KTM's chromoly frame,

newmann
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newmann
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 12:40am
lighter than the lightest of the aluminum frames from Japan. More open space to clean and maintain the bikes too. Pretty cool that there actually is a company out there with good focus on the motocross and offroad market.

The four strokers this year are looking good...



but the 150SX is off the charts. This is what motocross is all about. Too bad the powers that be in professional racing don't do what's necessary to bring back a inexpensive form of entry level professional mx.

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motoxistence 5/19/2010 10:27am
5/19/2010 10:27am
"Entry level professional mx" sounds like an oxymoron.

Amateurs can race whatever they want. Pros should be on the best-performing, most expensive machines money can build.
JW381
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JW381 5/19/2010 10:35am
5/19/2010 10:35am
motoxistence wrote:
"Entry level professional mx" sounds like an oxymoron.

Amateurs can race whatever they want. Pros should be on the best-performing, most expensive machines money can build.
Exactly, which is why the production rule is kind of a joke.
Tiki
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Tiki 5/19/2010 10:39am
5/19/2010 10:39am
That 150 has WANT written all over it. They need to make these things cheaper and sell volume. Way to many bikes I want.
newmann
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newmann 5/19/2010 10:55am
5/19/2010 10:55am
Well motox, maybe it could be called a regional series where riders could make that transition to the premier class.....oh wait. Haven't they already got that? Too bad it's overrun with $200,000.00 Pro-Circuit team bikes taking the top four steps on the three step podium these days with former world champions and old has been wanna be again riders who have been given a lot of chances. Kind of looks like the 250F class is the premier class here the last few years. Besides, if there is no place in pro mx for small bore two strokes, then why even have it at the top level of amateur.

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CamP
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CamP 5/19/2010 11:02am
5/19/2010 11:02am
KTM builds good bike. I'd buy/build a 300SX if I had more money than time.
Racer92
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Racer92 5/19/2010 11:05am
5/19/2010 11:05am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 10:55pm
Tiki wrote:
That 150 has WANT written all over it. They need to make these things cheaper and sell volume. Way to many bikes I want.
I disagree, they need to keep the quality there and not fall prey to the 'more is better' mantra. Thats what tanked Toyota in recent years.

Quality machines & innovative thinking, KTM doesnt need to change a thing.
J.F.S
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J.F.S 5/19/2010 11:05am
5/19/2010 11:05am
The KTM looks awesome!
G-man
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G-man 5/19/2010 11:08am
5/19/2010 11:08am
Awesome machines!

KTM has it going on!
kawboy388
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kawboy388 5/19/2010 11:14am
5/19/2010 11:14am
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight, or whatever. Scrub it off with a Scotchbrite and it looks like new. Steel frames need to be painted, the paint wear's off,it looks like shit, even if you powdercoat.

Let's face it, no matter how much you ride, you look at your bike, more than ride it.
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Tater 5/19/2010 11:15am
5/19/2010 11:15am
Crap, MXA always knocks KTM about having nowhere to grab the bike to lift it.

On the 150, just reach in and pick it up by the backbone of the frame!
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Tiki 5/19/2010 11:30am
5/19/2010 11:30am
Tiki wrote:
That 150 has WANT written all over it. They need to make these things cheaper and sell volume. Way to many bikes I want.
Racer92 wrote:
I disagree, they need to keep the quality there and not fall prey to the 'more is better' mantra. Thats what tanked Toyota in recent years...
I disagree, they need to keep the quality there and not fall prey to the 'more is better' mantra. Thats what tanked Toyota in recent years.

Quality machines & innovative thinking, KTM doesnt need to change a thing.
Im just being selfish and wanting to expand my stable. Who said anything about lowering quality!
newmann
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newmann 5/19/2010 11:55am
5/19/2010 11:55am
CamP wrote:
KTM builds good bike. I'd buy/build a 300SX if I had more money than time.
Neat part about that is you can make the whole conversion for less than a Ti FMF 4 stroke pipe. 55hp 2 stroke with gobs of torque and 40 pounds less than the current crop of overweight 1/8 ton pigs.
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WhipMeister 5/19/2010 12:05pm
5/19/2010 12:05pm
kawboy388 wrote:
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight...
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight, or whatever. Scrub it off with a Scotchbrite and it looks like new. Steel frames need to be painted, the paint wear's off,it looks like shit, even if you powdercoat.

Let's face it, no matter how much you ride, you look at your bike, more than ride it.
Good lord.....
JW381
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JW381 5/19/2010 12:15pm
5/19/2010 12:15pm
kawboy388 wrote:
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight...
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight, or whatever. Scrub it off with a Scotchbrite and it looks like new. Steel frames need to be painted, the paint wear's off,it looks like shit, even if you powdercoat.

Let's face it, no matter how much you ride, you look at your bike, more than ride it.
WhipMeister wrote:
Good lord.....
I'm thinking/hoping he was being sarcastic??
Racer92
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Racer92 5/19/2010 12:20pm
5/19/2010 12:20pm
kawboy388 wrote:
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight...
I don't really see a question here, but I'll give a partial answer to aluminum frames. They look better,plain and simple. I don't think it's cost,rigitity,weight, or whatever. Scrub it off with a Scotchbrite and it looks like new. Steel frames need to be painted, the paint wear's off,it looks like shit, even if you powdercoat.

Let's face it, no matter how much you ride, you look at your bike, more than ride it.
WhipMeister wrote:
Good lord.....
Yeah, right ! Bling is better than function?

That almost warrants a HAR !
hellion
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hellion 5/19/2010 12:44pm
5/19/2010 12:44pm
That must be a modern four stroke way of thinking. Looking at your bike instead of riding it your valves will last way longer. Seriously though, if you run a skid plate and the standard KTM frame guards almost no paint wears off their frame that's visible. In the bicycle world it's known that steel rides way better than even the best aluminum frame, but no-one can make one as light. If KTM's steel frame is lighter than the competitions aluminum one I see it as a win win for KTM. Plus, they look way cooler to me.
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Ramrod 5/19/2010 12:52pm
5/19/2010 12:52pm
That 350 looks awesome and on paper it seems like it will be a great bike. I used to ride a 450 but had way, way more fun on a 250F but still would like a little more power so a 350 might be it.

I can't believe that KTM isn't giving Alessi more of an effort based on some of the interviews I've heard. If he doesn't perform, that will be bad for business.

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newmann
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newmann 5/19/2010 1:12pm
5/19/2010 1:12pm
hellion wrote:
That must be a modern four stroke way of thinking. Looking at your bike instead of riding it your valves will last way longer. Seriously though...
That must be a modern four stroke way of thinking. Looking at your bike instead of riding it your valves will last way longer. Seriously though, if you run a skid plate and the standard KTM frame guards almost no paint wears off their frame that's visible. In the bicycle world it's known that steel rides way better than even the best aluminum frame, but no-one can make one as light. If KTM's steel frame is lighter than the competitions aluminum one I see it as a win win for KTM. Plus, they look way cooler to me.
I hear you on the bicycle frame issue. My wife had an aluminum frame roadbike and it was absolutely horrendous. Her arms would be numb for days after a ride. Our 08 KTM144 has excellent paint on the frame. It actually stays on unlike all the Japanese bikes that they never bothered to clean the scale off the welds. And those aluminum frames aren't all that easy to clean either. They stain pretty bad and have to be acid washed to get clean. That doesn't go over too well with the zinc plating on all the hardware. One ride on this bike after completely disassembling it and detailing everything and the frame looked like ass from the boots rubbing. Meanwhile, my kid just washes his KTM clean as a whistle (with the exception of the bare aluminum swingarm).

DDub8
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DDub8 5/19/2010 1:19pm
5/19/2010 1:19pm
It appears I'm in the minority but the 150 holds no interest for me. I rode one last year and I've gotten too lazy to ride small bore 2 strokes. My son has an RM125 and I rarely ride it and want my 450 back immediately.

Now the 350... that's another story.
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FIREfish148 5/19/2010 1:30pm
5/19/2010 1:30pm
Wow good looking bikes. I always wondered why they didnt make a sock 150 two stroke. That thing looks nasty. Linkage and all.
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bobby397 5/19/2010 1:35pm
5/19/2010 1:35pm
never been a big ktm fan, but i may get one this year! bikes are sick
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J.F.S 5/19/2010 1:56pm
5/19/2010 1:56pm Edited Date/Time 5/19/2010 2:23pm
lucero10x wrote:
KTM winning over all the Vital dicks?
Yeah as long as no american rider rides on it and loses, if that happens people are gonna go all "linkage" again. Wink
RACEGUY
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RACEGUY 5/19/2010 2:03pm
5/19/2010 2:03pm
lucero10x wrote:
KTM winning over all the Vital dicks?
J.F.S wrote:
Yeah as long as no american rider rides on it and loses, if that happens people are gonna go all "linkage" again. Wink
Simply read KTM's explanation of the link/no-link argument. It makes amazing sense.

Wish we could say the same for you.
Rooster
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Rooster 5/19/2010 3:06pm
5/19/2010 3:06pm
That 150 makes me want to buy another bike and go racing again.
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2T42 5/19/2010 3:33pm
5/19/2010 3:33pm
KTM's got everything right. Popular niche models, low weight, new tech and even styling with form following function and not the other way round with cheaper aluminum frames and such. They don't follow other manufacturers or digress to LESS dependable bikes that cost more in order to increase parts counts and margin.

I am in. I WANT a 150! I Will have one very soon. As soon as I can FIND one!

For me personally, I would rather pull the clutch a couple of times per lap than lug around and extra 50 pounds for the convenience of not having to. I had a 450. Great bike. Def not for me. Never again. Oddly, I do ride my bike more than I look at it so I am after lightweight and not bling as a prime consideration. If someone has to TELL you it feels light, it probably isn't. Just post the weight and be done.
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Hank_Thrill 5/19/2010 3:55pm
5/19/2010 3:55pm
Damn that bike is awesome! I love Yamaha, but a KTM 125 or 150 would kick ass. How do they ride compared to Yamahas?
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wmapop700 5/19/2010 8:10pm
5/19/2010 8:10pm
we had the 08 125sx and loved it. every time we let someone ride it they came away wanting one.
I wanted my daughter to try the 250f but would love to have the new 150
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TerryK 5/19/2010 8:36pm
5/19/2010 8:36pm
CamP wrote:
KTM builds good bike. I'd buy/build a 300SX if I had more money than time.
How cool would a 210 lb 300SX be?? Woohoo

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