My son just picked up a KTM 350 SFX and loves it, he bought a 23 with 30 hours for 4k. Looks almost new.
Side by sides / Offroading
- OP 🔹 majorbison
- Start date
- Jun 23, 2020
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- 2020 6.7 F250 Super Duty Tremor Lariat Ultimate BAP
- 2022 KTM 500 EXC-F Six Days
I grew up riding Kawasaki Motocross bikes. Took a 20+ year hiatus from them, and recently got back into riding again. I bought a KTM 500 EXC-F. Now I’d say that is a little too big of a frame for what you are looking for, but the 4 stroke bikes are pretty impressive these days. Plenty of stand it up power in 1st through 4th with a quick twist of the throttle, but they are very linear and predictable in their power delivery. No bog and scream like the old 2 strokes. I’ve not been on a newer smoker to compare however. I never thought I would like a 4 stroke, but personally, I can’t imagine going back to the gas oil mix.
I had a Husky 701 for a while, several of the guys I ride with have 501s, and two have the KTM versions. All are amazing bikes. The 501s have crazy power for bikes that small/light.
Our group-use is multi-day camping trips on dirt, covering 150 to 200 miles per day, so the ability to comfortably carry extra fuel and gear has to be part of the package.
The KTM/Husky bikes are serious performers — the suspension travel is great and the 501s and 701s easily wheelie with a tweak of the throttle — but they are also expensive, equipped with seats that feel like sitting on a 2x6, and have short service intervals.
If I was going to buy a bike to poke along with a kid on logging roads I’d pick a less expensive, lower-performing, older technology, bulletproof, 200-400cc (or KLR) Japanese bike with a comfortable seat (because you’ll be sitting more during his first year) and long service intervals. These bikes are cheap used, and there are lots of them out there. If the kid loves dirt biking, as I did as a little kid, the OP will be upgrading the kid’s bike, and maybe his, in a year or two. Between the age of 9 and 16 I went from a Honda 50, to a 70, to an XR75, to an elsinore 125, to a 250, to an RM400… I swapped up bikes as fast as I could earn the money to power up. That was the 70s. Now even the non-performers have a lot of power and suspension travel by comparison.
For the last 17 years I’ve been riding a BMW 1200GSA most of the time, so EVERYTHING feels light and nimble by comparison, including my 701. My buddy’s 501 felt as light as a bicycle — easy to ride on single-track all day, as long as I was willing to stand.
One other thought for the RP, if father-son dirt-bike-camping might be on the menu next summer, it’s nice to have a platform that’s well suited to carrying gear. Some bikes, like the Kawi KLR 650 and it’s Suzuki DR400 counterpart have evolved very little over decades. They aren’t great performers, but if you drop a tooth on the front sprocket both can wheelie and play. They can also be lugged all day, get decent fuel economy, run forever with little maintenance, and have catalogs full of aftermarket accessories for travel and camping.
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Thanks for the input everyone, I think I'll definitely stick with 4 stroke, as I feel my days are over with the 2 stroke mx bikes. I do like the husky bikes but damn are they pricey and probably a tad more than I need at the moment. Probably look for something lightly used in the 200-400cc range. I'm a Honda fan so I'll probably start there on marketplace and see what I can find for 3-4k. If I cant find anything used I like maybe snag a new one in the spring. I know I'll need a tune up on my skills as well so this should make that more manageable and enjoyable. Also let me take it easy while my son learns. I have head alot on the KLXs so maybe ill check those out too my buddy just got a KLX230RS and is happy with it riding with his son just learning as well.
I own every KLX off-road bike in their current lineup except for the 230R and we're actually picking one up later this year. They're all great bikes for cruising the trails and they all take the same oil filter which simplifies maintenance. The 230R is also fuel injected now (since about 2020 I think) which is awesome.
Edit - here's a picture
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You guys obviously aren't aware of how the modern 2-stroke bikes work; these aren't your MX bikes of the '90's. I keep the big enduros like the 450's and 500's for dual sport use and when on more technical BDR's. The heavier inertia of the four-stroke doesn't make it as flickable in the tight woods. If you're really running single-track trails, then I'd stick to a 250 or 350 thumper if you're against the superior enduro smokers like the 300 XC-W. I've had quite a few of them over the years, @MVI can attest to that, but if I were going to be chasing my kids down the trail, I wouldn't elect for a 501 or 701 unless you plan to do some BDR's or adventure bike type activities. And even then, I'd still elect for a separate trail bike alongside the adventure bike or dual sport.
Maaaaan I really just want a 250 to dink around on. I have a pro r for the dunes, but I think it would be great to just desert mob on a bike.I own every KLX off-road bike in their current lineup except for the 230R and we're actually picking one up later this year. They're all great bikes for cruising the trails and they all take the same oil filter which simplifies maintenance. The 230R is also fuel injected now (since about 2020 I think) which is awesome.
Edit - here's a picture
View attachment 226588
Wow that's a hell of a line up you have there your a big kawi fan.I own every KLX off-road bike in their current lineup except for the 230R and we're actually picking one up later this year. They're all great bikes for cruising the trails and they all take the same oil filter which simplifies maintenance. The 230R is also fuel injected now (since about 2020 I think) which is awesome.
Edit - here's a picture
View attachment 226588
I've always been more of a Yamaha guy but somehow ended up with a fleet of Kawasakis
Got a great price on the first three together from a dealership a few years ago when my boys saved up their $500 each (that was the deal) and have picked up a few more along the way as they've grown. Same reason we're getting a KLX230R soon. Keep going to the same dealership and they just ask "what'll it be today, Mr. McE" lol - got the little electric one damn near for free last time I was in there. Almost exclusively ride the Husky 300 smoker since I got it in May but it's pretty fun mobbing through the woods with the family all on matching bikes.
Keep us posted on what you end up getting! Once you get your riding legs back, go ride one of the new Austrian TBI bikes. You should be able to find a dealership nearby that puts on a demo day/weekend at least once a year. I promise you it'll change the way you feel about two strokes. They're very refined and fuel & oil injected - no mixing gas. I'm not exaggerating when I say that Husky TE300 is probably the last woods/trail bike I'll ever buy. I honestly don't know how they could make them any better and regret waiting as long as I did to go ride one.
Damn you guys are killing me, I was convinced prior to asking i was going with the honda crf250f now you all got me looking at KTM and Husky. The research I did quickly the TE300 is appealing as well as the KTM 350 EXC-F. I know you guys are all saying how great these bikes are but I'm not sure if they'd be too much for now riding with the kids. On the flip side it would be one of the last bikes I'd have to buy for a while. Man this forum is so bad for your damn wallet it always turns into this lmaoI've always been more of a Yamaha guy but somehow ended up with a fleet of Kawasakis
Got a great price on the first three together from a dealership a few years ago when my boys saved up their $500 each (that was the deal) and have picked up a few more along the way as they've grown. Same reason we're getting a KLX230R soon. Keep going to the same dealership and they just ask "what'll it be today, Mr. McE" lol - got the little electric one damn near for free last time I was in there. Almost exclusively ride the Husky 300 smoker since I got it in May but it's pretty fun mobbing through the woods with the family all on matching bikes.
Keep us posted on what you end up getting! Once you get your riding legs back, go ride one of the new Austrian TBI bikes. You should be able to find a dealership nearby that puts on a demo day/weekend at least once a year. I promise you it'll change the way you feel about two strokes. They're very refined and fuel & oil injected - no mixing gas. I'm not exaggerating when I say that Husky TE300 is probably the last woods/trail bike I'll ever buy. I honestly don't know how they could make them any better and regret waiting as long as I did to go ride one.
I would have one bike instead of three right now if I had started with the Husky...just sayinDamn you guys are killing me, I was convinced prior to asking i was going with the honda crf250f now you all got me looking at KTM and Husky. The research I did quickly the TE300 is appealing as well as the KTM 350 EXC-F. I know you guys are all saying how great these bikes are but I'm not sure if they'd be too much for now riding with the kids. On the flip side it would be one of the last bikes I'd have to buy for a while. Man this forum is so bad for your damn wallet it always turns into this lmao
I'm pretty biased now but I think the white KTMs are some of the best looking dirt bikes out there.
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What year is your TE300? How many hours do you hsve on it and what's the maintenance been like. I remember when I had a 2 stroke honda 125cc growing up I'd have to rebuild the top end every 60ush hours onky ever did bottom end once, are these newer bikes longer service intervals or is that still the same on the newer 2 strokes?I would have one bike instead of three right now if I had started with the Husky...just sayin
I'm pretty biased now but I think the white KTMs are some of the best looking dirt bikes out there.
View attachment 226608
They have longer maintenance intervals than the MX bikes for sure. Mine's a '25 - put about 30hrs on it since I picked it up in May. I dump the transmission every 8hrs or so which is probably overkill but that's all the maintenance I plan to do until the 100hr mark beside the obvious universal stuff like air filter and chain. My KX450 and KLX300R both required significantly more maintenance by the 30hr mark. Even the KLX110 and KLX140s required more maintenance by 30hrs. A lot of guys ignore the initial valve check/adjustment on the four strokes. Chances are it would be fine but I've seen what can happen when a valve or timing chain goes. I don't skip it.
From what I've gathered, a lot of guys are doing preventative piston swaps on the Austrian 300 smokers around 100hrs but quite a few reports of 200-300hrs on original top end without issue. I plan on doing the piston around 90-100hrs because I ride mine like a two stroke and it's stupid easy to do. Also less worry about taking out the jug if the piston goes. I would much rather deal with 100hr piston swaps on a two stroke than deal with valve adjustments, timing chains, etc. Modern four strokes are cool (I have a lot of them) but are way more complex than a two stroke and nowhere near as easy to work on if something happens.
Lastly, I know you mentioned looking at used bikes. I don't know what the used dirt bike market is like in your area, but around here it has been nuts since about 2020. When I started buying more bikes few years ago when my boys were ready to start, it was actually the same price or cheaper to go buy new bikes at the dealership than it would have been to buy 15-year-old clapped out bikes on the used market. I'm not kidding. It was tough buying brand new bikes for the kids knowing they were going to get beat to shit but used just didn't pencil. I don't know if people didn't bother looking at new bikes because they assumed it would be too expensive or what, but the used bikes were moving at those ridiculous prices. Right now is actually the best time to buy new because dealerships are starting to make room for the new model years.
Hope that helps! I'm pumped for you no matter what - riding with your kids has to be one of the absolute coolest ways to spend time with them.
Well it seems I may need to sell some company stock and grab one of these husky TE300s. The more i read and watch about these they seem like an amazing bike. Probably be around spring time before I pull the trigger but I'll keep an eye out for deals in the meantime. The used bike market is stupid high here in NY when I was looking on marketplace for another 700-900$ you can get a new one. So I think your on the right track with just buying new. Do the Husky have any extended warranty plans like they do for our trucks that you have experience with?
I have no idea. Parts are relatively inexpensive and they're so easy to work on that it probably wouldn't be worth it anyway.
- OP 🔹
- #317
Always carry a spare...my milwaukee m18 inflator and sidewall slug plan did not work out.
How are you liking the KRX?
- OP 🔹
- #319
it's pretty rad. Not too fast but 60-65mpg cruising speed is plenty for me. The long travel / on-demand suspension adjustments are amazing. I need to install the front camera and cab seal kit, probably my only complaint so far is the amount of dust that ends up inside the cab. I wish I had a stock one to compare it to but so far it seems that we did this one just right.
How far was the walk?
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