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Ktm or YZ 250?
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http://motocrossactionmag.com/bike-tests/2015-mxa-250-two-stroke-shooto…
The Shop
Edit: Or TM
I really think that MXA gave the YZ the win on this to reward their body panel updates and encourage them to update the bike in the future. The KTM has won the shootout for the past 5 years and now with plastic changes alone the Yamaha wins? Also MXA states that the KTM will be getting "big changes" in 2016 so they will most likely win again next year.
Since there are only 2 dogs in this show it just feels like MXA was trying to throw Yamaha a bone here...
It's been the engine every two 250 has tried to copy since 1999. Suzuki basically copied the top end in about 2004. KTM has been changing / developing their bike to beat it for 15 years, and they are just now getting close.
KTM keeps updating their bike to try and build a bike that's better than the YZ250. The haven't "changed technology", they are just trying to build a better YZ. There isn't any new " technology" in the KTM.
Yamaha is smart enough to not mess with a good thing. They have refined the bike over the years, but they haven't changed the things that work, just for the sake of selling you a new bike. As they find better things they upgrade it. Like the new suspension this year.
The plastic got updated too because styles have changed and it still needs to be appealing on the show room.
But, they didn't change the motor for the last couple of years because IT FREAK'N WORKS.
The stock jetting is terrible, so the first thing you'll need to do is re-jet it.
The Yamaha's are cheaper, better suspended and some people think they handle better. It's tested and tested again and people dig the YZ250. It works. It's almost like that old labrador your parents had when you were young. Kind, simple and plain fun.
IMHO I'd go for the KTM. I don't care much for Ktm as a brand, since so many people are riding them, but you can't deny the fact that they're awesome bikes.
Oh, wait. I already own a SX250.
There's a lot of useful info there.
Here's my jetting specs:
Pilot: 40
Main:160
Needle: NECJ (from a Suzuki rm 2008)
Clip: 4 from top
Air screw: 1 3/4 out.
Temp is around 10 degrees celcius around here. Using pro circuit pipe and shorty silencer.
Pit Row
KTM turns better and has brakes that are insanely better, forks that are easily worse than the YZ and also didn't rev out like the YZ stock but I fixed that. I also appreciate that I like working on it better than the yz or rm I also have.
only reason to go YZ is if youve ridden them for so long you are in love with suspension and chassis ergos.
rode a buddys new yz250 with A kit and oversized front rotor. bike was surprisingly good in the hp dept compared to my 300. i felt REALLY comfortable on the bike right when i jumped on it, esp in the corners. and thats saying a lot cause it usually takes me a while to not feel goofy on someone elses bike.
saying that, youd have to LOVE that thing to buy one of those over a ktm with all the upgraded features and changes being made almost every year. however, there are those people out there. i dont take anything away from their choice, as both are good bikes.
I have an '07 YZ250 that I won't part with even after riding newer KTMs. Keep seeing almost new 250SXs out there for bargain prices and have been tempted but a number of factors keep me from changing - I don't want to spend a chunk of change to get the legs somewhere close to the YZs (have to add that to the expense list), I do my own suspension work and I don't want to have to relearn that 4CS system, get more tools and I don't have a source for reasonable prices on WP parts. I just don't want to hassle with (or spend money on) something like the suspension when what I've got is great as it is.
Since 2013 I've seen quite a few 250SXs for sale that were almost showroom condition. When asking the owners why they were selling it so quickly, most reply that it just wasn't a good fit for them. One was selling because he got laid off a month after buying it. I even saw one that went back up for sale less than a month after it was purchased from the original owner. They typically don't elaborate much put the impression I got was it was a suspension issue. I can understand that disappointment - go buy a new bike and feel like you have to drop some serious coin on the legs just so you're comfortable on it. Heck, there's even one large dealership that will push you to get their in-house suspension work done before you even roll it out the door... usually at a cost of over $1k for both ends. That's a tough pill to swallow for someone who just dropped about $7-$10k.
As for the plastic - good lawd, I'll stick with the stock 07 stuff. It looks like Yamaha just took the fuggly 08 KTM sidepanel profile and stuck it on the YZ. It was an eyesore on the Katoom and it looks worse on the YZ. I would have thought they'd pick something more appealing if they were going to go through the trouble of changing it. But hey, that's a cosmetic preference, not a functionality or performance issue.
I'll consider getting an SX when they put a fantastic suspension on (like I already have) and I can work on it (and understand it) without having to spend a chunk on more tools. At my age and riding requirements I don't have to worry about needing more than the bike can offer, but I do appreciate great suspension and a polished package right out of the box.
I don't the 250SX is a bad/inferior bike, it just isn't as good a match for me right off the showroom floor.
But I'm glad there are choices in the market... and the more the better.
Funny how different areas can have such different markets.
if youre talking used compared to new ktm then yes, you could have an awesome tricked out yz for the $ saved.
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