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312
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2/24/2017
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Venado Tuerto
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1312th
Edited Date/Time
6/19/2019 11:10am
Hi guys, I would like to know how good is this bike. I ride a YZ 250 and love it, so I want to know if the KTM is better/worse or maybe the same. I have read that they vibrate a lot, how is it compared to the Yamaha? Any problems with the spokes or sprocket bolts coming loose? Any other thing I should look for? Thanks in advance
I *liked* the 2013 250sx but I *love* the 2017...
2013 is overall a good bike but if you are already on a YZ250 I don't know that I could wholly recommend a swap. The 2013 250SX has okay suspension (not as good as the Yamaha's) and the motor is super strong, but it hits pretty violently. If I were to buy this bike again I'd 100% put a flywheel weight on it to help settle down the power it (I didn't have one). It also vibrates a fair bit.
If you really want to swap from the YZ, I'd save a few more pennies and look for a 2017+ generation 250SX/TC250. Huge upgrades across the board which all equal and amazing two stroke MX bike.
Cheers.
I had one a few years back I raced off-road. Motor was great, I really liked the bike.
Here's a picture after a frame up restore, I had the frame powder coated, new plastic and controls. New wheels laced on the stock hubs etc.
The Shop
2017+ generation - Counterbalanced motor (which equals very little vibration)
Based in Wildomar, California. $4700 (I am able to take it to the last four nationals to help with transportation if anyone interested)
The price of the above has dropped to $4500.
I ended up buying a 14 150SX, which also vibrated. But, after some rubber mounted bar clamps from a 2016 it is tolerable. I also had Enzo revalve suspension and it is great. You might have similar success with a 250SX.
Also, I have a 2017 Husky TC250 and it is great. Night and day better than the older Gen.
The KTM was fast, had great brakes, but it just had so many weird issues and eventually it left me not trusting the bike. Maybe I just got a dud. I grew up on Japanese bikes though, so maybe I'm just not familiar with the Austrian quirks. Like others are saying though, I've heard the '17+ KTM's are a definite improvement.
Pit Row
Yamahas always first thing to do is check the head squish, 7/10 times its out of spec. Cheap fix. Then add reeds, pipe/silencer, flywheel weight, revalve and whatever other set up preferences you have. Great bike for doing anything, reliable, my only complaint is that the front end has always felt washy to me. Wheel is constantly tucking, where I would have to make little adjustments.
Few mods to the Sx were pipe silencer, I think I had an FMF sllencer and PR pipe, for some reason i remember that being the ticket. Installed JBI pro perch to fix the forks and actually really liked them. Still not as good as the KYB stuff, but a big improvement over stock and you can easily install them yourself. I never got around to installing a flywheel weight but would have helped to carry corner speed just like the Yz. Also would have revalved it, but I was living in Colombia and didn't have easy access to parts, but w the Pro Perch it worked well enough.
Bottom line:
Engine- KTM no question about it, and it is easily tuneable.
Suspension- Yamaha, but you will probably revalve either.
Chassis- This is personal preference, for 12 years I thought Aluminum was the only way to go, but I am now riding KTMs because I like how well they handle. To me they can turn under any other bike out there.
Brakes/clutch- Hands down KTM
Finish- This is a slight edge to the KTM because they thought of a lot of little things, ie airbox
Pero xq vives en Argentina, pineso que queda con la Yamaha. Los partes que necesita para modificar la horquilla Yamaha es solo de valvula y facil.
Good lord. You must be a helluva rider or a sucker for arm pump.
That being said, when I bought it it came with a 11oz flywheel and didn't like it. I took it off, and now it's too much. So I'm putting on a 9oz.
My only (but big) complaint is that I can't keep the damn thing running. From countershaft seal to a blown motor to a bunch of other little shit. It's been pretty frustrating because when she does run, she's great. I'd be careful about getting one at that age. The Austrian bikes are fast, but I don't think they have the long term quality that the Japanese bikes do. That can start a whole thread in itself, but I say that because I had a 2007 CR 250 before that for 4 years, which I never once had a single problem with. That bike wasn't nearly as powerful and didn't have nearly as much technology, but it always fired up and ran as good as it could. Always.
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