what next?

[STONEY!]

Got a drz400e which I use for green laning and its been bloody good 40odd thousand miles of abuse and never done me wrong.

Went for a ride with my mate and his 99 ktm 250 exc and really struggled to keep up. Swapped bikes and the ktm is just leagues ahead off road but barely rideable on road.

So basically I want something in between the two

Drz is:

Comfortable
Reliable
Economical
Heavy
Soft (gets out of shape quickly if pushed)

Ktm is

Savage (spends its whole time wheelying or wheelspinning)
Very capable
Light
Crap on fuel (I spent £9 on fuel he spent £28!)
More maintenance needed in comparison to drz
Uncomfortable and almost unrideable on the road vibration and a throttle that may as well be a switch aint fun in traffic

In all honesty if it wasnt so goddamn thirsty I would have the ktm but 20mpg not even ridden that hard is a joke!

So what else is out there? Thinking one of the 300's?

[bladerunner]

You can change the spring on the powervalve of the ktm to bottom end grunt...or a bit of both or the Mx style top end kick....and yes they do come in different colours!One of the guys I know just bought a minty KTM250 ...... Rode a friend's 300 and the 250 is now up for sale after a single day out.....so there must be something good about that extra 50cc that makes them that much easier to ride!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[rhys1005]

Just sold a '99 300exc to a friend. Most reliable bike I've ever own including my thundercat, ybr etc. zero mechanical issues.

300 is annoying on road if not for a very short hoon. Mostly due to sound.. Quite enjoyable with ear plugs in but not for the general public! Vibration through the pegs is quite bad, but cured mainly with soft pegs and sm tyres if you go that route.

Would I own another?
No.
Too impractical for me.. Nothing to do with reliability or expense. I personally just couldn't stand the lack of electric start/ decent stand/ vibrations/ sound/ having to premix/ easy to steal etc etc

Would recommend though if your not a oussy like me £94 for me to insure.. T'cat is £400-£600 dad could of insured ktm for £15 FYI

[rhys1005]

[Fladdem]

I'm in a similar boat, I want more go than my TTR 250 offers but with nicer suspension and less weight. If I wasn't so fussed about the suspension and weight, a DRZE would be the direct replacement without a shadow of a doubt.

FOr a while now I have been torn between a KTM 300, Gas Gas 300/250/200, not fussed really with the Gassers, a CRM 250, KDX220, or WR200R. All are meant to be strokers with better bottom end grunt than other 2t enduro bikes. Of course some will be a bit more hardcore than others but all of them meet my requirements quite well. Something to take to the track for MX or Enduro practise days but road legal enough to take green laning if I fancy it. I did fancy a KLX300R, but after having seen one in real life, it doesn't seem like much of a step-up from my TTR.

The Jap smokers will probably be a bit softer, and maybe slightly less aggressive ergonomics.

I'm a really big fan of the KTM though, having rode Rhys's for about half an hour or so, I fell in love, I'd say torquier at the bottom than my 250, then where the power on my 250 drops off, this one keeps making power to the rev limit. I never noticed a powerband at all, it was very linear, and quite easy to ride. I guess playing with the settings would just make it more difficult to ride but seem faster. I'd imagine you would go quite fast without trying too hard though when set-up for less hit.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[rhys1005]