The best thing about the coming 350 revolution is

ando
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11/30/2009 1:30pm
...listening to all the naysayers about why something new and different will never work.
dunn2500
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11/30/2009 2:31pm
95% who ride mx cannot come even close to riding a 450 to its potential and would be faster on a 250f being they arent too heavy............250f would make them a better rider.......when i go to the tracks and see all the guys on 450's its pretty sad to watch, clearly the bike is overpowering them and limiting them from progressing......but then there's the ego and that usually wins over everything...........say what u want, but that 350 is gonna put a big ding in japanese sales, and most people who ride or race dont have to adhere to displacement rules........i have been back and forth and the 450 is just too much for mx (180lbs)...........alot of the pros have tamed the motors down for racing.......and the 250f laptimes are right there and even better than aot of the 450's in mx and sx..........
GuyB
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11/30/2009 2:49pm
With one participant so far, I'm not sure it can be called a revolution.

It's definitely something that Youthstream has been pushing for over several years now, and they got one of their best allies to make it happen. It'll be interesting to see if anyone follows suit.
lucero10x
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11/30/2009 3:22pm
dunn2500 wrote:
95% who ride mx cannot come even close to riding a 450 to its potential and would be faster on a 250f being they arent too...
95% who ride mx cannot come even close to riding a 450 to its potential and would be faster on a 250f being they arent too heavy............250f would make them a better rider.......when i go to the tracks and see all the guys on 450's its pretty sad to watch, clearly the bike is overpowering them and limiting them from progressing......but then there's the ego and that usually wins over everything...........say what u want, but that 350 is gonna put a big ding in japanese sales, and most people who ride or race dont have to adhere to displacement rules........i have been back and forth and the 450 is just too much for mx (180lbs)...........alot of the pros have tamed the motors down for racing.......and the 250f laptimes are right there and even better than aot of the 450's in mx and sx..........
the guys who turn paces at most mx tracks buy what they see winning on tv combined with what they can afford. I am afraid the KTM 350 will not be something they purchase. Myself on the other hand am a die hard orange guy and will probably be standing in line.

The Shop

DPW
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11/30/2009 3:28pm
if the 450 was way too much power, why does almost every 450 at the local track have an aftermarket pipe on it?...Wink
staycasted
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11/30/2009 3:51pm
to those saying the japs wont try anything below 450. rumor has it tony cairolis bike wasn't a 450 this year and he won MX1 championship...
to those saying the japs wont try anything below 450. rumor has it tony cairolis bike wasn't a 450 this year and he won MX1 championship this year. also note that the 350 can be raced against the 450 but anything above 450 cant be raced on the supercross or motocross classes thats why mx bikes over 450 dont exist.
i read somewhere that AC's mx1 bike was a 390cc.. not sure if that is accurate..
JB 19
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11/30/2009 6:31pm Edited Date/Time 11/30/2009 6:33pm
450's are sweet when the track is groomed perfect. When the track gets whooped out and rutted or super slippery they are a handful.

I'm not in pro athlete shape and have accepted that I never will be. A lighter better handling bike would be more fun for me.

I'm curious how well executed the ktm 350 project will be. ........maybe I should buy another 125 and be done with it. :-)
level
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11/30/2009 7:04pm
I had the most fun when I went from my 250 2 stroke to a 250f. I loved the 250f. I was faster on it, could throw it around more, could run more laps with it, and stay wide open more often which translated into more adrenaline and more fun. I then got a 450 and although I really do love it I kinda miss the 250f sometimes. There are certain obstacles that are much easier on a 450 though so that's kinda nice but your not wrapped out like you are on a 250f. A 250f is a nice mix between a 450f and a 250 2 stroke. You don't lose as much as the 2 stroke feel because your always wrapped out it seems. 450 is kinda lazy and like many said a little boring.

I'm excited about a 350 going into production from major manufactures. Hell I might even consider getting a 250f bored out. Everyone told me I was too big for a 250f. 205 pounds and I was competing with the 16 to 17 year old kids and holding my own at the time. Couldn't get a start for shit though but otherwise I was faster on that than my 250 2 stroke. 450 is all about being nice and smooth and 250f you have to wrap that bitch out to the rev limiter.
smit9722
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11/30/2009 7:35pm
whats going to be really fun is when they blow up all the time likes 250f's do compared to 450's.
user760a
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11/30/2009 7:49pm
GuyB wrote:
With one participant so far, I'm not sure it can be called a revolution. It's definitely something that Youthstream has been pushing for over several years...
With one participant so far, I'm not sure it can be called a revolution.

It's definitely something that Youthstream has been pushing for over several years now, and they got one of their best allies to make it happen. It'll be interesting to see if anyone follows suit.
I am approaching this purely as a rider. I am not at all up on the politics of the 350 or who wants it or does not want it. I can surmise that KTM wants the 350 since they are committed to it but otherwise I just really dig the idea of a bike that splits the difference between the 250 and 450
staycasted
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11/30/2009 7:51pm
does anyone have an idea what the ktm 350 will retail for?
FlaNard
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11/30/2009 8:00pm Edited Date/Time 11/30/2009 8:03pm
user760a wrote:
the huge increase in the raw fun factor. I have noticed over the last 5-6 years that a great way to make 90 percent of the...
the huge increase in the raw fun factor.

I have noticed over the last 5-6 years that a great way to make 90 percent of the tracks I ride boring is to ride them on a 450. Maybe this is because I dont have acces to 2 mile flowing national tracks with hundreds of feet of elevation change, but the truth is most practice tracks and even a great number or race tracks are just plain more fun on a 250F or a two stroke because the big dumb 450's really do take almost all of the challenge out of obstacles...really, the only challenging thing about riding a 450 is cornering since the crank weight and inertia rules the game.

I rode twice in the last week at a local track that was an absolute riot, just a fantastic track. I rode my 250F rather than my 450 and it got me wondering if I would have had such a good time on my 450....sadly, I think the answer is no. The 250 is more of a challenge where conservation of momentum and technique are concerned and it corners so so well...the 450...blah.
Do you race? To me, if a 450 makes it easier-- then it makes you more competitive. 450s are nice for the start, too. I love...
Do you race?

To me, if a 450 makes it easier-- then it makes you more competitive. 450s are nice for the start, too.

I love the 450 power, and I love how it makes jumps so much easier than my RM250. I understand the fun factor argument, but clearing jumps easier is not a drawback as far as I'm concerned.
Fun factor and racing are not always the same thing. But it is true that nothing has ever made so many shitty riders faster then the switch to the 450. When you dont have to be able to corner, everyone gets to go fast.
Loose
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11/30/2009 9:37pm
A lot of people commenting on a bike that hasn't been sold yet.

Just because Everts and Cairoli are fast on one doesn't mean we all will be. The 350 could be a high revving, peaky prick of a thing to ride. I like KTM, have owned a couple but one thing I know about them is they build the most ready to race bikes out there. The 350 in my opinion will be a race bike out of the crate and unless you know how to ride you'll look like a fool as teenage 250f riders rip past.

I could be wrong but some of the presumptions around here are bordering on wet dreams.

carry on
Loose
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11/30/2009 9:43pm
Racer92 wrote:
The stopwatch is the obstacle you should be concerned with. Jumps are over-rated and for show anyway. Run your last lap faster than your first after...
The stopwatch is the obstacle you should be concerned with. Jumps are over-rated and for show anyway.

Run your last lap faster than your first after 30 minutes, theres the challenge all racers should be thinking about.
Great post.

Another good piece of advice;
"Treat every straight as if it's the start and every turn as if it's the first"
Loose
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11/30/2009 10:24pm
You're gonna have to explain that one to me.

Wouldn't it depend on how the extra displacement was gained?
Loose
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11/30/2009 11:13pm
I'm not saying that you're wrong but I would have thought that to compensate for the smaller engine KTM (or whoever) would have to look at revs as a way to produce enough power to be competitive against the 450's.
I dunno but that seems to be the normal way that motorsport reacts to displacement advantage.
dunn2500
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11/30/2009 11:26pm
Loose wrote:
A lot of people commenting on a bike that hasn't been sold yet. Just because Everts and Cairoli are fast on one doesn't mean we all...
A lot of people commenting on a bike that hasn't been sold yet.

Just because Everts and Cairoli are fast on one doesn't mean we all will be. The 350 could be a high revving, peaky prick of a thing to ride. I like KTM, have owned a couple but one thing I know about them is they build the most ready to race bikes out there. The 350 in my opinion will be a race bike out of the crate and unless you know how to ride you'll look like a fool as teenage 250f riders rip past.

I could be wrong but some of the presumptions around here are bordering on wet dreams.

carry on
guess they look really stupid getting waxed on their 450's............the fastest riders at the tracks are on 250f's around here hands down............................
dunn2500
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11/30/2009 11:28pm
DPW wrote:
if the 450 was way too much power, why does almost every 450 at the local track have an aftermarket pipe on it?...Wink
LaughingLaughingLaughing .......do i even have to answer that?
YZBooster
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11/30/2009 11:31pm
The reintro of the 250 2-smoker to compete against it...
PaleBlue
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12/1/2009 12:27am
DPW wrote:
so what problem is the 350 supposedly fixing again?
In the hands of the average guy the 450 is simply too understressed and does not break enough to give the manufacturers enough spare part sales. The (pre-stressed) 350 aims to put this straight.

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