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Now I'm not saying that what is being put out there is all great, I'm just saying it should be, the work has been done, they are just not executing it.
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KTM numbers are low compared to the Big 4 but their recalls and problems seem to be much greater.
I will say this, I think the 350 has not sold like they expected. You have to scrap for a new smoker, but 350's seem to be readly available in this neck of the woods, at least the SX model.
EFI at the pro level, is better. the pro's hated it at first, because it smoothed out the "hit". but there are major advantages to EFI. major advantages!
and for the average rider, not having to tune a carb is awesome and is easy to market.
fuck. its the same stupid argument over the steel vs aluminum frames. motogp bikes are aluminum....and they do it for a reason. i understand the advantages to steel, y'all dont need to list them. but do you understand the advantages to aluminum? obviously not.
same goes for EFI. just cause you are unaware of its benefits, doesnt mean there isnt any. its not just about fancy marketing and higher retail sales figures. i understand that plays a factor but if steel frames or carb's were really better, you'd see them in F1 and MGP.
some of you guys need to face the fact that there are people waaay smarter than you, building these bikes.
Are the emissions lower on a FI motor?
Are the FI motors easier to start?
Are the FI motors easier to reduce exhaust sound levels?
FI is capable of producing lower emissions. That's the #1 benefit of FI.
Are FI engines easier to start? My '08 CRF450 starts first kick, hot or cold.
FI doesn't, in and of itself, produce lower sound levels.
Try facing or overjumping there big guy...lol. Carbs fall the fuck off.
Pit Row
but it doesnt make EFI overrated or steel frames better than aluminum when talking performance. we all know, whats best for a participant driven sport aint necessarily good for performance of bikes and vice-versa.
i think that is maybe the big disconnect in the whole efi/carb/steel/aluminum/2stroke/thumper debate. some are arguing practicality while the others are arguing performance. its two totally different discussions but since the same parties are involved, people confuse the two and the debate rages on.
Faceaz, you have mail.
and steel may never be, for the average rider or during a shootout on brand new bikes.
Yamaha's aluminum frame takes 8 hours to break in and then begin to handle the way it is intended too. I highly doubt MXA puts 8 hours on their Yamaha 450s before testing them up against the 450sx.
And I highly doubt that any of the MXA test riders are good enough to notice the changes in handling characteristics as the KTM's steel frame begins to wear down and loose its rigidity over time. Meanwhile, the aluminum frame holds its characteristics longer. (of course until it cracks without warning)
Hell, the aluminum chassis of MGP are still a work in progress. And so will it be the case for MX from here on out.
And when showroom bikes start coming equipped with traction control.....well by then even the two strokes will have direct injection. TC is coming. its on showroom sportbikes. and it will one day be on showroom mx bikes. i give it less than 5 years.
then maybe we will start seeing race teams with electronically controlled suspension.
In addition to racing Nationals and GP's, Stapleton was part of the R&D team at Honda that developed the first generation aluminum frame. Rich Taylor was also a Honda R&D test rider and he recently said in a dmxs interview that Stapleton is the best test rider he's ever known. According to Taylor, Stapleton can feel even the most minute changes in a bike. Stuff that nobody else would ever notice.
Willy Musgrave held a double digit number on the nationals for many years and is still fast. Obviously Brooks was super fast and can still get it done. Austin Poletelli is a 17yo that's won US Amatuer Nationals, Canadian Pro Nationals and European MX2 SX races.
No other magazine comes close to MXA when it comes to testing bikes.
i let my disdain for MXA's "agenda" get in the way of the facts. my bad. its just that imo, any editorial with an agenda loses credibility in my book. but that is more a reflection of the mag itself, not its test riders. i screwed up.
I ride a 2007 crf 250 that was nearly new when I bought it used for 2 grand. I had to sit down one day and be honest with myself.........was the latest and greatest really going to put a bigger smile on my face when I'm riding?
Probably not.
I'm all for technology. I've owned turbo charged cars for ten years that I put bigger turbos on, bigger fuel systems, and rebuilt broken transmissions......I had an 04 cobra that was supercharged and I ran nitrous on top of that. .........and I tuned the cars myself on a laptop with software I bought. .........but there is a place for all that technology.........and dirt bikes ain't it.
When it comes to the bearing change and motorsplitting you shouldnt pay a single dime!
If KTM doesnt pay for all of it your dealer should man up and show some customer support!
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