Rode a KTM 300 and...

I was at a trailride on the WI/MI border on saturday, with 300+ attending, most of them ktm. Since I bought my wr250r last year, all other 3 bikes in my garage were sold shortly after. 2006 crf450, 2001 yz125, 86 xr650. I have put 3000 miles on my wr, single track, deep sand and some 50 mile road trips, the bike has been so versatile I dont miss my other bikes I sold. I have always wondered about the ktm and why I see so many...

So a guy stop's next to me on the trail Saturday that had a ~2012 ktm 300 2 stroke. He said that the wr250r was his next bike and asked about the cost for programmer pipe etc.
As we got to know each-other, I asked him if he wanted to ride the wr and I would finally get to ride a ktm  He was very happy I offered.

Ill start off with the good on the ktm. Elec start was nice for a smoker, motor made great power all over and didnt mind lugging low. I didnt feel the need to scream it to keep it from plugging up.
hydrolic clutch was nice, 1 finger pull. KTM was lighter then the wr.

I was very disappointed in general to say the least. The ktm is faster thru the woods but not by a landslide. The bike was very rigid, I could feel the engine thru the handgrips, and the seat was worse then a 2x4. I felt stable standing up but 5 minutes on the seat and I was begging for my wr back. I had expected the ktm to feel much lighter vs the wr.

I absolutely hated the ktm (for trail riding) , I dont understand why so many people choose a race bike to ride trails all day long, costs more and requires more maintenance. And never mind the six speed, efi, street legal and so many other benefits of the wr.

Riding that ktm only made me happier about purchasing my wr. The ktm is faster, handles better no doubt, but the trade off vs the wr is not worth it for me and never will be.

I was stuck riding that ktm for 20 minutes while he was a ways ahead on my wr having a hoot, He seemed to like it and I was happy to switch back. Very nice guy, the rest of his group went back to camp and we spent then next two hours riding together, he waited for me at intersections out of kindness, it was a great ride.

I want a 300 two stroke or a yz250x as my next bike as some of our rides are kinda like extreme enduros but with breaks so we don't get tired lol, I will be keeping the wrr and setting it up for longer easy rides when I get one tho.

The ktm's are famous for having suspension that isn't plush and smooth feeling, the new Yamaha fx bikes have way smoother suspension then the ktm's, I don't sit down much when riding trails so the skinny hard seat is not a big deal to me.

I ride with guys on ktms quite a bit, the extra power is nice for some of the hills we ride up and poping the front end up to clear stuff, the lighter weight is less tiring when riding technical trails for a few hours too but I keep up just fine trail riding on my wrr.

Until you start riding really technical, nasty stuff the wrr with good tires, lower gearing and a revaled shock does a fine job.

I get your points, but I think comparing these bikes is like comparing apples to oranges (pun intended.) I absolutely love my WRR for off-road riding, especially since I re-valved and re-sprung my suspension last winter, but there are some places where it's challenging to ride. This became more apparent to me when I started riding more challenging trails with more powerful lighter weight two-stroke bikes. It really hit home when I eventually encountered the trails, hills, and obstacles that they could overcome and I couldn't.

I recently purchased a Beta 300 Xtrainer and my brother-in-laws ride KTM 250-XCW and 300 XCW bikes. These two-strokes certainly do vibrate quite a bit and the seats feel like planks, especially if you sit on them for long periods. But they excel in conditions where sitting on the seat is an afterthought, which is why I bought one.

300cc two-stroke bikes are lighter weight (~220 lbs) more powerful (~45 HP), and they fire on every crankshaft revolution, all of which makes them generally faster and more nimble to ride. These differences are especially apparent in more tight, steep, and technical terrain. If you don't ride in conditions that merit one of these bikes then it's understandable that you don't perceive value in them. But they do shine in the riding conditions they're built for, which is why so many are sold.

If I could only have one bike it would probably be my WRR. But a well-sorted two-smoker is a lot of fun too!

And one huge problem with the 2strokes is the fuel mileage is horrible......if that's not an issue they are awesome (I am a 2 stroke fan and thats all I rode in my MX days). When I go down to TN and ride I would have to carry a fuel tanker to make it out to civilization again with a 2 stroke, lol.

I have done the change from exc 2 stroke to a wr250r.

I think that you are very wrong.. The exc is better than the wr in every aspect. The only thing that the wr shines is the road riding and maintenance. If you need your bike to be able to take you for daily needs then you cant even consider a ktm. Same if you need to commute a long distance to get to the trails. Ktm will be awfull onroad and costly.

Besides that, if your dirt bike is for off road only, your commuting is low to none then its exellent bike.

I think you felt bad because of the transition to 2 stroke.. Its different and especially the 300 is very intimidating..

Try the exc250f and you will get a wr250r that weight much less, stronger, great handling and ready to race.. But you cant commute with it and you get high maintenance.