Posts
3311
Joined
3/21/2013
Location
Canton, OH, USA
Edited Date/Time
8/25/2022 11:27pm
Who has one already?
Looking for real world reports from guys who don't get paid to report. Not that I don't value those opinions as well!
Specifically, anyone go from a jap bike to the 23? Will I regret leaving my Honda? I love my Honda ergos and gel well with it. However, orange has been tempting and I haven't owned Austrian since 16 with the choke me till I die 4cs suspension. At 215-220, I'm not small, and I hear the air works well for us bigger guys.
Looking for real world reports from guys who don't get paid to report. Not that I don't value those opinions as well!
Specifically, anyone go from a jap bike to the 23? Will I regret leaving my Honda? I love my Honda ergos and gel well with it. However, orange has been tempting and I haven't owned Austrian since 16 with the choke me till I die 4cs suspension. At 215-220, I'm not small, and I hear the air works well for us bigger guys.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
“Hey we love the current 450SXF. The smooth yet fast power is great and easy to ride. Maybe just give us better suspension, keep dropping weight, and possibly some spokes that aren’t continually loose.”
KTM:
“F-off. Here’s stiffer frame, harsher air fork, more weight, and a super aggressive engine. We’ll still win MXA’s shootout, lol.”
Yamaha Riders:
“Current YZ450 is great, but how about less weight, better ergos, and maybe a hydro clutch?”
Yamaha:
“We got you. Here’s a bigger rider triangle, thinner shrouds, 5lb less weight, hydro clutch option, the KYB suspension you love, and a little more rpm to play with. Oh, we’ve also given you a bulletproof steel clutch basket and upgraded the tuning app.”
Post of the year!!
I really honestly might end up keeping this one and waiting for a 24, or selling and buying maybe even another 23 Honda.
FC do amazing things to the suspension and you would not regret a decent re-map either.
you think about cornering on a Honda and it does it for you...just about! Tradeoff (of course) is some minor instability at speed...it doesnt particularly scare or worry me though.
Pit Row
That being said, i think the new ktms are pretty cool looking. Current Hondas still look the best. Also, I think current Yamahas look better too (im probably in the minority.) But looks aside, i thought the Dirtbike mag review of the new KTM 450 was a bit surprising. It wasn't over the top praising. But the previous bike is tough to beat. I'm excited to try a 23. My friend just got one. I loved his 20. The part about the new chassis accenting the negatives of the AER scares me though. As I struggled with that fork on my Husky.
I had a 20 450 sxf and it was a great bike. Only things I would have asked Ktm to change were a bit less vibration from the engine, springs in the forks, and stronger wheels. I don’t think anyone was asking for a stiffer frame and more weight.
I traded it for a 21 Honda 450r. I’m just a sucker for Honda’s and the looks sold me. The honda does some things better than the Ktm, but the main thing it does worse (twitchy feel) probably outweighs the others. I still enjoy it, but it is a very stiff chassis when riding hardpack. And I mostly ride hardpack😂
I’ll probably trade the honda for a Gasgas 450 before they move to the new platform. I’m not sold on the stiffer chassis is better philosophy.
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