Any crazy mini parents on here?

racerx217
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racerx217
Looking for opinions on Cobra sr50 vs KTM 50sxs. Which bike is better for maintenance? Not looking to become a crazy mini parent just looking to put my kid on a better bike.
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Boarddesign
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Boarddesign 12/8/2016 5:14pm
12/8/2016 5:14pm
lol.. what he^ said!!

I think Cobras are much better bikes personally I had many with no issues and one KTM with many. All new BTW.
Banzai551
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Banzai551 12/8/2016 5:42pm
12/8/2016 5:42pm
Its been 9 years since we raced 50's...THANK GOD! I don't care which bike you chose for your son...or daughter..get use to working on them 4 hours for every 1 hr they ride! We had decent luck with cobras. What I really liked was the Franco Motorini motors. Everyone from Italjet, LEM, n our Cobra P3 had them. Our P3 would smoke 65's. My son was really good and we'd bump him to 65 7-11 for seat time. He'd rather ride the motorini than his cobra jr. Then we got a ride with Polini n that bike was awesome. 6 bike holes hot at NMA Branson. The Italians no 50's!!!! Soooo my point...if you could find a LEM, or Polini cheap for a first bike. Go that route. And they are "Bulletproof"! If you have close to 5 grand laying around or more. Go KTM for they're dealer network.At that age, forget about bike brands n just spend money on kick ass gear! They will crash! Good luck buddy

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crusher773
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crusher773 12/8/2016 5:51pm
12/8/2016 5:51pm Edited Date/Time 12/8/2016 7:04pm
We did a KTM mini adventure and never had a bit of a problem with it. We made the jump from it straight to a 65. He was small on it for a year but it was a good move.
Banzai551
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Banzai551 12/8/2016 6:02pm
12/8/2016 6:02pm
KTM adventure is Austrias response to a yam pw 50...but it at least has suspension! Kids learn to jump quick. N pw will jar them. That's why we went with the cobra p3. Crusher 773...good move on moving up to 65!
racerx217
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racerx217 12/8/2016 6:22pm
12/8/2016 6:22pm
We have no desire to chase nationals like the other crazies that think their kid is the next Dungey. He has a mini adventure now and has well out grown it. I like the idea of a cobra but i have heard rumors of having to shim the clutch all the time. Does anyone know if the new 50sxs has the same problem? We will be purchasing a 16 or a 17 of either.
Braaaphole
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Braaaphole 12/8/2016 6:51pm
12/8/2016 6:51pm
Everything I've seen, read, and heard is that the KTM clutch is garbage. I was just at the track 2 weeks ago talking to a guy who had just got his kid a 2015 SXS 50. The kid was a beginner and it was his first time on a track. The clutch was slipping so bad that the bike wasn't even rideable, yet he sat there letting the kid ride and about blow up the engine. I even asked him about the clutch and he insisted it was fine. He said he had just bought the bike and it had a new clutch in it.
dedi684
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dedi684 12/8/2016 7:04pm
12/8/2016 7:04pm
racerx217 wrote:
We have no desire to chase nationals like the other crazies that think their kid is the next Dungey. He has a mini adventure now and...
We have no desire to chase nationals like the other crazies that think their kid is the next Dungey. He has a mini adventure now and has well out grown it. I like the idea of a cobra but i have heard rumors of having to shim the clutch all the time. Does anyone know if the new 50sxs has the same problem? We will be purchasing a 16 or a 17 of either.
Same here were outgrowing the pw and looking at the same bikes. Not racing but I have a track etc etc.
crusher773
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crusher773 12/8/2016 7:07pm
12/8/2016 7:07pm
If you are looking at going to the 50SX they eat up stators like crazy. They are almost as tall as a 65 anyway so you might as well just make the jump up.
dedi684
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dedi684 12/8/2016 7:10pm
12/8/2016 7:10pm
Myself I wish we could go to a kx 65 next. Big jump I think from a pw though.
vetmxr
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vetmxr 12/8/2016 7:19pm
12/8/2016 7:19pm
I used to be a mini dad........I do remember that for every hour on the track....i had to work on that little KTM for 3 hours just to keep it competitive.....clutch is junk and it will cause you grief no matter how much time and money you throw at that little bastard.... it has been 8 years ago but if nothing has changed on that bike I would NOT buy one........when they work they work good, but they require the maintenance of a factory bike to keep em competitive. I would probably buy a cobra if I were going racing at all again,,,,,,but I know nothing about them. You can start a moto with that ktm pulling wheelies all over the place and after the race my boy would sometimes literally have to paddle that thing back to the pits with his legs just to get it up a hill.....reminded me of a chainsaw clutch and that aint good. Just FYI.....
MX4EVR
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MX4EVR 12/8/2016 7:55pm
12/8/2016 7:55pm
Start out on 65's
Screw them 50's
CrGuy2T
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CrGuy2T 12/8/2016 8:12pm
12/8/2016 8:12pm Edited Date/Time 12/8/2016 8:13pm
kzizok wrote:


(())(())()()()
Ahaha I was hoping to never see that again. LOL! Anything after 2012 are good for KTM and Cobra. The 4-6 and 4-8 classes were really fun for us. I made the mistake in getting a SR to soon. Personally I would rate them KTM and cobra Sr bikes equal. It's all about who's gonna give you a better discount as to which bike to pick. KTM do not have a competitive jr bike so cobra has the market on that. Best thing KTM did was get away from them washer shim clutches.

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newmann
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newmann 12/8/2016 8:17pm
12/8/2016 8:17pm
kzizok wrote:


(())(())()()()
You forgot the clutch sludge!

Fresh oil every 15 minutes ride time.....
JB 19
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JB 19 12/8/2016 8:26pm
12/8/2016 8:26pm
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra Jr. The Cobra was great for the most part. Change the oil every couple rides and the clutch never missed a beat.

The KTM is easier to ride, the Cobra is the ultimate race weapon. Take your pick.
656mx
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656mx 12/9/2016 6:21am
12/9/2016 6:21am
JB 19 wrote:
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra...
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra Jr. The Cobra was great for the most part. Change the oil every couple rides and the clutch never missed a beat.

The KTM is easier to ride, the Cobra is the ultimate race weapon. Take your pick.
X2. New bikes are so much better. I change the oil on the ktm every ride and the clutch has been fine. Get the one you're kid likes.
Mx4life320
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Mx4life320 12/9/2016 6:34am
12/9/2016 6:34am
Stay away from the KTMs until they are on 85s or bigger.
The magneto and stater go out all the time on their 50sx and 65sx..
motofab36
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motofab36 12/9/2016 6:40am
12/9/2016 6:40am
JB 19 wrote:
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra...
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra Jr. The Cobra was great for the most part. Change the oil every couple rides and the clutch never missed a beat.

The KTM is easier to ride, the Cobra is the ultimate race weapon. Take your pick.
If they did away with the shim washer stack clutch what do they use nowdays?
look out below 12/9/2016 6:48am
12/9/2016 6:48am
racerx217 wrote:
Looking for opinions on Cobra sr50 vs KTM 50sxs. Which bike is better for maintenance? Not looking to become a crazy mini parent just looking to...
Looking for opinions on Cobra sr50 vs KTM 50sxs. Which bike is better for maintenance? Not looking to become a crazy mini parent just looking to put my kid on a better bike.
Just let us know which one you buy so we can protest/claim it. Tongue
kzizok
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kzizok 12/9/2016 10:26am
12/9/2016 10:26am
kzizok wrote:


(())(())()()()
newmann wrote:
You forgot the clutch sludge!

Fresh oil every 15 minutes ride time.....
Cobra milk at that!
Tracktor
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Tracktor 12/9/2016 10:31am
12/9/2016 10:31am
This thread is amusing - Both bikes are great and both bikes can suck. If you stay ahead on maintenance they will be fine if you treat it like a big bike you will always have issues. Keep clean (cheap)oil in them, check the frame regularly, replace swingarm bushings often so you don't break frames and rebuild the top ends. Run a slipper clutch if your kid isn't aggressive until they are to make it easier to ride and not smoke a stator.
We rode KTM's Polinis & Cobras with my two boys - Cobra and KTM are the ONLY choice now stay far far away from any other brand no matter how cheap you can buy it. Parts are simply not available.
65's- KTM is really the best choice, IMO with Cobra 2nd. KX65 not even a real option for MX unless you want to put kit suspension on it or your kid is slower(or has factory support)..............
rg4
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rg4 12/9/2016 2:36pm
12/9/2016 2:36pm
We started our kids with Oset's at 2.5 years old. Then when they turned about 4 years old, we got them KTM Adventures. Our 5 year old son is on a KTM Mini Adventure and our 8 year old daughter is (was) on a KTM Senior Adventure. We have had the bikes for several years and no problems. They always start and bring the kids back to the truck after the ride.

Our daughter has since graduated to a KTM 65XC and we are keeping the Senior Adventure for when our son outgrows the Mini Adventure.





crusher773
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crusher773 12/9/2016 3:04pm
12/9/2016 3:04pm
Yeah for the money I don't think you can do any better than those mini adventures. They are cheap and ours never had a single bit of issue.
3D
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3D 12/9/2016 4:09pm
12/9/2016 4:09pm
kzizok wrote:


(())(())()()()
God I hated this. I had two boys on 2 KTM 50sr's.
(())(())(()(() was my very aggressive stack. Those days are long gone for me now. Both boys are on 85's and I couldn't be happier about it.
JB 19
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JB 19 12/9/2016 4:25pm
12/9/2016 4:25pm Edited Date/Time 12/9/2016 4:26pm
JB 19 wrote:
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra...
The KTM clutch was completely redesigned in 2013. It's nothing like the old one. We had an 03 KTM SX Jr and then a 2013 Cobra Jr. The Cobra was great for the most part. Change the oil every couple rides and the clutch never missed a beat.

The KTM is easier to ride, the Cobra is the ultimate race weapon. Take your pick.
motofab36 wrote:
If they did away with the shim washer stack clutch what do they use nowdays?
2013-ktm-50sx-clutch-replacement.html?m=1

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