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10/6/2018
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Cincinnati, OH
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holyroller1
8/12/2019 10:13am
8/12/2019 10:13am
Edited Date/Time
10/23/2019 4:50pm
Sounds silly but if he does a good job it may change the way all the other media outlets do shootout tests.
Btw- Who doesn't have $60k to buy all new bikes?!
The Shop
I am sure others here feel the same...
What else in this shootout is also not true. You don’t have credibility with several mags their words not mine. And I have no credibility with anybody and that’s ok but your burning bridges you might one day need to cross. Your only hurting yourself.
Curious why Yamaha has to "intro" a bike to review it? I can go up the street and buy one right now. Is there some rule about reviewing bikes at a certain time after their release?
As stated I am really digging this review format. No idea if there is or is not a hidden agenda. Thinking outside the box is something I appreciate, status quo stuff, meh. To each their own.
Keep up the good work and different way of doing things Michael!
- overheating
- weak clutch
- butter chain sliders
- weak chains
- footpegs that wear faster than tires
- radiators made of (again) butter
- no oil level sight glass
- black clutch/ignition covers that are scraped before you get the bike out of the shop.
I do not care if a bike has 60 or 58 hp...but things mentioned above are for sure very important for 90% of buyers but ignored by testers in most shootouts...
In all seriousness, really great review! Quick, to the point, without the fluff or overly fancy words (Jody) to try and imply credibility. Well done ML! Looking forward to the more in-depth reviews.
And yes, I did piss off some magazines. I got calls about it all week from OEMs who said that one of them had threatened them over my Shootout.
As for the Yamaha, the mags can wait because they’re waiting on their loaner bikes from the OEM. Which means they have to sign a NDA when they test them. Mine was privately acquired so I didn’t have to sign a NDA.
This was me doing the math last night.
Pit Row
I own a '19 Honda and I haven't experienced much of what you have said is wrong with them, perhaps a few years ago yes.
Interesting.
But I for one love the format ML does, the honesty and lack of bias. Well done ML and crew.
Great video, great observations. I remember when I got my 2017 KTM 450 one of the big changes was they made the frame softer longitudinally and stiffer torsionally. For 2019 they went to a stiffer frame. I'm almost due to replace my 2018 and I think I'm going to look for a leftover 2018 or barely used one. I ride trail and don't want to mess with a good thing.
Gotta say on my two 2015 KX450's I had to replace the drivetrain at about 15-20 hours. My 2017 KTM 450 XCF drivetrain lasted almost 160 hours and my 2018 is at 130 hours and still looking good. I think my brake pads on my last KTM were stock when I sold it(185 hours). Kawi I had to replace them at about 140 hours. 2017 KTM had a wheel bearing go out at 165 hours and I replaced the fork bushings twice. 2018 has had ZERO issues, again at 130 hours. I change the oil every big ride(80 miles) or two small rides. Kawi's were reliable too and I still have one of them as my snowbike.
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