Posts
26
Joined
4/7/2024
Location
Red Lake Falls, MN
US
So I'm looking at getting a 350 or 450 within a few months. 2020 or newer minus a couple 2018 Husqvarna 350's that are on my watchlist. There is a 2020 KTM 350 I'm interested in that has 91 total hours. But has a new top end, new clutch and multiple other new parts. Is 91 total hours getting on the high end and be concerned with it? Or should be fine for my slow ass. My 2010 Honda 250 had around 30ish hours on a full top and bottom end rebuild and no clue on how many hours were on the frame. But the bike has treated me well
Personally I would look for a lower hour machine if possible. That said I bought my 350 with 25 hours. I’m now over 100 on the oem valves/piston/rings/clutch. I think I’ve changed the SA and linkage bearings once.
What year is your 350? And I have some other bikes that have less hours that I'm watching as well. One thing that I'm really interested in for the 2020 350 is that it already has race tech gold valves and spring conversion done to it. And I've seen good things said about that engine and frame
It’s a 19. Been a great bike. It has the single sided RT spring conversion which isn’t the greatest but I prefer it to air I’ve ridden. I have it valved a sprung for me. The rear has a bladder conversion in the shock but I never rode it without so can’t compare.
I would look at dual spring conversion if I bought the bike with the stock air.
Unless you get a really good deal used bikes are a crap shoot. For what it's worth I did just buy a "used" 24 450fx from a dealer with only 2 hours on it. Price before taxes was $5999, that's less than people are trying to sell 4 year old bikes on marketplace with 50+ hours. Don't forget to see what local dealers have, including leftover new bikes.
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
I've been checking that out as well. Doing as much diligent research as possible. My Honda 250 I had was bought used. Only thing I had to replace on that was the fuel pump. And since then it's been a hell of a bike
Unless on a limited budget I would look for one under 25 hours. It’s amazing the number of people that have bikes that don’t use them and then sell with low hours. If you’re not in a hurry they are out there. Saying that, the KTM 350s and 450s regularly go over 100 hours on stock top end if they have been maintained properly (oil and air filter changes). When looking at used bikes look how they maintain other items besides the bike for sale. Clean/organized garage, clean vehicles, maintained yard USUALLY equates to someone that takes care of their stuff and are safe to buy from.
That's a good call honestly. That 2020 KTM 350 is in a very clean garage actually
This. You can usually just tell from how the photographed the bike/ what’s in the backgrounds of the photos.
not breaking any news here but a list of red flags add as you see fit
photo at sand dunes
Leaning up against a tree
dirty
wet from just being washed
being ridden (bonus points if jumping in dead sailor position)
I would rather it have 90 hours without being opened than 90 hours with alleged new top end and clutch.
Kind of agree with this honestly. Unless you can trust who did the work.
Very few and far between but some sellers will freshen up a used bike before sale so they know the buyer is getting a solid machine.
Atleast when you buy from a dealer if it was rebuilt by them you have the insurance that if it breaks from a mistake they made putting it together they will fix it with no cost to you. Buying privately is always a gamble.
lol, it’s always so funny seeing those ads with the guys riding the bike. Guy we’re not impressed that you jumped a 20’ double!
Or can "pop a willy" in flip flops while riding up and down the street. 😄
I see lots of bikes standing on their own after doing a burnout in a muddy field, buried up to the axle.
I won't buy a bike that the engine has ever been opened up in any way.......
I learned this recently. Bought a used 250f (first mistake) and pulled apart to have a look.
Whatever idiot was in there had a rocker arm shaft misaligned when they cranked down a locking bolt so hard they completely deformed it. I suspect debris from that is what trashed the exhaust cam. Valves were also down to the smallest shim.
And NOW you have my dumb ass doing all this repair work for the first time. God help whoever gets it next 😂
Never trust a high hour 4 stroke race bike. Obviously TTRs and KLXs are different.
I've bought a lot of used bikes and it is impossible to tell the condition of the internals. At least with two strokes it's cheap and easy to rebuild the whole thing.
Post a reply to: Used bike buying