Which engine & axle?

[MtnEX]

OK I am looking at Outlaws again... all so far within $1,000 of each other.

I am primarily a trail rider... and often I'm in tight switchback woods trails...

I need low maintenance, great reliability, great handling and good low end when I need to go slow.

So should I get the 500 Fugi or the 450 or 525 KTM?
Elaborate....


I'm pretty sure the 500 is IRS and I'm pretty sure the KTM powered ones are straight axle... might be an IRS 525 at one place....

So with that in mind... which rear axle?

I myself would really like to try the IRS for the ride and clearance... but not if it's not going to handle well and carve through the tight stuff well.

Also, if it's like I'm thinking and I can only get the Fugi/IRS combo or the KTM/Straight axle combo.... well I'd hate to be missing out on one part or the other....


Just trying to narrow things down.

[MtnEX]

Oh... and this would be to replace my 400EX...

[sheriff525]

If you want the 500 in a straight axel it is called a predator. If you want the IRS in the 500 it is the Outlaw(2006).

Now in 2007 the 525 IRS Outlaw came out and in 2008 the Outlaw was made available with Straight axel with the 525S and the 450MXR and also the 525 IRS.

I love my IRS it absolutely rips on the trails. We do a lot of tight technical stuff. I find that there is alot of low end power in the 525 and it helps but I am wishing upon a star that a Rekluse clutch is in my birthday future. That would be awesome for trialriding!

[bpjr07]

i don't see the ktm engines as low maintenance... its easy to upkeep but not as easy as other quads..but you get power and torque all over the wide band

just got a 08 525s outlaw as my first ATV about a month ago. no regrets it may get a lil rough on tough roads but all shocks are adjustable.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by sheriff525
If you want the 500 in a straight axel it is called a predator. If you want the IRS in the 500 it is the Outlaw(2006).

Now in 2007 the 525 IRS Outlaw came out and in 2008 the Outlaw was made available with Straight axel with the 525S and the 450MXR and also the 525 IRS.

I love my IRS it absolutely rips on the trails. We do a lot of tight technical stuff. I find that there is alot of low end power in the 525 and it helps but I am wishing upon a star that a Rekluse clutch is in my birthday future. That would be awesome for trialriding!

Thanks... that helps me a lot to get stuff straight in my head.

I also went back to my list of what I have found available to me so far... after I posted up this question thread.

So far, here are my Outlaw Options...

'06 500 IRS
'08 525 MXR
'08 525 S

The above is in order from cheapest to most and all are within $1,000 of each other... and this also keeps me along in the same price range as the Z400, KFX450R, TRX450R, 700R, TRX700XX, etc..

'08 525 IRS... it's on up there alone in price compaired to those... even in an '08 model.



I don't know... I'm thinking even with a strong-arm bunch of wheeling and dealing... my guess is that at best the closest I could get would be about $1,700 + fees + tax DIFFERENCE between the 500 IRS and 525 IRS.

I guess someone else who has had both can tell me what kind of premium the 525 is really worth over the 500. That seems steep to me.

[birdman7389]

Originally posted by MtnEX
Thanks... that helps me a lot to get stuff straight in my head.

I also went back to my list of what I have found available to me so far... after I posted up this question thread.

So far, here are my Outlaw Options...

'06 500 IRS
'08 525 MXR
'08 525 S

The above is in order from cheapest to most and all are within $1,000 of each other... and this also keeps me along in the same price range as the Z400, KFX450R, TRX450R, 700R, TRX700XX, etc..

'08 525 IRS... it's on up there alone in price compaired to those... even in an '08 model.



I don't know... I'm thinking even with a strong-arm bunch of wheeling and dealing... my guess is that at best the closest I could get would be about $1,700 + fees + tax DIFFERENCE between the 500 IRS and 525 IRS.

I guess someone else who has had both can tell me what kind of premium the 525 is really worth over the 500. That seems steep to me.

The 525 is leaps and bounds better than the 500.
I have both. For your riding, find a 525 IRS, and DO NOT SETTLE for something other than that. Keep looking for a good price. I bought my '07 525 IRS with what amounts to a few laps around the backyard on it. Nipples on the tires still. I gave $4500.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by birdman7389
The 525 is leaps and bounds better than the 500.
I have both. For your riding, find a 525 IRS, and DO NOT SETTLE for something other than that. Keep looking for a good price. I bought my '07 525 IRS with what amounts to a few laps around the backyard on it. Nipples on the tires still. I gave $4500.

OK, you are east coast and have both.
But you're at the beach... ever had them in tight mountain trails? Like WV?... I'm in western NC... I ride the Appalachian mountains.

There is no question in my mind that the KTM 525 is a more potent powerplant. Probably by far.

The YFZ450 was a potent powerplant... but the setup I had sucked in the tight woods. As long as you were blazing fast it was fine... it shined... but when you weren't it didn't.

I guess what it boils down to is that I don't have to have the MOST power or win the MOST drag races. What I want is good power that is easy to use.

I don't want an engine that stalls easy like the 450's because it lacks bottom end. I like bottom end and mid-range. I want the lugging ability to crawl through what I need to or the ability to pull through a missed shift... and the accelleration to BLAST down that straight stretch around the next corner.

[birdman7389]

Originally posted by MtnEX
OK, you are east coast and have both.
But you're at the beach... ever had them in tight mountain trails? Like WV?... I'm in western NC... I ride the Appalachian mountains.

There is no question in my mind that the KTM 525 is a more potent powerplant. Probably by far.

The YFZ450 was a potent powerplant... but the setup I had sucked in the tight woods. As long as you were blazing fast it was fine... it shined... but when you weren't it didn't.

I guess what it boils down to is that I don't have to have the MOST power or win the MOST drag races. What I want is good power that is easy to use.

I don't want an engine that stalls easy like the 450's because it lacks bottom end. I like bottom end and mid-range. I want the lugging ability to crawl through what I need to or the ability to pull through a missed shift... and the accelleration to BLAST down that straight stretch around the next corner.

I'm actually in Northern California now. I have ridden them in the tight trails and woods, desert and sand of NC, VA, and California.

The 525 is over 30 lbs lighter than the 500, thats just the motor. The 500 is fairly tame. I wish I could let you ride both, you would for sure pick the 525 IRS.

In short, the 525 KTM is indescribably better than the Fuji 500 in all aspects.
IRS> solid axle everywhere but the MX track and some say the dunes.

On the nasty, muddy, rutted out woods of NC, and rocky desert of Socal......I can't think of a better machine than the 525 IRS.

[MtnEX]

I wish I had a riding buddy that owned an IRS.

I have spent some time tonight watching video footage of it.

Nobody can tell me the manners are not WAY DIFFERENT. I can see it in the footage with an exclaimation point. It soaks up a lot, which I like.

The cornering has about 3 exclaimation points behind it though. It looks like it is hard to slide and wants to bite and/or 2 wheel. I bet a lot-lot of that is in the stock tires though... and in the suspension settings.

What amazes me is how the thing hooks up. It's un-nerving... it almost hooks up too much. Never seen a quad pull those kind of exit lines.

On a track, it would shock me to have one come out of a corner behind me. If a man could master that and keep it down, it would be murder to keep one behind you on a corner exit.


My teens and twenties are over now though... and my point is I can see it's ride is much plusher, it's traction is much higher, and it's cornering and exit is much different.

I think I'd have a new riding style to learn.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by birdman7389
I'm actually in Northern California now. I have ridden them in the tight trails and woods, desert and sand of NC, VA, and California.

The 525 is over 30 lbs lighter than the 500, thats just the motor. The 500 is fairly tame. I wish I could let you ride both, you would for sure pick the 525 IRS.

In short, the 525 KTM is indescribably better than the Fuji 500 in all aspects.
IRS> solid axle everywhere but the MX track and some say the dunes.

On the nasty, muddy, rutted out woods of NC, and rocky desert of Socal......I can't think of a better machine than the 525 IRS.

Yeah... I only have my imagination to work with here... but I imagine the Fuji 500 might be tame like my 400EX... just meaner with the extra CC's.

But I do not know what to expect out of the KTM engine. The power has got to be awe-inspiring for a 4 stroke. I just don't know rather it's a grunty 4 stroke or a high strung 4 stroke like the YFZ450.

The IRS setup though... I have always thought it looked like the ticket for eastern trails. Heck, I actually did the paperwork on a 500 IRS before getting the EX. The deal just fell through at the end when I found out I had driven 100 miles and made the deal... only to find the dealer had jacked the wiring harness to get another owner going.... and failed to order the replacement parts.