300 xc or xcw

[nickko]

what is better for woods and trail riding? a 300xc or a 300 xcw

 

thanks...............nicko

[GasItandCrash]

The gear ratio spacing in the XC-W makes it an ideal choice for woods and trail riding.

[nickko]

thanks for the reply. Would i be disappointed with an xc for trail riding? I am looking for some used 250 or 300 ktms and can mostly find xc's

 

thanks..............   nicko

[Shhhh]

If you ever see a track, get the xc, if you just ride trails, get the W.  the only time I ever want a W is on the fast connectors, the W has a better trans for that.  I doubt you'd be disapointed with either. 

Edited November 5, 2017 by poldies4

[GasItandCrash]

Based on this post:

The only real difference between the two is first gear is lower in the XC-W.  If you don't ride real technical slow tight stuff you probably won't notice the difference.

On the other hand, for the 2007s 5 speed transmission: 

            250/300 XC               250/300 XC-W

1st     14:30                           14:30

2nd    16:26                           17:26

3rd     18:24                           19:23

4th     21:24                           20:20

5th     22:21                           29:23

This shows the XC-Ws have a wider gap between the gears across the range.  I have not ridden an XC in the woods (or at all), but I assume you will be stirring the shifter more with the XC and you won't have as high a top speed as the XC-W.  

Good Luck

[KennyMc]

1) Linked suspension (XC) for bigger hits (track) or longer whooped out sections in the desert

2) For longer rides that could go into dusk/night (XC-W) has a headlight and tail light. Better if you can plate them in your state

[Fatt_Tones]

31 minutes ago, KennyMc said:

1) Linked suspension (XC) for bigger hits (track) or longer whooped out sections in the desert

2) For longer rides that could go into dusk/night (XC-W) has a headlight and tail light. Better if you can plate them in your state

 

 

In the '07 era bikes described above, I would pick the XC hands down for ALL genres of dirt riding .....well, other than sustained 5th gear dirt road riding.

 

The 'w' will have a VERY noticable and annoying gap between 2nd and 3rd and to a lesser extent between 3rd and 4th.  This can be practially eliminated with lower final drive gearing.  For example 13/52 sprockets.  This of course will turn a 300 into a very snappy beast , in which case I hope you're not prone to whiskey throttle...lol.  1st gear becomes ultra low for tractoring through the tightest of tight.  5th gear will still have more top speed than you could ever need for dirt riding....winding out somewhere in the neighborhood of 82mph for a 300.  In more open stuff you'll spend most of your time starting off in 2nd gear and since the 300 has the torque to pull and lug, you can ride higher gears at lower speeds if the lower gearing makes the big two stroke too snappy for you to control.  This lower gearing coupled with a red PV spring and some crisp, but linear jetting is what I found was a great fix to make the 'w' most verstaile.

 

But that said if given the choice I would take an XC.  But as mentioned above, you're going to have fun and be happy on either.

 

 

[7thirtyseven]

Both great bikes. XC is great in the woods, just a slightly more agressive nature than the XC-W. 

In general (not going into specific years) the XC-W is "softer" than the XC and the gearbox, while it may help in some areas has always given me a confused feeling in the tighter trails like you are working around it. The XC on the other hand has a more natural progression to the gears. 

In the end it comes down to your riding. You want plusher ride with milder power delivery, take the XC-W you want a bike that wants to go faster than you... Take the XC.

Other than the gearbox issue with the XC-W I like a bike that is better in the faster stuff than I am, the XC says "I'm ok give me more" the XC-W says "I'm gonna wallow around and scare the living piss out of you"

At the end of the day both are really fun bikes and the XC is great on trails but a shade more agressive

[nickko]

thanks for the replies. most of what i can find on craigslist in my area are ktm 250's. What does anyone think about 250's for woods riding over a 300. I have been riding a drz400 for the past four years and i have it geared like the drzE. I have been riding open trails and technical with it and its a heavy bike for technical. So I'm looking for something lighter and quicker.

i am 180 pounds with my gear on so I'm just wondering if a 250 two stroke would be a good choice if i cant find a 300

 

thanks..............nicko 

[nickko]

what  about a 300mxc? i found a 2005 that looks real nice for $2500.00. Would an mcx 300 be a good woods and trail bike?

 

thanks...........nicko

[pat22043]

On 11/5/2017 at 0:07 PM, nickko said:

what  about a 300mxc? i found a 2005 that looks real nice for $2500.00. Would an mcx 300 be a good woods and trail bike?

er, I'm pretty sure its an MX bike, which is very far from what one wants in tight woods. I would not buy a KTM that is that old, unless you have a lot of experience and are a good mechanic. In 12+ years, a bike can get totalled many ways

If you have a limited budget of $2k to $3K, you should get the best woods bike you can get under budget, which will depend on your local market. Decent used KTMs rarely get down to $2,000. about $2500 seems to be a floor.

I love my '17 XCW but I never go near a track.

[ridinredneck]

double post. sorry

Edited November 8, 2017 by ridinredneck

[ridinredneck]

On 11/5/2017 at 0:07 PM, nickko said:

what  about a 300mxc? i found a 2005 that looks real nice for $2500.00. Would an mcx 300 be a good woods and trail bike?

 

thanks...........nicko

My last bike was a 300 MXC. They changed them to XC now and the XC-W used to be EXC. They still make an EXC but it is different than the older ones. I never had any issues riding the 300 MXC in the woods. All I had to do was soften up the suspension.

[redrider144]

On 11/5/2017 at 9:51 AM, KennyMc said:

1) Linked suspension (XC) for bigger hits (track) or longer whooped out sections in the desert

2) For longer rides that could go into dusk/night (XC-W) has a headlight and tail light. Better if you can plate them in your state

   3) XC also for guys with big cajones.

[rpt50]

I will only add this observation to the discussion.  Finding an XC owner that is happy with his stock suspension is about as rare as a unicorn, and at races XCs are always plastered with suspension company labels.  XC-W owners, on average, seem to be much happier with stock suspension.

 

[Shhhh]

In response to the above post, I find that on average the guys who ride xc's are more aggressive, and looking for an edge over the competition.  For some that is suspension mods, I find more casual riders seem to enjoy the w.  just another observation.  

[KennyMc]

What oil is better for the XC? Knowing that XC riders like to take it up the ___, is a thinner viscosity better? Just another.... [emoji3]

[Shhhh]

1 hour ago, KennyMc said:

What oil is better for the XC? Knowing that XC riders like to take it up the ___, is a thinner viscosity better? Just another....

I figured that would get all you old timers fired up. ?

 

And no oil, dry, I ride an xc bro. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by poldies4

[kashtyaatsi]

Both good bikes especially if you're just a casual trail rider. I prefer the xc because the xcw tranny spacing drives me crazy. Just depends on where you ride, how you ride, and what you can afford. The old ktm's aren't anything special. You'll likely have something a little more unreliable that'll need suspension work.

[-AC-]

Both XC's and XC-W's are great bikes, and both the 250's and 300's (and 200's!) are great motors. To hear the forum chatter you'd think one was a Buick Roadmaster and the other a Shelby Cobra. They're all more alike than different. Different is trying to decide between a recent KTM 300XC and an XR600. Or your DRZ. Find the cleanest most unmolested KTM 2-stroke you can, put quality bark-busters on it if they're not already there, and it will make you very happy...