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PrintKTM invited us out to to ride their new 2012 125, 150, and 250 2 stroke bikes. Riders include David Pingree, Phil Lawrenece, Jason Kimball, and some hot laps by PJ Larsen.
Music by AuKUS
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this made me want a 2 stroke....
Sweet hat Ping!!
That sound is pure aural motor porn, man I miss hearing that. They are just more fun to ride too. Thanks RacerX for not drowning out that sweet sound with a song.
Here's something to ponder from Jody. He may be crusty but I think he's right.
http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/CALL-TO-ARMS-JODYS-MANIFESTO-OF-AN-UNREPENTANT-TWO-7970.aspx
I read that manifesto on MXA the other day and it’s pretty entertaining, haha!
I wish a few guys were ripping the 250SX and the YZ250 out there in the nationals. They'd be fan favorites for sure.
KTM needs to put someone on a 250cc in Nats - they would imediatelty be a fan favorite no matter where they finish.
And thankyou for allowing us to hear the bikes - the music kills these videos.
What do you think - "poll" - would a rider have a better chance doing well on a 2stroke at SX or MX?
I say SX
Come on KTM king of the niche markets.Give us what we want.We want a 2stroke 400cc SMX and MXC.Give it to us with a smooth wide powerband.
@589MX
I agree SX would be a better chance for a 2 Smoker...
I really miss ridin a 2 banger... Maybe Santa will deliver me a 150 for Xmas
yeah! a 400 2 stroke would be sweet! you would definitely see one in SX and MX if they made one. I bet Shorty wishes they had one now! Hahahaha! I want a ringtone of that 125 ripping through the rollers!!
KTM, give us a 400cc 2stroke with a 6speed trannie.Real low 1st,close ration2-5 and a real high 6th that will let that bike run 110mph.Let Motocross Action do the final production spring and suspension settings.Get the ama to up the 2 stroke limit to 400cc in the 450 class.Then put Rockzen,Herlings and Marvin on that bike and dominate the outdoors with a 123.The MXC would dominate desert and GNCC as well.Gives us what we want.Most people could probably race that thing for 2 or 3 years without having to do a topend job.Keep it at least 2k cheaper than the four stroke.I've noticed the euro is dropping against the dollar that should help.
Can't wait to get home and turn up the speakers.......GO 2 Strokes, those katooms look so good....great vid,..... Bring back affordable MOTO!!
I would certinaly love to see 250 2 strokes race with the 250 4 strokes in the pro class, I think this would help the real privaters struggling to make it to each race, having to decide weather they have enough money to travel to the next round, or buy parts for there bike. I personally have both a 4 stroke and 2 stroke. The 2 stroke is a 96 YZ 250 that a friend had told me about that was sitting in a barn, the story was the bike had not been ridden since it was bought, I thought it was a load of crap but went to look anyway, much to my suprise the bike still had the original graphics, factory tires with the knobs still on them thiugh dryrotted by now, they had replaced the pipe and silencer but other than that it was just as if it had rolled off the showroom floor, (except for a 1" of dust and dirt and a dirt dobbers nest in the pipe.) I took it to TH Racing in Keller, Texas to have them go thru it and upgrade the suspension, along with the suspension off my 450 4 stroke all for the cost of $1,600.00, needless to say the 4 stroke has grenaded itself and the fix alone for this bike is at the $1,800.00 mark not including the suspension that was done with the 2 stroke. This is the 2nd 4 stroke that I have had to totally rebuild and both have wound up in the $2,300 range when it was final. I raced 2 strokes from the late 70's until 2007, then bought a 08 250 4 stroke, it was fun but the cost are not worth it for the casual weekend racer or the aspiring amature with a limited budget. The 4 stroke will wind up sitting in the garage unless one of my friends wants to ride with me, other than that I am going back to the 2 stroke and wish the AMA would do the same.
SX or MX for 2 strokes has to be MX. Unfortunately, 4 strokes generate an enormous amount of traction right out of a corner whereas 2 strokes like to spin to get traction which means a 4 stroke is probably better for SX, unless the tracks are changed that is.
For outdoors though, a 2 stroke 250 would have plenty of room to be pinned and roosting, and I have to believe a 2 stroke 250 would rip a 4 stroke 250.
Read about them a few weeks back and I have been thinking hard about a 250. Go KTM!!
Two guys did a nat a few weeks ago, one guy on a Yamaha 250 and the other guy on a KTM. They got 30th and 31st I believe.
@Guest. Good read, but I absolutely love riding my 07 RMZ 450! It is fun having all that power and never bogging. And I can start it with flip flops on. And it never kicks back! The only thing is if I had to buy a new bike I don't know if I would pay what they are getting for these 450s now.
I THOUGHT PINGREE RODE HONDA'S?????WHAT'S HE DOING ON A PUMPKIN.WILL PROBABLY SEE DUNGEY ON ORANGE NEXT YEAR,AND I'M SURE HIS MECHANIC WILL GO WITH HIM.
Look at how awesome two strokes are! I'll never buy a four stroke motocross bike.
Is it just me or are the Big Four falling behind Orange, It'll be time to buy soon it will be KTM 350 or 250 sx 2stroke...
love my 2 smokers!
its a shame Yamaha can't step it up. I have yz125 and 250 2smokes right now but I might have to get something a little more current ala KTM
look at how many total bikes KTM is selling compared to the big four....... I never wanted a 8,000+ race bike, let alone fuel inj, sensor, map 1K exhaust sytem 60HP breather....No desire! I know for a fact, I have seen people at the local level when their kids get off 85's they cannot afford 4-strokes period........We all grew up on 2 strokes and until you have to pay your own way,local or pro you will hate 4 strokes.......way too much to $ for maintenance.............Wanna have fun again, I race a 125 in the 30 and 40+ Int class and love mixing it up with dudes that have 10, 11 grand in their 450's......My YZ 125 2005 was 1500 bucks
I ride a 04 KX125 in the over 30 class. Almost everyone is on a 450 I'm the only 2stk and with average of 17-18 people per race I normaly work my way from back of the pack start to the top 10. my best finish is 6th. It makes my races so much more fun having to battle though the pack. I do better in the 250 class but I hate racing with all the kids (always a crash in the first turn).
Man, listening to the 2 strokes and 4 strokes at the same time, you can really hear how crappy those wet-fart bikes sound!!!! Unless you are making six figures a year racing, why would anyone want one of those overpriced, overweight, ticking time bombs???
@FRED, good idies, but I have a better one on who rides the 400 you want. Dungey, he would destroy the 450 class. The guys you mentioned are great riders, but havent proved anything in the 450 class. Let these kids develope and win a few 250 titles first. Dont try and move them too fast and get them hurt.
@BILLC, yes, go get one. They are a little expensive, but the best bike I own. I only wish I had gotten the 300 2-stroker myself. I think I would have been happier with the power output. But its an awesome bike. You need one badly..
@Mr. Smith- same here buddy except 04 yz125 here in north florida. but its funny, cuz im a small fry at 145lbs and parents usually think im another kid riding with their kid in the 2 stroke or b class. haha! stay safe and have fun.
i wonder why there is not a template/running list, or something for testing as far as information shared on these test days? examples are 1- the test rider state their height, age, and riding level. 2- is the bike fit for a smaller, or taller rider? 3- power delivery; is it all bottom end or all top end type of bike stock, and is it easy to keep on the pipe. 4- handle characteristics; is it a steady bike with no headshake but harder to knife in a corner; (ex kawis) or is it a nimble turner, but not as stable in fast rough and therefore prone to headshake (ex honda)? 5- basic upgrades that may be suggested such as 1 tooth larger rear sprocket, stiffer fork springs etc....
im just saying that we all know these bikes r fun to ride and give us a woody and all.
@fred 400 6sp 2 stroke I would so buy one.(a gas gas 300 w/ohlins owner).@vet racer I agree 450 rmz are so much fun....I like em both,they do different things.It is surprising though how good the rmz works on the trail.
w/ these prices on bikes these days jeez. If i bought a 2 smoker, I'd prolly be regretting the fact i didn't get a 350. If i got a 450 or 350, the first mechanical issue it had i'd be kicking myself for not buying a ktm250. I own a yz250 and every year the ktm keeps leaving my yammi in the dust. but i cant afford an 8500$ bike in this recession. Keep the prices down and how about make every body happy. I'm on disability w/ a recent knee surgery, how am i supposed to spend 8500 on a new bike. i could buy a sweet truck for that.... I've riden em' all, now i've got nothing but a clapped out 03 that needs about a 1500$ into it before i feel safe. what to do
To each his own, but I haven't gone to an SX since '05. The last year Reed, RC, and Stewart raced 2 strokes indoors. Outdoors in the MX class, 4 strokes are more like the 500 class used to be. Not the same, but close. The outdoor lites are in no way close to what the 125 class was, but it is still entertaining. As far as riding/racing at a local level, there is no comparison. 2 strokes are 3x as fun to ride and easier to maintain.
http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/CALL-TO-ARMS-JODYS-MANIFESTO-OF-AN-UNREPENTANT-TWO-7970.aspx
Yed bd200 I need one bad!! LOL I do.. I really do.
Been riding my 2005 CR250 (NOT CRF) and having an absolute blast. The sound my PC works/304 combo makes is sweet sweet music. Best $3000 I ever spent. To bad Honda doesn't have the sand to keep developing the 2 stroke. Thank you KTM and Yamaha!
DirtyNinja I would not put Yamaha on the same level as KTM, I am glad they still make there 2 strokes but what have they really done to them the last 5 years? KTM has done a lot.
Very sweet video!
Looks like Larsen had the best time ever on the 250, haha
Have to agree with most of you, 2-strokes are sooo much fun! Tried a few 4-strokes, but never really liked one so much that I would spend some cash on it. Love riding my YZ300 (search for a video at youtube), but next year I'm getting a new KTM SX250 for sure! Sorry Yamaha, but I don't see me spending a lot of € on a brand new '06 conmpared to a real '12 or '13
Braaap from Germany
For sure BillC, I am just thankful Yamaha makes them at all.
Glad Yamaha still makes them as I am still riding my '07 250. However, KTM has developed a wicked 250! It is the first bike in literally 6 or 7 years that I want and am currently trying to figure out how to procure! I wish Yamaha would develop them just a little.
I still have and ride my 2004 CR250...it has a full Tom Morgan Racing engine in it and I must say, I have no reason to go 4-stroke. After trying a few 4-strokes, I just wasn't hooked like everyone else. Call me old school, yes I am in my 40's, but I never jumped on the 4-stroke bandwagon like everyone else. I love to see that both KTM and Yamaha ( as well as other manufacters ) are still putting out competive 2-strokes....I can only hope that the AMA let's 250 2-strokes into the 250 class....well, maybe only a pipe dream!
so getting a 150sx .. best playbike ever
If people simply don't buy four-strokes, but rather ktm and yamaha 2-strokes, and had 2-stroke classes at the local level (or no distinction in strokes in the 250 and 450 class) the AMA would have no choice but to change the rules.
But it's kinda like why we shop at walmart or don't ever vote 3rd party.
I have a2093 KTM 250 SX, when new it was ffaster than 450Fs. Then the four strokes developed and track designers changed tracks to suit a pondrrous, walkowing pig of a bike, long uphill starts and sweeping big passed bowl turns...all. the help overpriced, overweight and underpowered (per CC) bikes...why, so youhave to bring bikes back to dealer every five minutes or spend a third of tthe buying price to fix it when it blows up,,.CORPORATE GREED at its worst..,don't talk for the BS. MX started out on fourstrokesm then a better idea came along.., the two stroke.