which bike is best for my purpose?

peterd · 02-25-2010, 10:50 AM

i am 45 yrs old and haven't been riding or owned a bike for 20+yrs. i'm in good physical shape and i trail ride snowmobiles all winter long. i have decided to get back into bike trail riding after 20 yrs of regret. "once it's in your blood, it never leaves" is so true!!!

anyway, like i said my sole purpose would be to ride the woods. trails, fire roads and single track and i don't have much interest in MX at my age but i do want to be able to ride to the cottage or to the store or down the back raod at times of the year when i can't get to the woods due to work/family committments.

i have been reserching for 4 months and i am confused!! i know that i want a KTM and i know that i need to buy a bike that suits my most pleasurable ride experience which is the woods with the occasional trip to the store or the cottage with a blue plate. anyone in this same boat?? i originally thought of the 450 EXC but i think it is too heavy in the bush and the cost is high as i would prefer to buy a new 4 stroke as 2 strokes are all premix and too light and geared too low for the road. then i considered road legallizing a 250 xcf-w but i think that the road will not be kind to this bike either, but it would be so light and maneuverable in the woods!

now i am thinking of road legalizing (blue pate) a 400 xcf-w and biting the bullet with regards to the price of the machine with hopes that it will be the operfect all round bike for me. i am thinking that this bike will be light enough for the trails with decent road manners to get me by. i eventually want to get into some enduro events and want the bike and me to be competitive and yet i don't want to have too heavy or too powerful of a bike to start with. i don't mind upgrading later if need be. not sure where to start??!! can anyone shed some light on this issue??!! wish i could try a bunch of these bikes i have mentioned but that is difficult to co ordinate and i want to get out there as soon as the snow melts!!

peterd

bajadog · 02-25-2010, 12:27 PM

Firstly,

What country are you in?

Here is the official weight of the 450 EXC (factory street legal):

approx. 113.9 kg (251 lbs)

400 EXC (not street legal)

approx. 113.9 kg (251.11 lbs)

250 EXC F (not street legal)

approx 105.7 kg (233 lbs)

Seem to me that there is less than 8 kilos difference to get
a street legal bike.

I had a 450 EXC, and rode lots of single track, open desert and dual sport (and I was in my 40's too).

peterd · 02-25-2010, 12:46 PM

i am in canada.

i understand that the quoted weights are not that far off each other but i am told that due to the more poweful engines the weight feels much heavier and can be alot to handle especially after a full day if riding technical terrain. have you ridden the 250XCF-W or the 400XCF-W? i wonder how they feel in real life trail riding compared to the 450EXC.

same goes with the 530 EXC as it is reported that it feels alot heavier due to the spinning inertia of the larger more powerful engine even though the weight is virtually the same.

bajadog · 02-25-2010, 02:23 PM

I mentioned the 450 EXC, because at least where I live, it's practically impossible to plate an off road motorcycle anymore.

I have ridden a 400 EXC, and a 300 XC-W (friend has one).

For real single track, and tight twisty stuff the 300 was hands down the
best. Of course here in the Kalifornia, it's impossible to plate.

To be honest, I did not feel any real difference between the 400 and my 450.

I ride a 640e LC4 now, and let me tell you, my 450 felt like a two stroke compared to my 640.

peterd · 02-25-2010, 02:55 PM

the fact that you didn't feel a difference between the 400 and the 450 is good to know as the 450's are certainly more readily available here. sometimes i wish i had a good ole 2 smoker for the woods part of things but the premix thing just doesn't work for me and they are more difficult to ride slow which i think i should do for a bit until i get my bike legs back. one day i'll have 2 bikes for each purpose and all will be paradise once more. thanks for your input, much appreciated!! i wonder what others might think??!!

peterd · 02-25-2010, 02:57 PM

last question for you....did you ever ride a 250 xcf or 250 xcf-w and what did you think of it compared to the others that we have mentioned. is it a dog ?

bajadog · 02-25-2010, 03:14 PM

No never rode a KTM 250 4T.

I rode my friends Yamaha WR250F on a few occasions.
It seemed OK, but stalled a lot easier than a 400 or 450, I could not
keep it in a single gear very long (shifting all the time).
The power band seemed to be on the top end. My 450 would just stay above stalling in 3rd and
then when I rolled on the throttle, no bog but lot's of torque.

Maybe it's not the same as a KTM 250, but I'd rather have a 2T, than that
WR250F.

peterd · 02-25-2010, 03:46 PM

yes, i think i will find that limation with any 250F. it will be ok and fun at first then i will crave more power!!! better go big or go home i'm thinking and follow the learning curve!! thanks again!!

Yota · 04-22-2010, 02:35 PM

Good thread, i am in a similar situation. I have a 06 KTM SMC 625 (LC4) that i use for the street but would not think of offroading it and i have an 07 KX450F that i use ofroad and some track use. I would like to find/buy the ultimate dualsport bike and possibly supermoto it too later on. I am definitley going with the anoter KTM but which one? I have rode the old SXC 525m, an EXC 530 and a sx125.
I'm leaning on the 450 or 530 EXC.
what is my best option?