Posts
1561
Joined
11/18/2006
Location
DFW, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
5/24/2016 10:50am
I have a 16 KTM 450, and its a great bike but I just love riding 2-strokes. I ride them better, and just have more fun...
Found an 05 RM125 (with a 144 kit) for cheap ridden by a guy that rides in the woods. I am thinking about picking it up, and selling my 450 while it has extremely low hours (12).
I want to ride the bike before I make a decision, but I could sell the 450 and have a 125 with no bike payments.
Thoughts on the bike itself and the experience you have had given the situation would be appreciated.
Found an 05 RM125 (with a 144 kit) for cheap ridden by a guy that rides in the woods. I am thinking about picking it up, and selling my 450 while it has extremely low hours (12).
I want to ride the bike before I make a decision, but I could sell the 450 and have a 125 with no bike payments.
Thoughts on the bike itself and the experience you have had given the situation would be appreciated.
Its just one of those things, I really think it would give me a new spark into wanting to ride more again.
Riding buddy sold his 2015 kx450 for a 2016 ktm 125sx. He loves it. He's pretty light like 155lb I believe. He said he just has more fun on it. And that ktm is a really good bike.
The Shop
It did give me new spark as well. Now instead of feeling stale having one 450 in the garage I have three smokers in all sizes and its fun again. I get giddy just trying to decide which bike to ride!
Sold my 465 recently and only because I have way more fun on the 125. Even with my size it's still more fun to ride.
If I could I would also have a 250F in the garage because sometimes it's nice to not feel the need to push as hard as you can just to hit a simple jump. But I have owned and sold a few 125s over the years and every time I get rid of one I immediately regret it. 125s are an absolute blast to ride (even if you're not moving all that fast, it still sounds like you are!).
Unless you are a serious racer, I really do not think 450s are necessary. They are simply too much bike for the common rider. I would much rather ride something to its limit (or my perceived version of its limit) than constantly be metering my input on the bike so I don't over shoot a jump by 50 feet.
From a riding stand point, if you don't have muscle strength 450s will get you into trouble. If you don't have cardio strength 125s will get you nowhere.
I hated the width of the 450 at the shrouds, and the 125 vibrated horribly when revved hard (modded to 144 btw).
So, i'm all healed up, and have saved up some more time-off at work.
Now have to save a little more money, and it's 125 time.
Not going to lie, Stank-Dog kinda motivated me towards doing this. I am already the slow A rider around town, so the 125 just gives me an excuse.
I think I would really like the KTM 150, just because I have already ridden them and already loved them.
As far as a 125, I was all 250F for the last few years, picked up a yz125 for fun, fell in love and was faster on it, the 250F collected dust and eventually was sold. I'm about your weight too OP, 152lb, 5'11. Though I love my 125, there are times where the 250F would come in handy, alot of jumps/track sections that require some work that a 250F would be no trouble at all. Still love my 125 to death thou.
Sounds like I have a project build ahead of me!
Pit Row
We met because of a YZ 250 smoker you borrowed from me.
Jason
After breaking my back on the 450, I took about 8 years off.
I ride a CR125 now, and couldn't be happier. It just feels right.
Last summer I decided it was time to move up a class and run a bigger bike. So in August I bought my first four stroke: a 2014 YZ450F. It was extremely fast, but I couldn't get used to the engine brake feeling on it.
It will take you some time to adjust to the smaller bike. It's a more active riding style and you'll have to learn to take a lot of outside lines at first to get over certain jumps. You will have to become a better rider; better at carrying speed through everything. If you don't, you'll get smoked.
I learned a ton racing my '08 and '11 YZ125s in the 30+, 25+ and 250B classes. I still prefer to race a 125, it's not even about lap times, but getting a good start. Hence I gave the 450F a try. I sold the 450 about 3 weeks ago.
You can beat the 450's on the little bike... You just have to get used to coming through from the back of the pack and carry speed:
If your 450 was a 350, I'd be interested.
Brand new motor from bottom to the top, fresh suspension, and a big ass smile... $1500
Best decision I've made in a long time. Couldn't be happier with my decision.
Post a reply to: Anyone sold their 450 and gone back to a 125?