This week's Classic Steel is a look back at the 2003 KTM 250 SX

tblazier
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tblazier
Edited Date/Time 9/1/2012 9:14am
Classic Steel The 2003 KTM 250 SX

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Motocross83 8/30/2012 11:37am
8/30/2012 11:37am
Interesting read, KTM have certainly come a long way.

They made significant progress with the 07 - 10 generation and of course again in 2011. On the subject of the older gen KTMs- I had an 03 SX 525 and tbh I thought it was a good bike. It was actually little more predictable through corners than my 03 CRF, which at the time was meant to be the bees knees big class bike. But I do remember hearing that the 250 was an absolute handful for both amateur and pros alike. Langston and Dobb were both terrified of it, and in the end James had had enough and so switched to the 450 for the remainder of the GP season. I don't think anyone could blame Jeremy for losing confidence so soon after signing.
tommycroftsbarber
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tommycroftsbarber 8/30/2012 12:11pm
8/30/2012 12:11pm
I remember Langston crashing hard on that bike in 03, over a berm hitting the stadium concrete and breaking his hand.
neverwasfastenuf 8/30/2012 12:21pm
8/30/2012 12:21pm
Thanks for the post.

It showcases the excellent components and "never say die" attitude that is now paying off in spades for the Orange crew.
scooter5002
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scooter5002 8/30/2012 12:26pm
8/30/2012 12:26pm
Motocross83 wrote:
Interesting read, KTM have certainly come a long way. They made significant progress with the 07 - 10 generation and of course again in 2011. On...
Interesting read, KTM have certainly come a long way.

They made significant progress with the 07 - 10 generation and of course again in 2011. On the subject of the older gen KTMs- I had an 03 SX 525 and tbh I thought it was a good bike. It was actually little more predictable through corners than my 03 CRF, which at the time was meant to be the bees knees big class bike. But I do remember hearing that the 250 was an absolute handful for both amateur and pros alike. Langston and Dobb were both terrified of it, and in the end James had had enough and so switched to the 450 for the remainder of the GP season. I don't think anyone could blame Jeremy for losing confidence so soon after signing.
I had an 03 SX 525 and HATED that thing! Having said that, a lot of it had to do with not being able to get the right rear spring for it. At 260 in gear, it wasn't an option. Riding around on 130 mil sag will REALLY ruin a bike. Broke both wrists on that bike and tore both ACLS. In CTI braces. Brutal. Awesome motor though. That thing would build eye-watering speed and you didn't realise it. Until you went rocketing past the corner you wanted. Hell, even if you MADE it into the corner, the bike would jump out of it anyway. Back to the 130 mil sag.

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Deetsmx
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Deetsmx 8/30/2012 12:46pm
8/30/2012 12:46pm
I received a KTM support ride that was set up through a local shop which gave me bikes at a large discount and a parts allowance. I bought the 125 (awesome bike) and the 250. I spent months trying to get that 250 to handle (different offset clamps, revalve, changing sag) and I never got that thing to work right so I went and bought an RM250. The KTM was a rocket ship and at the time would outrun a 450, it was that absurd. I remember riding my brothers yz250 and couldn't believe how slow it felt compared to that bike. It was the only bike I've ever owned that the power scared me. The bolts that fell off that thing also scared me. The only place I rode it that I liked it was in the sand, it actually handled decent in that and the motor was doable in the sand since you didn't have to worry about it throwing you off the back.
Motocross83 8/30/2012 2:21pm
8/30/2012 2:21pm
Motocross83 wrote:
Interesting read, KTM have certainly come a long way. They made significant progress with the 07 - 10 generation and of course again in 2011. On...
Interesting read, KTM have certainly come a long way.

They made significant progress with the 07 - 10 generation and of course again in 2011. On the subject of the older gen KTMs- I had an 03 SX 525 and tbh I thought it was a good bike. It was actually little more predictable through corners than my 03 CRF, which at the time was meant to be the bees knees big class bike. But I do remember hearing that the 250 was an absolute handful for both amateur and pros alike. Langston and Dobb were both terrified of it, and in the end James had had enough and so switched to the 450 for the remainder of the GP season. I don't think anyone could blame Jeremy for losing confidence so soon after signing.
scooter5002 wrote:
I had an 03 SX 525 and HATED that thing! Having said that, a lot of it had to do with not being able to get...
I had an 03 SX 525 and HATED that thing! Having said that, a lot of it had to do with not being able to get the right rear spring for it. At 260 in gear, it wasn't an option. Riding around on 130 mil sag will REALLY ruin a bike. Broke both wrists on that bike and tore both ACLS. In CTI braces. Brutal. Awesome motor though. That thing would build eye-watering speed and you didn't realise it. Until you went rocketing past the corner you wanted. Hell, even if you MADE it into the corner, the bike would jump out of it anyway. Back to the 130 mil sag.
Yeah I loved the motor too, very smooth, almost deceptive but boy was it fast. I wasn't exactly riding it on the roughest tracks so that may be another reason why I have more positive memories over its handling. I had it a few months and only rode it off and on at 3 different local circuits, all of which were hard pack and fairly smooth.
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Katoom72 8/30/2012 2:27pm
8/30/2012 2:27pm Edited Date/Time 8/30/2012 2:27pm
i am rebuilding one. My 450 was an 03 and after setting it up it handled good enough for my capabilities. Smile
Ing
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Ing 8/30/2012 2:36pm
8/30/2012 2:36pm
I had one of those orange rockets. 50hp stock with a 10hp spike around 6K if I remember right.
tommycroftsbarber
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tommycroftsbarber 8/31/2012 8:47pm
8/31/2012 8:47pm
Waiting for Terry K to come in and talk about how the bike was great like the Can Am MX-6
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OriolMassot 8/31/2012 9:14pm
8/31/2012 9:14pm Edited Date/Time 8/31/2012 9:16pm
Wow, I didn't know that. I had a KTM SX 125 2004, and I have to say that was a very beautiful bike, easy maintenance and very fast. Also, all orange and clean graphics were simple. I'm missing that bike so much.

What I didn't know is in 2003 the 250 was with those side panels and rear fender in one piece (thing that was in the 125 from 2004 to 2006) and the 125 in 2003 was with the old side panels, different seat and the old rear fender:



One of my best friends is a former spanish supercross vice-champion winning some times Manuel Rivas (did you hear about him?) and he told me that while is the bike that he had most success, it was ultra dangerous. The 250 was a terrible earthquake everytime he started it, missing bolts really often. In one race he lost the starting lever and, the worst one, the bolt between the swingarm and the shock disappeared while racing and he broke some teeth and broken clavicle.
Faceaz
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Faceaz 8/31/2012 9:14pm
8/31/2012 9:14pm
I'm surprised they keep saying he couldn't handle the bike, bailed on his contract etc., without mentioning it bogged on a jump & dislocated his hip. Seems that was the event that really made MC loose confidence.
onthepipe
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onthepipe 8/31/2012 11:18pm
8/31/2012 11:18pm
I started riding on honda's and yamaha's. Then bought a 2003 KTM125, Wow i loved that bike, engine and handeling were good. kept riding ktm125's, then the fourstrokes started coming in 04-05, i bought a new kawa 2005 kxf250, i couldn't get that thing to handle the way I like, also it was slower then my tuned ktm 125, so i sold it after a month (making a $2000 loss). And went back to the ktm 125's.

Then I bought a new 2007 ktm sxf250. perfect bike! Then i came across Harry Everts (yeah dad of Stefan), he quit his racing team, and had a brand new semi factory sxsf250 for sale. Bought it in a heartbead, this bike was simply amazing, best bike ever owned! still have it! also had a 2008 SX250 2 stroke and a sxsf450 (beast) for fun.
madmaxperformance 9/1/2012 1:51am
9/1/2012 1:51am
Yup. I had one of the 03 SX250s. It was near the end of my days of racing expert class. And, it ENDED it. That thing was an absolute jackhammer. Brutal fast, and unridable. I got arm pump on that bike so bad one race, that my forearms hurt for the rest of the summer, if I did anything that required forearms. Tried reeling in a big halibut on a fishing trip a month later, could barely do it. Wrenches, hammers, anything you had to grip, make em hurt.

I raced the 520sx before that, and absolutely loved that bike. Suspension was tricky to get dialed, but once I did race tech valving and sprung it properly, that 520 was absolutely awesome.

I look at an 03 250 still today, and it makes me wince and never want to ride again. LOL Im not joking. Thank goodness my 2012 450 SX is so awesome.
tblazier
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tblazier 9/1/2012 5:16am
9/1/2012 5:16am
Faceaz wrote:
I'm surprised they keep saying he couldn't handle the bike, bailed on his contract etc., without mentioning it bogged on a jump & dislocated his hip...
I'm surprised they keep saying he couldn't handle the bike, bailed on his contract etc., without mentioning it bogged on a jump & dislocated his hip. Seems that was the event that really made MC loose confidence.
I do mention his crash in the article although I did not get into the details of it. I do agree that that crash was the beginning of the end for MC and the KTM. He did not trust the bike after that.
Faceaz
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Faceaz 9/1/2012 6:17am
9/1/2012 6:17am Edited Date/Time 9/1/2012 6:20am
Faceaz wrote:
I'm surprised they keep saying he couldn't handle the bike, bailed on his contract etc., without mentioning it bogged on a jump & dislocated his hip...
I'm surprised they keep saying he couldn't handle the bike, bailed on his contract etc., without mentioning it bogged on a jump & dislocated his hip. Seems that was the event that really made MC loose confidence.
tblazier wrote:
I do mention his crash in the article although I did not get into the details of it. I do agree that that crash was the...
I do mention his crash in the article although I did not get into the details of it. I do agree that that crash was the beginning of the end for MC and the KTM. He did not trust the bike after that.
My apologies - I missed that.

I always found it ironic, such an ill handling bike with such a great engine, yet it was the engine that ultimately forced his retirement.

Great Article Smile
dcg141
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dcg141 9/1/2012 9:14am
9/1/2012 9:14am Edited Date/Time 9/1/2012 9:16am
The 03's and 04's were not great handlers. In 03 KTM had grown tired of the magazines saying all thier bikes were "enduro like" in terms of power and went way to far to the other extreme. That engine in that chassis was not a great combination. 05 was the year that KTM really moved forward with a better chassis. The whole MC deal was a disaster. KTM was not ready at that time and should have just passed . If anything they learned not to go there again until they were ready. The stides they have made in a decade are pretty amazing.

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