New Member....Bike Hunting

[MI_Rider]

Hey all...

 

Been lurking here for a while reading up on KTM.  I'm not a new rider, but have been out of the game for about 7-8 years.  My former bike was a 2005 Honda CRF 450 and a 2001 DRZ 400 prior to that.  With my kids now getting a tad older, one hopefully getting his first bike this year or the following spring, I've started to do a little homework on what I can throw a leg over.  I can't stop looking at the 2008+ KTM.  I'd take either a 350, 450, 500, 525, or 530.  Most of my riding will be in Northern, MI and most will be mixed use seasonal roads and single track trails.  Very little road riding will be done, but I want the flexibility to take a quick spin on the weekend here or there around the back dirt roads near my house.

 

So.....with that said....what recommendations do you all have?  

[cadman_ks]

Hey all...

 

Been lurking here for a while reading up on KTM.  I'm not a new rider, but have been out of the game for about 7-8 years.  My former bike was a 2005 Honda CRF 450 and a 2001 DRZ 400 prior to that.  With my kids now getting a tad older, one hopefully getting his first bike this year or the following spring, I've started to do a little homework on what I can throw a leg over.  I can't stop looking at the 2008+ KTM.  I'd take either a 350, 450, 500, 525, or 530.  Most of my riding will be in Northern, MI and most will be mixed use seasonal roads and single track trails.  Very little road riding will be done, but I want the flexibility to take a quick spin on the weekend here or there around the back dirt roads near my house.

 

So.....with that said....what recommendations do you all have?  

 

Do you need/want a taggable bike?

Edited April 30, 2015 by cadman_ks

[iamovru aka mvertoch]

Get the newest possible, but try to stay away from the 08 450, because of the oil migration issues. Not all but some! All the bikes you mentioned are great bikes, it just depends on your wants and needs.

[MI_Rider]

Do you need/want a taggable bike?

 

While I don't really need a taggable bike, I want one.  The ability for me to leave my house and hit local dirt roads for a while whenever I want is very attractive.

 

Get the newest possible, but try to stay away from the 08 450, because of the oil migration issues. Not all but some! All the bikes you mentioned are great bikes, it just depends on your wants and needs.

 

I really would like to get the newest possible.  I've been watching the local used market here and not surprisingly, these bikes don't hit the market often.  I may not be able to squeeze one in this season, but more likely able to do so after Christmas 2015.  Fortunately for me I have a friend who never, meaning like 2-4 times annually, rides his 2010 CRF 450 and has given me the green light to ride it whenever I want this year, so I can still scratch the itch.

[iamovru aka mvertoch]

Start looking on "Tempest Search" and it will give you bikes all over the country. I would also look at the Beta`s too. They are great bikes!!

[sirthumpalot]

EXC will be street legal right from the dealer, and are stellar bikes. Choosing 350 or 500 is the hard part, and you'll have a hard time finding complaints about either.

[Arctic Pride]

If you can do a DS conversion on bikes in MI  to get a plate I would look at XCW's over EXC's

[MI_Rider]

Start looking on "Tempest Search" and it will give you bikes all over the country. I would also look at the Beta`s too. They are great bikes!!

I always look at search tempest.  Again, I have some time before I'm ready to buy.  Thanks for the information on the Beta's.  I'll look into them.  

 

EXC will be street legal right from the dealer, and are stellar bikes. Choosing 350 or 500 is the hard part, and you'll have a hard time finding complaints about either.

Yeah.....that's what I'm finding.  I really like the idea of the 500 however would not at all be disappointed by having a 350 given that most of my riding will be single track trails.  That and I don't really know that I need a 500.  The youth in me says I do, though.  

 

If you can do a DS conversion on bikes in MI  to get a plate I would look at XCW's over EXC's

You can do this, I believe.  What's your reason for the XCW over the EXC?

[Arctic Pride]

You will find the EXC commands a much higher premium over the XCW for which its just not worth.

 

If you want my real economic theory on this settle in... The Yuppie crowd has become even older and are selling their Harley Davidson's after they realized how boring they are (Harley is indeed posting losses in recent past). Many have memories of riding little dirt bikes as kids and have found they can buy a street legal bike off the showroom floor to further live out their childhood at a fraction of the cost while actually coming out ahead financially! Most of these business types can hardly change their own oil let alone convert a dirt bike into a street legal machine, therefor the XCW gets largely ignored while in fact it is the better product as long as your state allows such conversions. California is also a major factor being that they are the hardest state to street register a conversion bike, many real riders can't afford to deal with the small loop holes to get a plated bike which merely further pushes up the value of 50 state plateable bikes....

 

/rant

[dkwkid]

You will find the EXC commands a much higher premium over the XCW for which its just not worth.

 

If you want my real economic theory on this settle in... The Yuppie crowd has become even older and are selling their Harley Davidson's after they realized how boring they are (Harley is indeed posting losses in recent past). Many have memories of riding little dirt bikes as kids and have found they can buy a street legal bike off the showroom floor to further live out their childhood at a fraction of the cost while actually coming out ahead financially! Most of these business types can hardly change their own oil let alone convert a dirt bike into a street legal machine, therefor the XCW gets largely ignored while in fact it is the better product as long as your state allows such conversions. California is also a major factor being that they are the hardest state to street register a conversion bike, many real riders can't afford to deal with the small loop holes to get a plated bike which merely further pushes up the value of 50 state plateable bikes....

 

/rant

They closed the door in California for conversions. The CARB (California Air Resources Board) is working with the DMV-they have shut down conversions by the fact that all vehicles sold have to have a California or Federal Emissions sticker on the bike to certify compliance. No sticker, no plate. Period. There are internet rumors that folks who snuck thru 04/07 bikes are getting letters from the State to turn in the plate although I have not heard first hand of this. This is the primary reason I bought an 08 530 instead of an older conversion RFS bike. Out of state plated bikes are being checked for the EPA sticker at the DMV-guys were going to AZ to plate them then re registering the bike in California. It sucks here!

[Arctic Pride]

There's a member who got a plate on an early WR450 in CA, I'm not selling him out because it wouldn't blow my mind if the green mongers troll the internet...

 

The craziest part is that these small engine bikes produce less emissions and get way better fuel economy than any cars on the road, seems bassackwards to me

Edited May 1, 2015 by Arctic Pride

[sirthumpalot]

"Worth it" is entirely relative. For me, my schedule is perpetually over booked, street legal right out of the crate was completely worth the few extra bucks. The exc and xcw are identical, except the sprocket sizes, lights, a couple emissions parts, an exra sound suppression screen in the exhaust (a plus in my book), DOT tires and a locked ecu with a leaner map. The motors are otherwise identical, transmissions identical, suspension identical, frames identical, etc.. Dirt rider published a nice review of them online, check out their web site.

You can be really lazy on the 500. Gear selection is not that important, the motor is almost electric with gobs of torque starting right off idle. If you don't like to Rev or like to short shift then the 500 is stellar. Even stock it makes more power than most people can use, but delivery is very smooth and controllable if you don't get crazy with the throttle.

Edited May 1, 2015 by sirthumpalot

[dkwkid]

There's a member who got a plate on an early WR450 in CA, I'm not selling him out because it wouldn't blow my mind if the green mongers troll the internet...

 

The craziest part is that these small engine bikes produce less emissions and get way better fuel economy than any cars on the road, seems bassackwards to me

Up to 1/04 they allowed it-after that no go.

[MI_Rider]

@ Arctic Pride, @ sirthumpalot, you both have good points.

 

Here in MI, you can plate a bike that was not intended to be plated if you do a few minor things.  I'm not into that.  I'd rather have something that's ready to roll as Arctic Pride stated.  My schedule is a disaster and having the bike ready to roll is a good thing for me.  Now, since I'm looking used, if I find a good XCW that's plated, then I'd have no issue buying it provided that it's in good condition and I have some means to verify maintenance history.

[iamovru aka mvertoch]

There's a member who got a plate on an early WR450 in CA, I'm not selling him out because it wouldn't blow my mind if the green mongers troll the internet...

 

The craziest part is that these small engine bikes produce less emissions and get way better fuel economy than any cars on the road, seems bassackwards to me

I have a plate on an 05 525mxc, my friend has one on his 13 500xcw. It can be done! I even know two guys who have them on their Beta 13 300 2t`s. It all depends on which DMV you go to. As far as the EPA sticker goes, I bought one from a dealer for $10 last year because my original one came off. The serial number thing is absolute BS!!! If that was the case, these bikes would not have plates.

Edited May 1, 2015 by iamovru aka mvertoch

[Spud786]

I ride a lot of street , so the exc electrical system was a must have. You will have to spend money to fix the fueling on the exc to achieve or better the XCW output.

[Arctic Pride]

I have a plate on an 05 525mxc, my friend has one on his 13 500xcw. It can be done! I even know two guys who have them on their Beta 13 300 2t`s. It all depends on which DMV you go to. As far as the EPA sticker goes, I bought one from a dealer for $10 last year because my original one came off. The serial number thing is absolute BS!!! If that was the case, these bikes would not have plates.

 

I'm strictly talking about California. Unless you have some insider info for CA you want to share? ?

[iamovru aka mvertoch]

I'm strictly talking about California. Unless you have some insider info for CA you want to share? ?

These are California plated bikes I am talking about. ?

[Arctic Pride]

Well hook a brother up, PM me if you want. I'd love to plate my XCF in ca

[dkwkid]

Well hook a brother up, PM me if you want. I'd love to plate my XCF in ca

Theoretically they can run a computer sweep against the VIN and you COULD get a letter asking for the plate back. Uninformed local DMV workers cannot trump the computer.