2014 ktm 350 VS new 350's

I don’t think there is a single thing that’s not going to be better, motor for sure, ergos, if the 14 has 4cs forks the suspension will be way better.  And new bikes are fun. 

…a horse and buggy doesn’t seem so bad until you try a modern luxury car. 

kiss the 14 antique goodbye, and get a 2025 350…

the 2014 350 (any 14 ktm for that matter) was not a very good bike especially in comparison to today. You owe it to yourself to buy a new bike, do it and you wont regret it

You want a 2014 Mustang GT or a 2024? If the budget is there, this is a no-brainer.

I'll take a mint 2004 terminator please

Big jump from the 14' to a current bike, if you can swing it, absolutely.

Call me Crazy, KTM has an interesting future at the moment. If you really need to fill that 2025 new bike hole, Id look to a brand that ISNT in unsure financial future. 

If you think KTM is going out of business … then, well, i don’t know what to say 🤷‍♂️

Said Husqvarna and Maico, right? Personally, I'd wait it out. 

New KTM takes a different style of riding and rider. It’s a hard core new school  bike. I love the new stuff. 
But if I was you I’d look at a husky, slightly less hardcore. Valved softer  and a little more mellow, not as big a difference from your 14. 

I'm still riding a 2011 350.  The way I see it a new bike is no way going to make me $10k worth of faster if it makes me faster at all.  I broke it down a couple years ago, powder coated frame and replaced a bunch of stuff and just generally gave it a new look.  Way cheaper to spend $1500 there than buy a new one.  I'm 42 and I'm fast C to slow B level depending on the day.  I miss days of $4000 125s and get a new one every couple years.  I may have bought my last new bike ever as high as they have gotten.  I'd rather buy an old 125 or something and do a project build than buy a new one.

I also disagree with the guys that say the new ones are way better.  I've rode both a Husky and Gas Gas.  They are super rigid, you get a lot less feel of what the front end is doing.  The forks suck and the brakes aren't nearly as good as mine.  Maybe because at this point Factory Connection has thrown everything it can at mine so it's just comfortable.  I'm not buying a new one anytime soon because I just really don't need to, mine hauls me around still well below what the capabilities of that bike are.

It's like a Windows 95 "tower" computer versus a smoking fast new laptop running Windows 11.

Windows 95 was good for its time ...

Life is short. Get a new bike. 

I'm 68 and a novice level rider. I have a 2012 KTM SXF350. I love the bike. I just put some fresh Acerbis white plastic on it and I'm waiting for my new graphics kit to show up in a week or so. It will look like new again. The only newer bike I have ridden is a 2018 KTM EXC 300. I'm not a woods ridder so I like my 350 much better.

Don't get me wrong if I had $10k sitting around I would buy a new bike but I don't need one.

21 to 25   no.........14 to 25  hell yes, completely different bike for the better....

Late 50's midpack Vet B rider still rolling my low(er 32) hour '17 FC350. Bike just getting broken in.   XPR Vortex, FC single spring and revalved (with bladder) shock, 2 stroke filter cage, up 1 tooth on rear, FMF slip on bike works beyond my capabilities.  Have ridden a '24 and it is better but would not make much difference in my riding.  Still searching for better front suspension feel and may pull trigger on FC Technical Touch KYB.  

If you have the money for a new bike buy one….but keep in mind that new bike won’t make you faster.

From 2017 on .. those chassis have way better front end grip & steering precision than the 2008-2016 chassis. 
Thats what you'll notice most, it'll steer much nicer.
 
The Husky FX model has the closed chamber spring forks, a 6 speed box, slightly softer suspension overall & a lower seat height than the KTM's.     
  

For those that have "older" 350s, (groggylbc, crusher773, mumbles, SCIENCE), I'm curious how many hours you have on your bikes. 
I picked up a used 2022 350sxf and I really like it (save the the ridiculous amount if connectors and complex wiring, etc). I can see myself keeping the bike for a long time so I'm interested in the longevity of the 350s out there. 

As for the OP, if you aren't keen to spend $10,000+ then I would probably look for a clean 2020-2022. There was a legit fork upgrade for 2020 and that generation's frame is generally well liked. When you consider weight and suspension improvements between 2014 and 2020, I think there is great value there. IMO the evolution curve of the 350 flattens out after 2020. Not to say they haven't improved since then but not everyone can afford a brand new bike. 

I still wake up in a cold sweat right as I’m about come short on a big jump from my 4cs 350 days. 

I was going to mention the same thing, find a lightly used 2020ish model and it will get him 95% of all the improvements they have made since 2014. 

Regarding your question on longevity, I have a 2021 FX350 and I have about 230 hours on it. Did a piston and timing chain at 200 hours, just put on new rotors as they were below the minimum thickness which is the first time I've put that many hours on stock rotors. Change oil every 8 hours and do air filters when they need usually every other ride, and I don't even worry about checking valves less often than 50-60 hours they hardly move. 

This is east coast woods riding/racing so its not getting much 4th gear pinned action but plenty of revving out and heat in some stuff. 

My '17 has 32 hours.  Knock-on-wood, buh the wiring hasn't been an issue other than I updated the battery to a FirePower unit.  Stockers are junk and need constant attention.  I have had the suspension done by FC and may upgrade to the Technical Touch KYB this winter.  Honestly with the ECU mod the bike runs great.  If I were looking now I'd go '20 and up as there have been many  beneficial .refinements.  

One mod everyone should make is upgrading the plastic oil pump gears to the alloy versions.  Believe this needs to be done on up to the '22 KTM/Hus/GG.  Jay on Dirtbike TV and Jack Kelly Builds on YouTube have excellent DIY videos .  Word is the plastic warps at around 30 hours (or if you run hot in woods) and motors grenade.  I did last winter, Hardest part was waiting for parts to ship to me.  

https://youtu.be/oWDvDNBlfZY?si=8n_DEqvM8WEawvSz

If i could chime in, try to find a previous gen 350, that new chassi aint great.. went from a 2020 350 to a 2024 350 and i hate it

I was told by someone with multiple 350’s with over 300 hours on stock bottom ends this longevity comes from the use of plain bearing cranks. Anyone know if this is the reason? I was also told Pankl makes the rods. Is this still the case?

I had a 13 and a 17, and the 17 was better. The older bike is still a great bike though - especially if the suspension is well-sorted. 

Thanks to this thread I am now looking for a lightly used 350. Another nice thing about saving some cash going used is putting that towards a spring fork conversion 

I bought my 2012 4 years ago for $3000. It had 173 hours on it. Yes a lot but he kept really good care of it. He was the original owner and had the engine gone through about 10 hours earlier. So he had over 160 hours on the bike before he had to do any serious engine work. I haven't ridden it a lot due to retiring and figuring out where I was going to live. I have 187 on it now. I have gone over this bike and it's still solid. I had to replace the fuel injector and that's it.

I ride currently the same generation 150SX and 250SX. You can improve your bike's handling and make it more similar to the later generation KTM's. By switching to a 20mm offset triple clamps adds more front end traction and makes front end feel more like 16-22 generation bikes. Older model KTM's (2009 and older) came with 20mm offset triple clamps and Factory edition triple have that option too so there are plenty of used parts available for the conversion. 

I think your KTM still has the CC (closed chamber) forks that can be made really good and not the dreaded 4CS design. In a rear end a switch to a Pro circuit linkage arm makes it  act a lot calmer https://www.procircuit.com/lnkage-arm-ktm250-350-450-sx-f-11-14.html- There are also plenty of used Cone valve forks and Trax shocks available to upgrade the suspension if you willing to go that route.

Rereading my response today, I did not mean to sound like a jerk nor imply "newer is better" across-the-board in case it was taken that way.

As many of you know, I think the 2008 Honda CRF450R is probably the best bike ever for me - and I still do - and that's much older in "bike years" than your 2014 KTM 350 SX-F.

That said ^^^, I got to ride some more this weekend on my 2022 KTM 350 SX-F that I am dialing in and I really do believe the OP would have a TON MORE FUN on the 19+ KTM 350 SX-Fs for a variety of reasons, engine power & character being one + neutral, outstanding handling being another. There really is quantum upgrade in this particular bike's case in my opinion (and I have ridden the older KTMs before they got a bit more sorted).

+1 for 19+ KTM 350SX-Fs over previous generations. Note also that 19-22 and 23+ KTM 350SX-Fs really do seem to take on 2 different chassis philosophies, the newest generation being much stiffer (especially on 23-24 models). Some like this, some like the 19-22 generation, and likely most wouldn't care either way BUT would prefer the 23+ 350 SX-F motor. Factor that into your approach as well.

I can say this: To get the 19-22 350 SX-F motor to my liking, I've had to purchase a TD-programmed Vortex ECU (~ $1000 if new), a full FMF exhaust system (~ $1300 if new), change up the gearing (running 14/53, ~ $140 if new), add the vented airbox cover (~ $25 new), and go with a screenless air filter cage off of 2-strokes (~ $25, I also purchased the 2-stroke air boot but have yet to install it). That totals ~ $2,500 --- not trivial --- but I was on mission, and it's close to being dialed-in now. To make it perfect, I think I need to get it ported. Additionally, I have invested pretty heavily on the suspension, too, w/ the KYB conversion, etc. That's another $2500 ---> So all-in another $5000+ on top of stock bike ... rational? Probably not, but I am liking the result - and I couldn't get there with a 450F or 250F. Physics baby! There's my 3 cents.

Happy riding!

I’ve put over 300 hours on stock never touched 350sxf engines down to the clutches, Mostly moto. Very reliable engines. I had one back in 14 (I think) that blew up, there was a bearing recal that I didn’t know about in time. Fixed by the dealer.