'Upgrade' to a KTM 350EXC from My GG 300EC?

[singletracker]

I have nothing against KTM other than the tall seat height, but I didn't care for my 2011 350sx. I bought it from Enduro Engineering who used it for a test bike, so it had all of the woods goodies and a suspension set up for the woods. I didn't care for it in the woods. The only place that I did like it was on my grass track, but in the woods it was too on and off and stalled too easily. The exc might be better in that regard. I was definitely faster in the woods on my 2009 250xcw, and if I pushed it I could match the times of the 350 with my 250xcw on the open grass track.

I'm guessing the newer exc/xc versions are better, but I don't have any desire to find out.

[siaknijustin]

I think that I have a valid opinion on your decision because I own an '05 EC 300 and my father owns a '12 KTM 350 EXC. I'm not sure that it's a fair comparison because one happens to be new and the other happens to be an older model. Having said that, I still prefer my gasser for the type of riding that I do. The more extreme the terrain, the more the GasGas is in its element. If I was going to buy a fourstroke, it would definitely be the 350.

Now let me tell you what I like and dislike about both bikes and know that I am in no way "brand biased."

The orange valve chomper likes:
-The single diaphragm clutch is excellent
-KTM fit and finish are top notch
-Aftermarket availability is damn near infinite
-The latest (and only the latest) generation PDS chassis and suspension work for me
-The motor is soft enough down low to be manageable and not exhausting and it revs forever
-Crazy efficient
-Strong biting brakes
-lightweight

The orange valve chomper dislikes:
-It has valves and requires frequent oil changes
-It runs hot and lean (US EXC has to be CARB compliant. Thanks Kalifornia. ) My dad's would boil over from prolonged idling before I installed a radiator fan.
-I'm not sold on EFI. On/Off throttle transition is jerky.
-It's hard to start even when using the button
-More engine braking than I prefer
-It has valves

Gasser pinger likes:
-No valves!
-PRECISE handling!
-Starts easy; hot or cold
-Decent luggability
-light clutch pull
-Forks (I have 50mm zokes )
-Never boils over
-Smooth motor that puts down great traction and even revs out decent for being a 300
-Did I mention that it doesn't have valves?

Gasser Pinger dislikes:
-I have to jet it (C'mon May!)
-The motor is a little vibey (not bad at all compared to most 300cc + plus 2 strokes)
-Limited Aftermarket
-Air filter access is tighter than I like
-The bike feels heavy when not in motion
-Ground clearance is a little lacking
-2k-2 ignition on mine (someone trade me a 2k-3 )

...And there's my opinion FWIW.

[GMP]

I had this 4stroke fever 11 years ago, and being a tech guy, fell victim to an '02 Cannondale 440. I spent many hours re-engineering that thing to be a reliable woods bike, and I did get there, but thats as far as it went. No amount of EFI mapping tricks could take that big 4stroke feel in the woods away, and I sold it some months later and went back to a GG EC250. I like to ride 250Fs on occasion, but do not want to commit to one as my only bike.

[Bandit9]

Originally Posted by Moto7man

The bad thing about the new thumpers is that if the engine "grenades' on you then you have a 2k repair bill or you part out your bike. The new thumpers are actually "disposable" machines. Besides, look at Cody Webb, he just ditched his thumper, went to the new Beta two stroke and beat Graham Jarvis(also on a two stroke Berg). You are going backward if you get a thumper, the two strokes are the future.IMHO.

So the fact of Webb choosing a 2 stroke caused Jarvis's Bib Mousse to come apart while he was leading????

Webb got lucky, but luck is part of racing.

2 strokes have always ruled the woods and extreme enduro.

4 strokes rule MX, and that isn't changing. It is just physics.

[DWreck]

My last two bikes have been 300's (04 DE300 and 08 300XC-W) and I truly love the motors on both of them. I have gotten to spend a fair amount of time on a buddies 12 350 XC-W and love the motor on it. It is easy to ride, takes me less energy to go fast on it but.....and this is why I have not bought one is it stalls way easier and takes longer to get lit once it does stall and it doesn't have that grunt that gets the front wheel up in an emergency when you come up on an unexpected obstacle.

Add in the fact that I have never worked on one (and would have to learn) and would be absolutely terrified to keep one for more than two years and would never buy one used.

[Caravan Monster]

Stay_Upright, what sort of riding are you doing ? Context may be relevant here. Especially if riding club enduros in the midlands, where I know I found the EC300 just too powerful [for my limited abilities ] on the wet clay that is common here. I'm enjoying the EC 200 much more. I'd be looking at 250 four strokes if I wanted to go down that path in this part of the world.

[swazi_matt]

I too have considered a change to 4t, but only since the Beta 350,s arrived.

I have ridden wr450 and crx250 and thought the 450 was too much and the 250 too little, i recently rode a ktm 350 and liked the power delivery and also the fact that the engine braking did not send me over the bars, but it is still orange!

But for now i am going to carry on on the GG, it is paid for and is running fine

[Jakobi]

I've been riding my 250F around the yard a bit lately. I do like the bottom end punch and the super linear power delivery. I don't like the engine braking or the lack of total power. I'd say if riding below 4th gear it would be perfect but it really lacks oomph up in the higher gears. I might get around to showing it a trail again one of these days. I have no doubt I'd be riding the tits off it everywhere.

[Simmo737]

My brother laws rmx450z with tricked out Showa rg3 suspension and Aussie factory mapping is the best bike I've ever ridden, until you get into a rock garden, ledges, bar to bar trees, rutted downhills, technical creek beds or tight single track, then you have the gas cap of and are looking for a match, apart from that it is great.

[GMP]

All the 450s are like that. My brother had a TE450 that was a good bike in the open rough trails but turned into a school bus in the trees. That bike had a well jetted carb and it was still a handfull to ride smooth. Between that, the stalling, and overheating, you want to sell it to the first guy that comes by on the trail. A Rekluse helps a lot, but its still too much of a bike for tech woods.