Which 85

[FMFHonda161]

My frend is going to be gettin a new 85 soon after comin off of the ttr 125 he had. He is very advanced for having a bike with no suspension and 1 year of riding experience. He is unsure of wich one to get. He already know that he doesn't want a Kx. He also doesn't want the Suzuki either but it may be reasonable. I told him that i would narrow it down to the CR, KTM, and the YZ. Please give al the info that you have. Thanx in advance.
BBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRraaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhpppppppppppp!!!

Ransom Bennett 161

 

[ODEI]

Don't hold your breath for the KTM. That would have been my first choice but my son just could not wait.They may arrive but in limited numbers. Depending on what type of riding your friend does I would not count out the RM. I recently purchased a 03 RM 85 and have been very pleased with it. My son and I don't do much MX mainly Harescrambles and we have found that a powervalved motor works the best for him. Suspension is pretty good and by the jetting was spot on out of the box.

 

[ktmdad]

Agree, don't hold your breath for a KTM 85 for this spring. There are only 200 or so available.

From your list, I'd take the YZ over the CR. But my son prefers the RM85. Great low end and mid. Signs off a bit early on top, but can be taken care of with changing pipe & silencer.

The RM is the tallest of the big four. Haven't paid much attention to the KTM specs.

Best thing to do is see if your rider can test ride the bikes and let him choose the one that he feels more comfortable on.

 

[MXP1MP]

The YZ and the CR also have the stiffest suspenion settings stock over the KX and RM. I just bought a used '01 TM 85 I would totally suggest one but they are rare, exspensive new and not for the none mechanic. But its also much beefier in build qaulity than any of the japanese 85's. Don't wait for the KTM even though I know its gonna be over built style like my TM that alone will make it better.

 

[Philip]

It depends also on size and what he wants out of the bike. The RM is on the tall side and according to TWMX it has 11 hp @ 8000rpm which is more bottom than the rest. The CR has about 8 hp @ 8000rpm which is a little weak but on the pipe is an advanced bike. I am a heavy guy and on the pipe our CR will pull pretty hard. The YZ burns clutchs so if he is a heavy clutch guy you might want to keep that in mind. My advice is get the brochures and do your research and decide what suites you best. May I ask why he is against a KX?

 

[dirtfreak]

Ummm, Philip, I think you were a lttle off when you said the RM has 11 horsepower and the CR has 8. To anyone who was wondering what these little screamers really make on the dyno, here are the dyno numbers of the 85's tested in the Feb. 2003 issue of Dirt Bike:

YZ85--22.7HP
CR85R--21.8HP
RM85--21.0HP
KX85--20.7HP


Keep in mind that the KX and RM have powervalves and are the less pipey ones. The YZ had the widest powerband spread.
Keep in mind that the KX and RM have powervalves

 

[dirtfreak]

Don't know what happened up there. I think I repeated myself. lol.

 

[Philip]

dirtfreak
Notice I said at 8000rpm I was showing how much more low end the RM had over the CR. These numbers come rom TWMX test on these two bikes. April issue.

 

[Racer#213]

the kx is the most reliable bike i've ever seen. My freind was always rejetting his cr80 and my kx it's a lot easier to rejet. Has good supsension, and pretty powerful. As long as you no how to ride you could womp on yz85's with that decrease in 2 hp. The rm is the tallest bike in the class. I wouldn't count them out, but hey, it's not me buying the bike.

 

[Red Rider 53]

Definitly go for the Honda CR! I have one and its great! That thing breaths fire. Also, tell your friend that if he wants to save money to go with the CR80 not the 85, they are almost identicall. Not graphics wise though.

 

[pyrofreak]

How much ponies is the KTM 85s putting out? Peak and at 8,000RPMs????

THX
~Jamie

 

[MikeS]

Any of these bikes will get the job done with the correct rider.

For the rider comming off the TTR, alot can happen. If he is running the ttr pinned 100% of the time and has talent then the YZ will rip for him. Now if the rider likes the torque and traction of the TTR and is not totally agreesive then the RM or KX is a good choice. The KTM is a powerhouse that is going to be limited for most people. If you are a serious racer on a KTM then buy 2 or have a dealer with "pull" for parts.

All these bikes have good and bad. We have been loyal to the RM for years. This year we like the performance the best but had bad luck breakdowns that cost us 3 series so far. Crap happens with any of these.

Best advice...buy a TM ...sorry (did that for our 125 bike) really .... hook up with a good supprt dealer that can help you fix it and keep it running. Maybe ride a friends bike for a day and see if it works fo you.

 

[pyrofreak]

KTM definitly, maybe a YZ since the KTMs will be sold FAST!!! But YZs are known to really rip stuff up!