2011 Ktm 300xc motocross bike

[acgmoulton]

I was wondering if anyone has used their newer 300xc's for strictly racing motocross? I had originally purchased my 300 with the intent of using it as both a woods bike with a mix of Moto on the weekends. Now my plans have changed and I'm keeping my '07 crf 450r as my woods bike and converting my 300 into an sx.

I know it sounds ass backwards taking a Moto bike and using it offroad and taking a trail bike and converting it to Moto but I just can't justify the amount of money it takes to race a 4 stroke these days. I've already gone a little overboard converting my xc to a sx but at least I know I can race it as hard as I want without worrying about bending valves and blowing top or even worse bottom ends on expensive 4 strokes. My list of mods goes as follows...

Flexx handlebars, fastway pegs, sx tank, Fmf factory fatty pipe with shorty silencer, high compression head mod, sx ignition and selector switch, full works suspension revalve, black on black excel wheelset (19" rear), Pirelli scorpion mxms front and rear tires with renthal gold chain and sprocket.

All for the price of a quality bottom end rebuild on a 4 stroke!!

[Family Man]

do you have any pics of the bike? I know jimmy lewis likes the 250 xc for moto, enough to call it the greatest bike of all time. I know your talking about the 300xc...

[akfreerider]

Why couldn't you race it?! Only issue is the class.. Imagine you will have to race "Open" if you are honest about engine size..

Or ditch the CRF and get a 250SX for the woods!

[rob the snail]

i want to do the same

[acgmoulton]

do you have any pics of the bike? I know jimmy lewis likes the 250 xc for moto, enough to call it the greatest bike of all time. I know your talking about the 300xc...

I do have pics, but I'm not too computer savy and will have to figure out how to upload them, I know the 250 is a better setup for moto but I'm gonna make a go with the 3 hunny!

[Dirt Addict]

i used to have a 250sx i converted to a 300. it was great for mx. it had a tad more torque off the bottom that really helped with jumps coming out of corners.

i say go for it. you can't beat the reliability or the fun factor.

[acgmoulton]

Why couldn't you race it?! Only issue is the class.. Imagine you will have to race "Open" if you are honest about engine size..

Or ditch the CRF and get a 250SX for the woods!

I know I can race it in the open class, and the vet class, just wondering if anyone else has raced them competitively against other open class bikes with success, it's winter here in canada and I haven't had a chance to try out All these mods to see how she stacks up. A little over a month to go before I can get 'er out again!!

I'd Love to ditch the crf but I'll never get back what I put into it so I'll just bite the bullet for now. Wait till Ktm perfects the DI on their 250sx and then look into a trade in!! Haha

[desertrider44]

i race my 300xc-w occaisonally in grand prixs. i am a slow rider but the bike does ok. i went up two teeth in the rear and set sag around 105mm and slide forks down tubes to get better steering angle. mxa did an article in 2008 on the 300 xc for motocross. they loved it. they said suspension was alittle soft so they had had the folllwing advice:

forks: use .46 instead of .44 springs, set oil at 370cc comp =20 rebound =21 fork ht 5mm

shocks: use6.6 springs (stock) set sag at 105mm high comp =1 low comp=15 rebound =24

they added 1 tooth for the XC rear sprocket and added a "Jeremy Mcgrath" procircuit pipe

[fish10]

I raced an XC 300 for the last 2 years with good success at Vet Intermediate MX. Some things were better at MX some things not so much. Concrete starts were tough and big jumps out of a corner took a little more attention. Fun factor was through the roof. I woufd recommend keeping the stock tank as it carries weight lower, stay away from the HC head as it made the bike too explosive. Stock pipe is good but Hard Parts one is better. Suspension and gearing were the most important aspects to get dialed. I would go for it. You can take the 300 to any race venue and have the right bike.

[desertrider44]

here are some magazine old magazine links. cant find the one from 2008 but these are good (especially the dicks racing setup):

http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/4572.aspx

http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/6884.aspx

http://www.dicksracing.com/motorcycle_reviews/dirt_bike_magazine_-_january_08_-_08_ktm_505_xcf_08_ktm_300xc

[thmike]

I have a 08 250sx that i use for motocross. I have a titanium II silencer (like the shorty) and fmf factory fatty. If I had the 300 kit on my bike i probably would go with a powercore II silencer to get more mid-top vs bottom-mid that I got with the shorty. I would imagine that the 300 has a ton of bottom.. I've wanted a XC for motocross/trail bike

[fitnessguy]

I ditched my 09' CRF 450 because is was a bottomless $$ pit and I wanted to get back to racing in the woods. Could not justify spending the same amount to convert it when I could just buy a 2-stroke.

I've raced and ridden my 11' 300XC at Southwick MX 338 and indoor at Mototown until the roof collapsed.

My 2-cents, unless you are outrageously fast, I don't suspect the motor is going to be much of an issue. I think it's more about saving weight and setting up for moto.

I can get the suspension in the ballpark, but for strictly moto it would need a dedicated revalve. I would ditch the starter, kickstand and all of the fancy off-road wiring.

Bonus - moto guys look at you like a dog that heard a funny noise when you line up next to them at the start. I can't describe the look when you out accelerate them - busy hanging on.

[acgmoulton]

Thanks guys!

It's all about the fun factor for me, and of course the look you get from everyone when you kick that pinger over is a bonus too! Even better than that is the look you get when you blow the doors off everyone on their 4 strokes out of the starting gate and into the first turn!! Haha, maybe I'm dreaming but at least it sounds like I'm gonna have a blast racing this bike and it sounds like I can be fairly competitive as well. Look forward to the snow melting in a month so I can start putting in some laps. Thanks for the replies! It's appreciated.

[thsp485]

Keep us posted on the modifications and ride/race reports. These projects are always so cool to read about. Good luck to you.

[motorhead1812]

It's funny that you mention the looks that you get. I practiced at a local motocross track last weekend instead of the woods and was expecting to be blocking traffic, but it holds it own on everything but the doubles and triples. That part is more likely the rider than the bike. The locals all wondered why there was a guy with an enduro jacket and camelbak on a plated street bike on the track. After a few laps to get comfortable, I started passing a few riders usually by cutting a sharper, faster corner line. It gives up nothing to 450s on the straights. There were more than a few people that stopped by my pit during breaks to ask how or what the bike was. Hare scramble season starts next month, so we will see how it goes. btw, I had a ktm 250 before this - the power valve spring on a new 300 can make the bike run like a diesel tractor or an old school wild 2 stroke depending on the spring choice or adjustment.

[fitnessguy]

When I road mine last August at MX 338 Southwick practice just before the AMA National, you would have thought the KTM van just pulled up. In fact, it was there and Mike Alessi was busy turning laps. I was a celebrity for a day. Hilarious!

I envy you motorhead - we still have 14 feet of snow up here. Ugh! Our only fix - Mototown - had the roof collapse. Seriously!?

Our Hare Scramble season already started in January. I can't bear to swap out the friction spikes again. C'mon!

[rsp1761]

I have this bike and plan to race some mx with it in the plus 40B class...I rode a 200 XCW last year in that class as well...

I do expect this bike to be far superior to the 200 however I am equally certain I will still come in last ;-)

[motojunkiedan]

I am having such a hard time not buying a 300. I love my 250F but listening to everyone with a 300 makes me want it. Damn you guys! My wife is going to kill me when I buy one and then ask if she minds.

[acgmoulton]

I am having such a hard time not buying a 300. I love my 250F but listening to everyone with a 300 makes me want it. Damn you guys! My wife is going to kill me when I buy one and then ask if she minds.

Haha, ya Thats exactly what I had to do!

Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission!

[acgmoulton]

So I got my suspension back from Ian at Riders Edge today. Got the full works M-6 valvebody, base valves, new compression, rebound and midstack valving, works Shock valve body bladder conversion kit with new compression and rebound valving, PDS 5 shock spring 6.6-8.8kg. Kept the stock fork springs.

Everything looks well put together with a little extra bling. Ian was very helpful and even offered to come out to my local track to help with set up. I was told to set sag to 118mm to help the PDS perform better for my height. Sounds a little high for what I'm used to but this is my first linkageless bike so I'll give it a try and see how it feels. Can't wait to try it out. I was also told my bike would benefit from a set of 18mm offset triple clamps and 38mm keihen carb. He's a longtime Ktm rider and has a 300xc and 300sx. Has anyone tried these on their bikes?? I don't need the lugability of the 36mm carb and don't know about the 36-39 carb mod with the dial-a-jets.