Whos Riding A KTM?

[BigGreenMachine]

Anyone on a KTM 525XC? Seriously thinking about picking one up when I get back home from work. Ride report?

Don't want to hear about the price, I don't care/mind. :lol:

[Eric250R]

Haven't had a chance to ride the KTM, but I have ridden the Polaris Outlaw 525. I'm sure there's a huge difference in handling but the power is awesome.

[ccdhowell]

There's a bunch of them that race in the XC series with me. A guy I made friends with races one and he's had lots of problems with his. Seems like every race it's something. Race before last he broke a rear hub; yesterday's race he lost an axle nut and the hub came off. At the second race of the season everytime he went into first gear it would select reverse, it was a bad deal, caused him to wreck one time kinda nasty.

James, I'd say that from my experience they are in need of a couple more years worth of refinement from KTM. All the pieces are there, they just are playing well with one another yet.

Chris

[BigGreenMachine]

Hey Chris, sad to hear that. Is this an isolated case? The other KTM's you race with break like that?

I haven't heard anything bad about them aside from grumbles about the price.

I need to get in touch with a local who has the 525, see if he has any issues.

Really think this will be my purchase.

[Tri-Z 250]

I think you'll find the motors to be solid although I would agree on the need for more time/racing reports. I find some quirks in articals about the rear shock/subframe/exhust being a pain to remove or adjust...Not sure if thats a real prob for the trail rider.

[Preddy05]

yesterday's race he lost an axle nut and the hub came off.

I fail to see how that would be KTM's fault... i would blame the owner of the bike for something dumb like that happening...where was the cotter pin? more than likely he took off his wheel for something and never put one back in.

[BigGreenMachine]

The shock has to be unbolted to pull the exhaust off. Thats minor in the long run.

I want one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8hAyFi81p8

[BigGreenMachine]

Axle hubs have self locking nuts on the KTM. Fail lol

[ccdhowell]

Axle hubs have self locking nuts on the KTM. Fail lol

Yeah, there is no cotter pin, I thought that was the dumbest, most unsafe thing I had ever seen from a factory quad. Can you say liability?

[cody2]

Haven't had a chance to ride the KTM, but I have ridden the Polaris Outlaw 525. I'm sure there's a huge difference in handling but the power is awesome.

Yes, the power of the 525 is quite good. Its basically like a suped up and bored out 450 and then some.

[SpeedBump]

My friend just got one a few weeks ago. VERY strong engine. I have not ridden it, but all the guys in our group have and they like it. Now, ask them if they would take it over their current rides...not many would switch for the high cost. They all say its NOT that much better. The suspension is very stiff too. I think it would be a great machine, but if spending that kinda money...I would consider coughin some more on teh new 450SX. Much better machine imo.

[BigGreenMachine]

Yes but the SX isn't setup for trail riding like the XC. No reverse either.

[BigGreenMachine]

The new SX 505 is looking good though with a 12.5:1 compression ratio it would need race gas right?

[SpeedBump]

No, no race gas needed. The cam profile used changes the static and dynamic compression ratios. This is an interesting bit of reading. Not written for smaller, single cylinder engines, but the principles are the same. http://www.acl.co.nz/Tech/Compression%20Ratios.pdf

[dogger]

the sx is faster then the xc . they are both wild bike's I'd buy one if I knew which one I wanted. I ride a ktm 625 right now and would buy another for sure. but be warned these bikes are pure race bikes and you'll have the maintance to go along with it.