Best all-rounder? (MX, Enduro, etc)

So I have an 03 CR125 and it's a nice bike but is woeful on the trails and is a little difficult to ride on '4-stroke tracks'. Also, most (all) tracks near to me aren't groomed very often so traction is hard to come by and the poor 125's suspension takes a lot of abuse.

Also, my friends are moving more to enduro riding and not having electric start is a bummer.

As a 100% Honda person, I'm looking to switch to a KTM 300 EXC. This will still allow me to hit the motocross track every now and then, but really help out when I'm on enduro trails. Secondly, I would get supermoto rims for the occasional zip around town.

Any other candidates? I'm looking at the used market where a 2007+ KTM 300 EXC is around $4500 - $7500. Ideally I don't want to spend more than that. I just can't think of any other bikes that really fit the build. Not too keen on a 4 stroke as I feel enduro-wise, the 2 stroke is more appropriate.
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mmcmx
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Perafita, Catalunya PE
10/30/2016 4:52am
I have a friend that races enduro(just did the six days) as well as MX on the same bike, He uses an Husqvarna FE 350 with MX suspension he bought from someone who upgraded to cone valves.

Motofinne
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10/30/2016 4:55am
EXC is the way to go in my opinion. The suspension is a bit soft for MX sure but it's not too horrible and you can always revalve it towards a MX set up.

Btw are EXC bikes that expensive in Australia? Non road registered 2014-2016 EXCs are from 4000-7000 here in Finland.

There is a EXC 300 2016 for 6k!

http://www.nettimoto.com/ktm/300/2068515

The Shop

dcg141
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MS US
10/30/2016 5:58am
300XC or a 350 XCF. Those are the best all around bikes.The 350 XCF is the MX engine w 6th gear and a bigger fuel tank,18 inch rear wheel and a side stand.
10/30/2016 6:57am
Buy linkage bike if you like to do MX as well. I previously had many EXC´s, switched to Beta RR300 this summer and propably will never go back to PDS bikes.
tmx860
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CT US
10/30/2016 8:05am
Ktm EXC300 or husky 300TE
Coyote
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Santa Cruz, CA US
10/30/2016 8:07am
1994 RMX250..Jus kidding...although they are great bikes..better than most would admit..
I'd be on of the first to admit about the RMX as I helped develop it and ran the race team w/Randy Hawkins winning 6 national enduro championships with it....lol!! To this day best bike I ever rode was the 300 KTM, great low end and mid range while still able to rev and great engine durability, add a button now and that even adds fun/credibility to the bike. Have friends that have them and they all love that scoot!!
10/30/2016 8:50am
I'll probably be the only one with this opinion, but I'd keep the 125, add a flywheel weight, smaller carb, big tank, 18" rear wheel and have a ball!
Hcallz5
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UT US
10/30/2016 5:50pm
YZ 250 if you're on a budget

300 if you got money to blow.
LungButter
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Yellow Pine, ID US
10/30/2016 6:33pm
Hcallz5 wrote:
YZ 250 if you're on a budget

300 if you got money to blow.
I'm in the market for a similar use bike and this is what I think as well.

For what I want to pay I'll probably go YZ.
r.sal923
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CA
10/30/2016 6:41pm
My 2016 te300 is un rideable for mx. I can bottom it out in breaking bumps. I have a new Yz 450f for mx. If I was to get 1 bike for every thing it would be a 2006 yz250 or newer
Flatliner
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10/30/2016 6:45pm
I don't remember TP finishing. Thought he had mechanical dnf's.
JPT
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Cedar Falls, IA US
10/30/2016 7:36pm
Thought we were talking riders.

The correct answer would have been Bugsy.
malachi177
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10/30/2016 7:52pm Edited Date/Time 10/30/2016 7:56pm
Flatliner wrote:
I don't remember TP finishing. Thought he had mechanical dnf's.
Pretty sure the bet went with betting TP he couldn't finish Erzberg and TP replied that he'd win it. Travis was leading the race by quite a large margin before getting his bike stuck in a tree for quite some time. I think he did finish the race though.


The Gas Gas 300 Nambotin IMO is the best all round bike I've ever ridden.
endurox
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Garden City, ID US
10/30/2016 8:26pm
I would get a 2014 and up model. Much better chasis. 250 XC or XC-W with a Rekluse is hard beat. XC close ratio trans would be better on the track.
BobPA
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10/30/2016 8:30pm
dcg141 wrote:
300XC or a 350 XCF. Those are the best all around bikes.The 350 XCF is the MX engine w 6th gear and a bigger fuel tank,18...
300XC or a 350 XCF. Those are the best all around bikes.The 350 XCF is the MX engine w 6th gear and a bigger fuel tank,18 inch rear wheel and a side stand.
This guy knows what he is talking about
Tim507
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Oregon City, OR US
10/30/2016 8:33pm Edited Date/Time 10/30/2016 8:34pm
dcg141 wrote:
300XC or a 350 XCF. Those are the best all around bikes.The 350 XCF is the MX engine w 6th gear and a bigger fuel tank,18...
300XC or a 350 XCF. Those are the best all around bikes.The 350 XCF is the MX engine w 6th gear and a bigger fuel tank,18 inch rear wheel and a side stand.
I've had a 2013 300XC with linkage and its a great bike. I now both a 2016 SXF and a XCF.....very nice. The XCF just screams in 3rd gear in the tight sandy trails of China Hat.... and feels much more planted then the 300. Plus in lopes along very nicely when being shorted shifted and momentum is important.
Skidaddle
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Woodland, CA US
10/30/2016 8:43pm
Any 300 KTM or Husky with the suspension set for you.

The only thing I want more than my 300 os a 360 or 380 in a current chassis.

ando
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Perth AU
10/31/2016 1:21am
Motofinne wrote:
EXC is the way to go in my opinion. The suspension is a bit soft for MX sure but it's not too horrible and you can...
EXC is the way to go in my opinion. The suspension is a bit soft for MX sure but it's not too horrible and you can always revalve it towards a MX set up.

Btw are EXC bikes that expensive in Australia? Non road registered 2014-2016 EXCs are from 4000-7000 here in Finland.

There is a EXC 300 2016 for 6k!

http://www.nettimoto.com/ktm/300/2068515
Yep. Standard retail price on something like a brand new 300EXC would be around $12,000-$13,000.

Note that, except for pure MX models, and few oddballs like the RMX450, all offroad bikes are road legal. Australia has its own set of guidelines for road registration, which means added cost as the OEM has to potentially modify, and get approval, for every new model that can be registered.

Agree about the dual use option as well. I actually used to keep two sets of fork springs, can be changed over in less than half an hour.
ando
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10/31/2016 1:23am
JPT wrote:
Thought we were talking riders.

The correct answer would have been Bugsy.
Not sure who Bugsy is, but I would have said Shane Watts.
Berni
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ES
10/31/2016 4:04am Edited Date/Time 10/31/2016 4:11am
I have ridden my new gas gas ec300 , in the track and it handles it better than my old exc from 2012. Both with stock suspension. I preffer it too riding enduro, it is just heavier but you do not feel it at all while riding it
10/31/2016 6:07pm Edited Date/Time 10/31/2016 6:09pm
JPT wrote:
Thought we were talking riders.

The correct answer would have been Bugsy.
ando wrote:
Not sure who Bugsy is, but I would have said Shane Watts.
C'mon, now
Bugsy = Dick Mann

Won Championships road racing, TT, and dirt track. Won premier class pro events in MX & Observed Trials, and earned medals in ISDE. Nobody will ever again have that diverse an all-around resume.
BobPA
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10/31/2016 6:50pm
Berni wrote:
I have ridden my new gas gas ec300 , in the track and it handles it better than my old exc from 2012. Both with stock...
I have ridden my new gas gas ec300 , in the track and it handles it better than my old exc from 2012. Both with stock suspension. I preffer it too riding enduro, it is just heavier but you do not feel it at all while riding it
If you do not feel it why would you mention it?

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