Posts
156
Joined
7/4/2020
Location
Your Moms House, HI
US
Edited Date/Time
12/31/2023 9:20am
Hey everyone,
What’s your opinion on which bike is better or more appealing in your eyes?
Your typical factory edition vet rider here. 6’4 180lbs.
I’ve owned a few Hondas and KTM FE’s in the past. Been off the bike a couple years and not too up to-date like ya’ll here. *Not interested in the Kawasakis*
Poll
I’ve had both. You get more bang for your buck with the Honda. The Honda has the coatings, and a 18mm shock shaft. Ported head. The ktm has a hole shot device. The rest is the same graphics, slip on, seat cover.
At 6’4”, you’d be dumb not to consider the Kawasaki SR. Not only has it beaten the KTM and Honda in every “works edition” shootout I’ve ever seen (including Keefer’s), but the adjustability of the cockpit (especially the ability to lower the foot pegs) makes it the best choice for the over 6 foot crowd. This is coming from a 6’4” Kawasaki owner that came from a Honda. I rode my friend’s KTM factory edition and felt like I was on a minibike.
Asking a forum how to pick a dirt bike is like asking us to pick you a girlfriend- everyone likes something different.
that said, the Honda and the KTM are very different bikes. The Honda isn’t really that popular around here ATM due to twitchy handling and suspension issues.
the two tallest 2024 bikes are KTM and Yamaha, and you can’t go wrong with either brand.🤷♂️
I have a Factory edition KTM 350 XCF and a 2023 Honda CRF450 Works edition. I guess it comes down to what kind of a rider you are, if you're a local pro trying to win races, the KTM 450 FE might actually be better and more forgiving. I LOVE! my Works Edition Honda, it's a super fun bike to ride at the track and handles like a dream, shifts smooth as Butter and I believe the fit and finish is better than KTM, plus it's a beautiful bike to look at. I might not be fast, but my Honda makes me look fast and Pit Tootsies give me free back rubs, because I look like I ride for Team Honda HRC and might be able to hook them up with Jett Lawrence.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
You’ve owned both of these new ‘24s?
Damn, how many bikes do you go through in a year?!?!?!?!
Suzuki RMZ RM Army edition....
I’ve heard so many good things about the Kawi’s. I’ve just never been a fan of the green bikes personally lol.
The foot peg adjustability is cool factory. But I feel with some mods the KTM and Honda can feel good as well.
Love the 110L’s to fart around on. But that’s the only Kawi that will ever be in my garage.
Thanks for your response.
What’s your take on the overall build quality between the both?
Interesting on the Honda’s.
Do you know of any fixes to these characteristics that people are doing?
Honda tucks the front it’s not a sexton issue… listen to Mosiman from MXA and jace on gypsy talk about it!
Edit: 8 of you haven’t listened to it … sooo here you go! I promise Jace doesn’t bring up BJJ in this as i know that triggers some you … “guys”? 😂😂😂😂
https://youtu.be/btz9WAF1Hlg?si=7FYWkVN7ExR7G3vt
Suspension re valve and different linkage , also a different triple clamp seems to be the way to go according to local Honda vet pro I know.
honda is probably the best for fit and finish,
FC linkage, drop the forks in the clamps, don’t hit any square edges.
Rode this Honda at Pala for Kurt’s Day…
Sure, it’s got a few goodies; but, it’s well within the realm of the typical MX racer’s bike…
This Honda was EPIC! I had STUPID FUN on the Caselli off road loop…which was sorta BRUTAL suspension-wise on the Preston Campbell MX set-up CRF-R that’s pictured…but, that bike on the MX tracks and even on the trails…WAS AMAZING. About the Honda…
Once they are set-up? Well, I completely understand why The Brothers Lawrence had such a great year.
I’m jus’ experiencin’…
Happy New Year
Bike looks sweet!
When you say "all set up" how far do you feel like you have to go with these to get that comfortable feeling?
Most of what I'm hearing from the comments and video reviews of the 24 Honda's is that out of the box they can be unpredictable. But after getting them dialed they are amazing.
When it comes to KTM or Gas Gas, I feel like I'm hearing less setup dependent issues out of the box?
Honda. Better suspension. Imagine it turns better too. Ktms factory editions are lacking. I owned a 21 works edition and had no major complaints.
uhh yeah…and split clamps, skid plate, anodized hubs, connectivity unit with Litpro to record lap times and customize power delivery/compression braking…so there’s that.
Uh, sure, but...then there's the guys spending 1/2 the money and winning on the yellow bike. Or the fat old dude, me, that's made contingency dollars on any and every color of bike that's made.
There was once a very lively and funny discussion between two gentlemen that ran 2 HUGE Japanese companies...the discussion was about golf. Ultimately, they decided that is WASN'T about the "equipment". It was about "skill".
This post was written by a fat, slow, "never-been" old dude that can't wait to ride a Triumph 250 or a Beta 450 and dreams of the day that a Bultaco 350 is available.
Bro, it's NOT about the bike. It's about your smile.
Get some!
Manny
Happy New Year to all of you.
at 6 foot +, you may want to consider the Yamaha. The Honda + KTM both feel smaller vs the Yam YZ.
Pit Row
Couldn’t agree with this more.
At the end of the day, any of the 2024 450’s or even 2010 450’s are more capable than anything I’ll ever be able to throw at it.
But half the fun is nerding out on these bikes and tricking them out.
I think you kind of have to take shootouts with a grain of salt. But when was the last time a Honda 450 did very well in a shootout? Why don’t guys like Chris Keefer buy Hondas to ride? I don’t wanna speak for Chris Kiefer because I like it when he chimes in but I don’t think the Honda is even close to the top of his favorites list and he rides a lot of different bikes. I don’t see where that works Edition Honda actually performs much better than the stock bike, it sure does look sick though
Ya I just watched all the shoutouts and the Honda wasn’t well ranked. Makes sense, I think it’s the best looking bike to me. Hard to beat that factory Honda look.
KX has the best chassis and great cockpit for bigger dudes. And you won't have to change suspension/chassis settings track to track. Your heart rate won't spike to 200 every time you hit a breaking bump or square edge hole like it will on the Honda.
Buy an RMZ, get the suspension done and spend the difference on a coach/riding school and you will be much faster than any “factory edition” would make you
Thank ya’ll so much for all the feedback.
Overwhelming amount of praise for the Kawasaki.
I’ve narrowed it down to the Kawi or a KTM/Gas-Gas.
I’ll start a new thread asking some questions about setups for tall guys on the Kawi. Happy new years everyone!
Find a friend with a KTM/GasGas at the track and ride it. At 6’4”, I don’t think you’ll feel too comfy with the chassis. I sure didn’t.
As for KX setups for tall guys, at 6’4” myself, I swapped the stock bars for Pro Taper RM Low/Pastrana MX, run the bar mounts in the forward holes but rotated backward, lowered the footpegs, and bought a Hammerhead +20mm shift lever to accommodate my size 14 boots. That’s all. Most comfy I’ve ever been on any bike in 30 years of MX racing and it cost me less than $200 to accomplish it.
Powerful response.
All right, looks like I’m going Kawasaki for the first time in my life.
I found a 23 SR with low hours nearby me that I think I’m going to pick up purely off of your feedback.
Have you done anything suspension wise?
I think these days it all comes down to color choice and rider enjoyment. If you're an average rider, having a 2023 Kawasaki KX450SR isn't going to help you, because Carson Brown on a 1997 Kawasaki KDX220 would still smoke you and make you look like a spode. Top pros can make any dirtbike look fast
There are kids on 85’s that blow my doors off on the track.
I don’t need more than a 250 but we are all adults here and want what we want.
I weigh more than you and still race regularly, so my settings might be too stiff for you. I’m 210 w/o gear. Also, I have the standard model and not the SR, so your suspension will be better to begin with. If I were you, I’d check the sag and ride it. I bet it might be pretty damn good stock!
At 6’4 and 180 lb. you'll be right in the ballpark with stock 23' 450SR settings. I'm only 6' and at 185 lb. I actually went a couple clicks softer on fork comp during break-in on one. Don't be afraid to move the adjustable Xtrig PHDS bar mounts around to your liking and lower the peg mounts (as quadzrulebro recommended) if you're not happy with their stock position. The bars (stock) are 839 Renthals and already a touch higher than normal due to the Xtrig bar mounts, so just plan on getting grips/throttle tube (and a 116L chain if you're picky like me) so you can ride the wheels off it. As a tall rider, good call giving the Kawi a try - They're top of my list, ergonomically, for everyone over 6'. Enjoy!
www.dirtrider.com/tests/kawasaki-kx450sr-first-ride-review-2023/
www.dirtrider.com/tests/kawasaki-kx450sr-review/
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