KTM 250sx-f?

[ProspectorJim]

So I'm switching to bikes and was on the hunt for a new yz125. I stopped by my local yamaha dealer, but couldn't find a yz125. On the way out though, I saw a 2008 sxf for $4000 with shipping and assembly included in the price. Also KTM is giving $500 bonus cash on the 2008's. I figure they'll give me around around 3grand for trade-in on my DS450.Are there any problems with these bikes?

[outacontrol]

had one and loved it, go get it, if its new...

[ProspectorJim]

Originally posted by outacontrol
had one and loved it, go get it, if its new...

Its definitely new. How are the valve adjustments on the ktm's?

[One_Bad_400]

those bikes are awesome! you found a brand new 08 for 4000? man that is a steal. wish i woulda found it! i'm probaby going to get a kawie or a honda. deffinatly you'll like that 4-stroke better though

[k4f5x0r]

i love mine. makes the most power stock for stock out of the 250f's(38 hp at the crank) and the thing rips.

so far ive had no valve adjustments on mine and mine starts right up.

I will say they are a complete pain in the *** to change the oil on though. drain oil, check long oil screen, check short oil screen, remove case saver, take out oil filter, newoil filter, case saver etc.

it gets annoying :ermm:

[One_Bad_400]

i would ride a yami but stay away from suzuki! well unless you like to work on your bikes. Suzuki's are not proven in the dirt bike world

[dirtbike&quad]

i love mine. get it

[usp4u]

Originally posted by One_Bad_400
i would ride a yami but stay away from suzuki! well unless you like to work on your bikes. Suzuki's are not proven in the dirt bike world
:huh ...well, somebody better tell that to all the trouble-free RM's & RM-Z's I've had. Those bikes must not have known. Also, I think Dungy and Reed deserve a heads up on this, those guys REALLY should know this little nugget of info.:huh

[jesseweaver]

Originally posted by usp4u
Also, I think Dungy and Reed deserve a heads up on this, those guys REALLY should know this little nugget of info.:huh

their bikes are EXTREMELY unreliable. get one of their race bikes and try to run it a whole season. their bikes are torn down and rebuilt after every race and replaced every few races cause god knows they wont last long at all

[extremeblastr]

Originally posted by usp4u
:huh ...well, somebody better tell that to all the trouble-free RM's & RM-Z's I've had. Those bikes must not have known. Also, I think Dungy and Reed deserve a heads up on this, those guys REALLY should know this little nugget of info.:huh

somebody should check that little nugget in your head and make sure its still functioning....

[usp4u]

Just how many of these junk suzuki's have you owned ?
their bikes are EXTREMELY unreliable. get one of their race bikes and try to run it a whole season. their bikes are torn down and rebuilt after every race and replaced every few races cause god knows they wont last long at all And as is every other bike in that series. so what's your point?


OP: sorry about this, but I cant stand people blathering crap. there isn't any junk beign produced by any manufactures these days. the ktm has a great engine, good reliability record and nice fit/finish. it may take a little getting used to the no-link rear end, but if you play with them, they can be as good as any linkage set-up.

[jesseweaver]

Originally posted by usp4u
And as is every other bike in that series. so what's your point?




he was saying reed and dungys bikes are reliable i'm just telling him they aren't.


i dont think reliability is your biggest concern, as long as you take care of it it doesn't really matter which bike you have, they're all pretty reliable. (except those 04 and 05 honda 250 valves!)

its like a first time rider who is buying a 450 and wondering which one is fastest. it doesn't matter because he will never use all the power anyways.

[One_Bad_400]

I know plenty of people that have owned the un-reliable nuggets. and even the Dirt bike shootout mags say they are not proven in the dirt bike world. i'm not saying they are complete crap. i'm just saying they are not proven like the honda yamaha and kawie! anything is reliable if you ride it like a little nugget.


Strait Quote from Dirt Riders Mag.

"Why The RM-Z450 Shouldn't Win
* Build quality, along with engine and component durability, is historically not on par with all other brands."

[usp4u]

My question was how many have YOU owned. Give me a number, how many? Go ahead and keep getting all your info from bike rags and secondhand sources. I take mine from personal experience. '99rm250,'02rm125,'04rm125,'05rmz250 hundreds of hours in the seat of those bikes. Everyone of those bikes got the crap beat out of them and not a single mechanical issue with any. Now, get off the computer, I think you new issue of 3-Wheeler Action showed up today and you got some reading to do.

[extremeblastr]

Originally posted by usp4u
My question was how many have YOU owned. Give me a number, how many? Go ahead and keep getting all your info from bike rags and secondhand sources. I take mine from personal experience. '99rm250,'02rm125,'04rm125,'05rmz250 hundreds of hours in the seat of those bikes. Everyone of those bikes got the crap beat out of them and not a single mechanical issue with any. Now, get off the computer, I think you new new issue of 3-Wheeler Action showed up today and you got some reading to do.

how many of those bikes had full on pro race motors in them? how many had anything that could be even considered a race motor? see what they're getting at now. everything is all fine and dandy stock USUALLY but you add things and things fall apart if the design is not up to the new power your tossing at it. your starting to sound as bad as honda fanboy so do yourself a favor and stop because your personal experience is not everything.

[jesseweaver]

Originally posted by usp4u
My question was how many have YOU owned. Give me a number, how many? Go ahead and keep getting all your info from bike rags and secondhand sources. I take mine from personal experience. '99rm250,'02rm125,'04rm125,'05rmz250 hundreds of hours in the seat of those bikes. Everyone of those bikes got the crap beat out of them and not a single mechanical issue with any. Now, get off the computer, I think you new issue of 3-Wheeler Action showed up today and you got some reading to do.

theres 4 bikes you've owned out of how many hundred thouand made? you cant judge reliability by riding one out of every hundred thousand bikes made

[Wills77]

ive riden every main brand of 250f out including my best friends 09 ktm with basic mods (keeney/tbt suspension, fmf ti pipe, etc) and imo the ktm was the most uncomfortable and i wasnt impressed by the handleing.
the seat and tank felt way to wide to me. the handlebar and tripple clamp set up felt way to high and sortof like a wall right infront of you.
at the time i had a honda 250f with the same mods done and it felt flawless. handled great, power was great.
if i had to choose the ktm would be my last pick.

[One_Bad_400]

this cat is crackin me up. its like i'm talking about his mothers tits or something lol. i made one comment.

back on subject. get the KTM, great bike :macho

[usp4u]

Originally posted by jesseweaver
theres 4 bikes you've owned out of how many hundred thouand made? you cant judge reliability by riding one out of every hundred thousand bikes made

fair enough. I have yet to hear from anyone else here who has owned/lived with one.
this isn't about me being a suzuki fanboy...hell, I ride a yamaha right now. It's about someone "advising" another member with no knowlage of the topic at hand. Calling something junk without any first hand experience with it is b.s. in opinion. Although it seems to happen here alot. Keep in mind, with modern bikes being so closely matched anymore, the difference between what someone thinks is the best and the worst can come down to something like ergonomics.

[mxduner]

go to tt.com for better info and opinions on this bike lol. Are you the dude i responded to in another thread about finding a yz125? if not this dealer by me has em and they ship for cheap. my cousin get's a new bike every year shipped to him.

lcr (http://www.larsonscycle.com/)

I won't comment on suzuki, it doesn't pertain to this thread lol

[KXRida]

Buy a yzf and call it a day. Personally I'm really liking the new kx450f's.

Just a little FYI for those that don't know, the 04/05 kxf is also a carbon copy of the 04/05 rmz.

[Ruby Soho]

no matter what you get, if you keep on the maintenance itll be fine.

and as far as suzuki's, there all the same.. there as reliable as the builder and rider.. like said before, its the same as ford/chevy, no ones right

[KXRida]

A bike is only as reliable as the person that owns it. Not checking your valves, oil changes, clean filters, etc. is a sure fire way of asking for an engine failure. They're not XR400's.


Originally posted by Wills77
ive riden every main brand of 250f out including my best friends 09 ktm with basic mods (keeney/tbt suspension, fmf ti pipe, etc) and imo the ktm was the most uncomfortable and i wasnt impressed by the handleing.
the seat and tank felt way to wide to me. the handlebar and tripple clamp set up felt way to high and sortof like a wall right infront of you.
at the time i had a honda 250f with the same mods done and it felt flawless. handled great, power was great.
if i had to choose the ktm would be my last pick.

The ktm handling is wierd for sure. I had an 04 ktm 250sx. Great motor but very very poor design on the suspension and steering. You had to have your stops adjusted so far or the fork tubes would hit the radiators. I believe there were kits made to move the radiators back so you could get a better turning radius, but that's just poor engineering IMO. 05 they did redesign a little better, but they do not handle like a jap bike, that's for sure. The motor's are power houses, but power isn't everything. That's why I now have a yzf and got rid of the ktm. I will agree with ya and say honda probably has the most rider friendly ergonomics. Very comfortable bikes. Probably the thinest out of the big 5 as well. I like the feel of a thin bike. Just feels more movable and comfortable.

[ProspectorJim]

Well I took my Ds450 to the dealer to trade it in and got this response "I would be embarrassed to give you a price.". I can understand why though. They're selling these ktms for absolutely rock bottom prices and they're not a can-am dealership so they don't know how to work on them and can't finance them. Looks like I'll have to sell my quad before I get the bike, so if anyone's looking for a cheap 2008 can-am with all the recalls done look no further than the For Sale section.

As for the handling on the ktm's... I really like the way that it felt when I sat on it. The only other ktm I've ridden though is my brother's 144sx and that thing is awesome, but I don't know how they compare. I guess I'm a fan of the European ergonomics.

[k4f5x0r]

the ergo's are pretty strange compared to the jap bikes, but nobody ever said in a bad way :p .


if your used to other 250f's or jap bikes in general, the sxf will feel weird for a while. but after some seat time youll really like it.

[KXRida]

Originally posted by k4f5x0r
the ergo's are pretty strange compared to the jap bikes, but nobody ever said in a bad way :p .


if your used to other 250f's or jap bikes in general, the sxf will feel weird for a while. but after some seat time youll really like it.


After a full season I hated the ergonomic's of my ktm, but that's just me. Then again I came off of an RM. I could turn the bars almost into my legs on my RM and couldn't turn at all on my ktm, so I went from one extreme to the other.

[k4f5x0r]

Over on T-talk many experienced riders switch over to the KTM and say something like, its a straneg setup, and will take a while to get used to, but once you are used to it you will rip on this thing.

I got my KTM because KTM is reliable, comes with all the extra goodies stock, and my family has had great luck with KTM. European stuff ALMOST always seems to made just a little better then the japanese stuff( in my opinion)

[exrider12]

Get a Yz125. Only the 06 and up. These things completely haul. Mine felt faster than my piped and jetted 450r.

I loved mine and the maintenance was so easy.

Just my $.02

[usp4u]

Originally posted by ProspectorJim
Well I took my Ds450 to the dealer to trade it in and got this response "I would be embarrassed to give you a price.". I can understand why though. They're selling these ktms for absolutely rock bottom prices and they're not a can-am dealership so they don't know how to work on them and can't finance them. Looks like I'll have to sell my quad before I get the bike, so if anyone's looking for a cheap 2008 can-am with all the recalls done look no further than the For Sale section.

As for the handling on the ktm's... I really like the way that it felt when I sat on it. The only other ktm I've ridden though is my brother's 144sx and that thing is awesome, but I don't know how they compare. I guess I'm a fan of the European ergonomics.
that 144sx is a super fun bike. the little "quirks" in the ktm's as far as handling and ergos are much the same across the board with their other models. if you felt good on that 144, I'd say go for any of them. realize by spending even a little time in the saddle of that 144, you are a much better gauge of whether KTM is a good fit for you than 98% of those who are offering opinions here.

[One_Bad_400]

man i found a practically new 2007 KX450f in my town for 2800. if i can sell my stupid four wheeler i'm going to get it

[jesseweaver]

wow where are all these deals coming from??

[KXRida]

Originally posted by k4f5x0r
Over on T-talk many experienced riders switch over to the KTM and say something like, its a straneg setup, and will take a while to get used to, but once you are used to it you will rip on this thing.

I got my KTM because KTM is reliable, comes with all the extra goodies stock, and my family has had great luck with KTM. European stuff ALMOST always seems to made just a little better then the japanese stuff( in my opinion)

This is mostly true, but I am very impressed with the Jap bikes recently. Quality has seemed to be a lot better. Most new bikes come with oversized bars, excell rims, etc. My favorite part about my KTM was the brakes. Couldn't beat the brembo's. Also with KTM's sometimes parts are harder to find, cost more, take longer etc. Example, KTM's are the only bikes to run WP suspension, if you shop doesn't have the seals, you don't ride on the weekend. My KYB forks are used on the kxf's and rmz's for certain years, so if the yamaha shop doesn't have them, I have 2 more outs. See my point? A few years ago KTM did have some nasty tranny problems, but almost all were replaced under warranty/recall.


Originally posted by exrider12
Get a Yz125. Only the 06 and up. These things completely haul. Mine felt faster than my piped and jetted 450r.

I loved mine and the maintenance was so easy.

Just my $.02

They are awesome running bikes. Probably the best overall 125 on the market. There is almost no difference from 05 and up besides the slightly suspension tweaks and little stuff. Good bikes though.


Originally posted by One_Bad_400
man i found a practically new 2007 KX450f in my town for 2800. if i can sell my stupid four wheeler i'm going to get it

That's not bad at all. Usually we have some pretty good deals around here, but kxf450's seem to be in high demand. There's an 08 at cernic's for 3800 and and 07 at unlimited for 3200. The 08 looks like it was an abused race bike for sure. The 07 doesn't look too bad, but could use a little TLC for my likings.

There are good deals out there just keep looking. Speaking of which, there's an 06 ktm 250sxf at the local shop for $2500. I'd be surprised if it has 25 hours on it. FYI, I bought my yzf brand new for $1950 and my ktm 250sx brand new for $1800. Just keep looking is all I can say and you'll run into a deal.

[ProspectorJim]

Sold my Can-am today and picked up my new baby!

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/skunkscraps/bike11.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/skunkscraps/bike.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/skunkscraps/bike1.jpg

[One_Bad_400]

holy hell! i didnt know they came in white! that is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!! i didnt get that KXF450. i'm picking up a 2006 CRF250 on friday for 2,100


have you rode her yet??? who's 2-smoke?

[J.Brown121]

Originally posted by ProspectorJim
Sold my Can-am today and picked up my new baby!

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/skunkscraps/bike11.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/skunkscraps/bike.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r184/skunkscraps/bike1.jpg

sweet bike man!!! how much did you give for it if you don't mind me asking

[KXRida]

Originally posted by One_Bad_400
holy hell! i didnt know they came in white! that is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!! i didnt get that KXF450. i'm picking up a 2006 CRF250 on friday for 2,100


have you rode her yet??? who's 2-smoke?

It appears to be aftermarket plastic. You can also get them in all black as well.

[One_Bad_400]

here is the bike i'm going to buy on friday! not as pretty as yours but it will be my learners bike. then in the next year or so i hope to buy a 2010 ether CRF250 or 450.

i havent really decided if i like the graphics yet. if not it comes with 2 other sets of plastics with different graphics on them. so we'll see. its got a few goodies like Factory Connection suspension, Hump seat, and ASV levers.

http://midsouthmx.com/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=976

[KXRida]

Originally posted by One_Bad_400
here is the bike i'm going to buy on friday! not as pretty as yours but it will be my learners bike. then in the next year or so i hope to buy a 2010 ether CRF250 or 450.

i havent really decided if i like the graphics yet. if not it comes with 2 other sets of plastics with different graphics on them. so we'll see. its got a few goodies like Factory Connection suspension, Hump seat, and ASV levers.

http://midsouthmx.com/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=976

Doesn't look like too bad of a score for $2100

[ProspectorJim]

Originally posted by One_Bad_400
have you rode her yet??? who's 2-smoke?

I rode it around my yard a little today for break-in. I didn't want to stress the bike too much with less than an hour on it, but I can tell this thing has some power.

That's my brother's 144sx, maybe if I get good we'll be battling it out next year.


Originally posted by ridin'MX365
sweet bike man!!! how much did you give for it if you don't mind me asking

The cost of the bike was $4,000, but I sold my DS450 for $3500(kind of sad for an 08), so I only had to pay $500 plus tax and Title on the bike. Apparently my dealer bought alot of these bikes for a promotion from ktm, so they're selling them CHEAP.

[KXRida]

Originally posted by ProspectorJim
I rode it around my yard a little today for break-in. I didn't want to stress the bike too much with less than an hour on it, but I can tell this thing has some power.

That's my brother's 144sx, maybe if I get good we'll be battling it out next year.



The cost of the bike was $4,000, but I sold my DS450 for $3500(kind of sad for an 08), so I only had to pay $500 plus tax and Title on the bike. Apparently my dealer bought alot of these bikes for a promotion from ktm, so they're selling them CHEAP.


$4000 is a good deal for a new KTM. Have you looked at any used one's at all? There are a boat load of them up here for good prices as well.

[ProspectorJim]

Originally posted by KXRida
$4000 is a good deal for a new KTM. Have you looked at any used one's at all? There are a boat load of them up here for good prices as well.

There was a slightly used ktm 150sx at Cernics in somerset for around $3500. Would've probably got that if I didn't get my 250sxf.

[KXRida]

Originally posted by ProspectorJim
There was a slightly used ktm 150sx at Cernics in somerset for around $3500. Would've probably got that if I didn't get my 250sxf.

They look like fun bikes. Where di you get your sxf from? Cernic's duncansville had a lot of new-used sxf's a few months ago.

[KXRida]

I'll probably be hitting up a lot of the PAMX circuit next year, so if you want to run high voltage, plum creek, or switchback let me know because I'll probably be out that way a little more, or come over to my neck of the woods and we'll do some riding.

[ProspectorJim]

Originally posted by hondarider11
Now that we both got 250fs we are riding for sure this year.

Definitely.






Originally posted by KXRida
I'll probably be hitting up a lot of the PAMX circuit next year, so if you want to run high voltage, plum creek, or switchback let me know because I'll probably be out that way a little more, or come over to my neck of the woods and we'll do some riding.

I'm at switchback all the time, so I'll definitely see you there. Me and my brother want to check out plumbcreek and all these other bikes only tracks around here next spring/summer.