Can't Decide! Buy 16' FE501S or wait for 2017 options to arrive?

[tyler90]

I can only dream of what the Fall holds in store for us shopping for a new enduro bike. I'm torn between either dropping ~10k next month on the 501, or waiting to see what prototypes come to fruition later this year. I'm really anxious to ride which is pushing me towards what I feel may be a premature purchase and because the ticket price of these new bikes is so high I thought I'd get the communities opinion on the subject.. What would you do?

[KtmHunter99]

I would wait if I were you because most likely, the 2017 models will be all new which makes a night and day difference and you will definitely be jealous if you have the older 16

[TigerTanker]

I would wait if I were you because most likely, the 2017 models will be all new which makes a night and day difference and you will definitely be jealous if you have the older 16

Is there any word on the major changes that are coming?

[KtmHunter99]

Is there any word on the major changes that are coming?

Well i know for sure that the ktm xcw line will receive all the updates from the sx/xc line in 2016 (and the same goes for the corresponding husqvarnas). I have ridden at least a older generation 250f vs the newer 250f and older 125 vs the new 125 and the updates are unbelievable! Everything about the bike is better even little things like the foot pegs and rear brake spring. Chances are, the husqvarna 501 is going to have the all new chassis, engine and all the new updates- 95% sure. Going by the history of ktms (that husqvarnas will follow) the enduro models (xc-w's and fe's for husqvarnas) always receive the updates of the last years sx's. This is due to R&D and timing. There have been pictures of the new ktm 250/300 xc-w which will most likely be released next year. The way I know about all of this is because I was in the same boat as you and was gonna buy a 2016 ktm 250xc-w but then thought about ktms production cycle. After doing massive research i discovered that the entire xc-w line will be all-new in 2017 so I will patiently (not really haha) wait till then because it will definitely be worth it in the long run. And when the 2017's do come out you will have the nice new bike on the block rather than have to jealously look at the new ones in regret

[TheLetterJ]

I've been hearing the same rumors about the 2017 model year. The 2017 model year will no doubt hav improvements over the '16, but nobody will know for sure how significant the changes are until it comes out. If you wait for the 2017, will you then be upset that you didn't hold out for the 2018? ...or the 2019, or the 2020...

 

I bought my last brand new bike in August 2009 (which I still have, and plan on keeping) but if I had waited just 1 year, the 2011's would have been announced and I would have certainly bought a Husaberg FE570S and probably have been even happier... but who knew? I have been itching for something new this year though and the FE501S is the current top consideration. If I was physically able to ride right now, a 2016 would already be in my garage. I usually plan to keep my bikes for a while, so no matter how state of the art it is at the time of purchase, it will be considered out dated by the time I'm ready to move on. I'd rather be riding a clapped out 1970's moto than stuck on the couch though, so '16 vs '17 is not as important to me.

 

I could absolutely argue it both ways, but here's another angle: which carries less risk, last year of current design, or first year of new design? A 2007 525 is considered by many (not necessarily me, but I'm all for modifying stuff) to be a better bike than a 2008 530, some people would rather have a carb'd 2011 530 than the 2012 F.I.500. Have you ridden the current model, or ANY of the current KTM derived linkage bikes? If so, any complaints? Would you be bitter if the 2017 turned out to be different in ways that DID NOT benefit you, where the '16 may have been just right, but could no longer be found new?

 

If you're already riding a plated bike, it might be worth holding your breath and waiting for the '17. If you don't currently have a bike (at all) maybe you should buy an $800 YZ125 off of craigslist to hold you over or just buy the '16 already!... I know I couldn't stand to be bikeless!

[KtmHunter99]

I've been hearing the same rumors about the 2017 model year. The 2017 model year will no doubt hav improvements over the '16, but nobody will know for sure how significant the changes are until it comes out. If you wait for the 2017, will you then be upset that you didn't hold out for the 2018? ...or the 2019, or the 2020...

 

I bought my last brand new bike in August 2009 (which I still have, and plan on keeping) but if I had waited just 1 year, the 2011's would have been announced and I would have certainly bought a Husaberg FE570S and probably have been even happier... but who knew? I have been itching for something new this year though and the FE501S is the current top consideration. If I was physically able to ride right now, a 2016 would already be in my garage. I usually plan to keep my bikes for a while, so no matter how state of the art it is at the time of purchase, it will be considered out dated by the time I'm ready to move on. I'd rather be riding a clapped out 1970's moto than stuck on the couch though, so '16 vs '17 is not as important to me.

 

I could absolutely argue it both ways, but here's another angle: which carries less risk, last year of current design, or first year of new design? A 2007 525 is considered by many (not necessarily me, but I'm all for modifying stuff) to be a better bike than a 2008 530, some people would rather have a carb'd 2011 530 than the 2012 F.I.500. Have you ridden the current model, or ANY of the current KTM derived linkage bikes? If so, any complaints? Would you be bitter if the 2017 turned out to be different in ways that DID NOT benefit you, where the '16 may have been just right, but could no longer be found new?

 

If you're already riding a plated bike, it might be worth holding your breath and waiting for the '17. If you don't currently have a bike (at all) maybe you should buy an $800 YZ125 off of craigslist to hold you over or just buy the '16 already!... I know I couldn't stand to be bikeless!

Based on the history of the ktm's production cycle that has proven time and time again, and the spy photos of the new 250/300 xc-w, the 2017 xc-w line will receive the all-new updates the 2016 sx bikes received including the all-new frame, chassis, engine, massive weight reduction (up to 10 pounds on the 450/500), and refinements everywhere. It is definitely a year worth waiting out for. And this is coming from someone who has ridden a bike on the new chassis and engine (a 2015.5 250sx-f factory edition and 125 sx) and the bike is unbelievable. Night and day difference from the older models. Now in 2018, there will not be any ground-breaking updates as that never happens the year after a totally new bike. Usually they make a couple refinements here or there that can be retrofitted on the other bikes anyways.

[TheLetterJ]

...but the question remains:  is it guaranteed that the new technology will trickle down to the dual sport models for '17? Especially looking at the Husqvarna (not KTM's) lineup, which, so far, has not made an early production factory edition model to showcase what's coming down the pipeline. Their offroad/dual sport models already share the same tech as their MX/SX models...right?

[KtmHunter99]

...but the question remains: is it guaranteed that the new technology will trickle down to the dual sport models for '17? Especially looking at the Husqvarna (not KTM's) lineup, which, so far, has not made an early production factory edition model to showcase what's coming down the pipeline. Their offroad/dual sport models already share the same tech as their MX/SX models...right?

Husqvarnas? No. If you look at their mx bikes they all (expect the 250 and 85) have the new chassis engine etc. Now if you look at the enduro models, they do not, they still have the old chassis. Now it is noteworthy that the TC 250 did not receive any updates for 2016 but that's just because it will out of sync and there was not enough time for engine development. Now there is that slight chance (like 1%) that the dual sports could go unchanged for 2017 if time gets tight but i highly doubt it since they use the same platform as the regular FE's and if they do you could just buy the new updated FE and make it street legal

[TheLetterJ]

Holy balls! The 2016 FC350 has a claimed 58HP!!! Isn't that the same as the current FE501S?  I'm not sure where they found that power since it shares the same bore/stroke/valve sizes/throttle body diameter as the "previous" 350 (maybe the 14:1CR + injector placement/mapping changes?) but If that finds its way into the '17 FE lineup, the 350 would absolutely be worth considering over the 501.

 

Alright, alright, the more I read about the current FC's, the more I agree that waiting for a '17 FE could be worth the wait.

[KtmHunter99]

Holy balls! The 2016 FC350 has a claimed 58HP!!! Isn't that the same as the current FE501S? I'm not sure where they found that power since it shares the same bore/stroke/valve sizes/throttle body diameter as the "previous" 350 (maybe the 14:1CR + injector placement/mapping changes?) but If that finds its way into the '17 FE lineup, the 350 would absolutely be worth considering over the 501.

Alright, alright, the more I read about the current FC's, the more I agree that waiting for a '17 FE could be worth the wait.

The aspect you have to remember about dynos and horsepower numbers is that all dynos are different. You may read 58 in one magazine and 54 in another. And the dealer could say 60. What you should do is get all your numbers from the same source (the source doesn't matter as long as it's a consistent source, and not the manufacturers claimed horsepower numbers). Now I don't know what you're looking for in a bike. Personally I prefer the 350 especially in the trails because it's plenty for me and I would not want any heavier of a bike. But your tastes could be different and you could want more power. On the street, a 350 will still be enough as it has 6 speeds, and a 500 might catch you speeding haha. But one thing for sure, a 350 is much lighter, less demanding on the rider, and feels even lighter than the amount of pounds it is lighter because of the lighter flywheel and moving engine components. But either way you go, 350 or 500 or something else, I would highly advise you to wait until 2017 because the newest generation of upgrades makes a world of difference to all of their bikes

[tyler90]

Well, I couldn't wait another year...

Bought the 16' 501S from BMP

I rode it home from just north of the boarder in Selma, OR to my home on the coast in Crescent City, CA.

71 twisty miles and my ass is sore like I've been riding horses all weekend hahaha

I know it's not a touring bike but it's mostly because I haven't ridden since September of last year that I am so sore from it.

Going to rip up some trails thru the redwoods later today.. I predict I'll be standing most of the time! Peace