bike and I have played with a few Ideas of CRFXs and a YZ or CR 250 but my buddy says the KTM 200 is the way to go ... I ride mostly woods and a little motocross . I am 5'8" 180lbs and well I was fast in my glory days. I do have a friend with a 300 KTM and nothing would make me happier than kicking his but on a little 200 but I have never ridden one and I don't want to buy a bike that has a low fun factor ( power wise) or that my buddies on there 250 will run circles around

 

[Buckholz]

why not a ktm250exc. ktm sells more of these than any other. I raced a 2005 for six days last fall, it was great!

 

[stangera]

The KTM 200 is a incredible machine! I can't say enough good things about it. If you're looking for something very light, manouverable, with lots of power the KTM 200 has the same frame as the 125. I don't think it's possible to not have extreme fun on the 200.

I've read a couple very good write-ups on this forum regarding the differences between the 200, 250, and 300. I found the information to be very accurate. Give it a read and see what you think will suit you best. If I stuble across it I'll send you a link.

 

[stangera]

Here it is....

http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?t=111554&highlight=200+250+300

 

[T-Bone]

I just came from the bike shop and I sat on the 200 ... love the feel but for a hydrolic clutch it sure felt hard. Is there anything you can do to improve that ?

 

[stangera]

I don't know if there is anything you can do to adjust that, but I'm pretty sure you won't notice it while you're riding.

 

[highmileage]

The 200 is one of the more versatile bikes there is. I compare it kinda like a 2 stroke XR400. I know that kind of sounds weird, but let me explain. The XR will do about anything you ask of it other than really jump..reliably. Dual sport, desert, fast woods, trail, race...you got it.

Now the 200: desert, woods, motocross, fast woods, trail ride, race...you got it. Not gonna be your dual sport choice.

The 6 spd tranny of the 200 is pretty versatile. stock (14/48) great for woods, 14/45-46 more open, gear it 14/50-51 for moto.


With a few focused mods, you can make either bike do quite amazing things. The one thing you really can't have everything of is suspension...its going to be a compromise no matter what...moto suspension just doesn't do well for the low speed trail ride for root/rock compliance and your not gonna make a trail suspension handle triples, etc. You can strike a pretty good balance if you are honest and objective in your expectations and expressing your wants to a good suspension tuner. There are some set-ups that favor a broad range of adjustability, but obviously you give up the exact fine tuning for a specific discipline.

Heck, if you are weight appropriate to begin with, change gearing for your need, do some suspension testing, and throw a sx front plate and sx rear fender/number plate combo on and go roost.