Topic: What Motorcycle Have You Been Obsessing About Today?

[ktm525]

You obsess over these rides? 

[Triple Bob]

Beta 200RR. Ron, help! 

[HeliDriver]

Beta 200RR. Ron, help! 

Oooh, nice! I went to a Beta test ride day a few years ago and was impressed. Didn't ride the 200, but loved the 250 and 300. Still, it would be tough not to go KTM/Husky, just because...

But 200 is a really good size for a woods bike. Since KTM only makes a 150, I could be tempted to go Beta for the 200!

[rrocket]

Beta 200RR. Ron, help! 

Don't have a problem with it...generally regarded as a fine 2 stroke.  Have heard issues with getting parts, however.  I have nothing bad to say about it.

I agree with Heli though...I'd go with KTM...they are THE 2 stroke maker these days (and by extension Husky)...even offering fuel injection.  And while the 150cc loses a bit of displacement, it's a worthy successor to the KTM 200.  I even saw a blue plated one not long ago!   

Can't go wrong with either for a play/woods bike (potential parts availability notwithstanding).

I have a personal soft spot for the KDX200.  I'd likely buy one of those (so cheap!!), valve the suspension to my fat ass and buy everything from the Fredette Racing catalog to make the bike uniquely mine.  But if I wasn't doing a build...either of the Beta or KTM would work fine.  I'll take the KTM though (or try to find a used KTM 200)

[HeliDriver]

Beta 200RR. Ron, help! 

Don't have a problem with it...generally regarded as a fine 2 stroke.  Have heard issues with getting parts, however.  I have nothing bad to say about it.

I agree with Heli though...I'd go with KTM...they are THE 2 stroke maker these days (and by extension Husky)...even offering fuel injection.  And while the 150cc loses a bit of displacement, it's a worthy successor to the KTM 200.  I even saw a blue plated one not long ago!   

Can't go wrong with either for a play/woods bike (potential parts availability notwithstanding).

I have a personal soft spot for the KDX200.  I'd likely buy one of those (so cheap!!), valve the suspension to my fat ass and buy everything from the Fredette Racing catalog to make the bike uniquely mine.  But if I wasn't doing a build...either of the Beta or KTM would work fine.  I'll take the KTM though (or try to find a used KTM 200)

I just got this in my email the other day: https://dirtbikemagazine.com/the-life-times-of-the-kawasaki-kdx200/ . Was a fun read!

I had an air-cooled KDX200 back in the day. Had a disc brake in front, don't think it had a green frame, so think it was an '86? Had lots of fun with that bike.

[rrocket]

Beta 200RR. Ron, help! 

Don't have a problem with it...generally regarded as a fine 2 stroke.  Have heard issues with getting parts, however.  I have nothing bad to say about it.

I agree with Heli though...I'd go with KTM...they are THE 2 stroke maker these days (and by extension Husky)...even offering fuel injection.  And while the 150cc loses a bit of displacement, it's a worthy successor to the KTM 200.  I even saw a blue plated one not long ago!   

Can't go wrong with either for a play/woods bike (potential parts availability notwithstanding).

I have a personal soft spot for the KDX200.  I'd likely buy one of those (so cheap!!), valve the suspension to my fat ass and buy everything from the Fredette Racing catalog to make the bike uniquely mine.  But if I wasn't doing a build...either of the Beta or KTM would work fine.  I'll take the KTM though (or try to find a used KTM 200)

I just got this in my email the other day: https://dirtbikemagazine.com/the-life-times-of-the-kawasaki-kdx200/ . Was a fun read!

I had an air-cooled KDX200 back in the day. Had a disc brake in front, don't think it had a green frame, so think it was an '86? Had lots of fun with that bike.

Yea, I had a 1990.  Properly prepped, they run fantastic and just don't break (reminds me of the KTM 200)  Put myself on the podium on a long roll chart race with one of these.

Freddette won like what...a million ISDE 6 Days on one of these?   

Fun bikes and won't break the bank!

[rrocket]

Would LOVE to throw a leg over one of these!!!

https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kramer/kramer-hkr-evo2-review.html

[ktm525]

96 and up is the sweet spot for the KDX. Very popular in the east but not quite enough raw power for some of the bigger climbs you find in the west. A killer weapon in tight single track though. I was too big for a KDX and was running a Honda CRE250 clone during the mid 90s before I eventually found the KTM 300 EXC. Another mid nineties enduro bike that is  quite a slepper is a Suzuki RMX250. Good handling and light.  By the 00s the best light two stroke option by a country mile was the KTM 200. A 200 engine stuffed into a 125 frame. What is not to love?

[bridgecity]

^ Buddy has a 2002 KDX and a YZ450F.  The two times we’ve ridden out west he’s left the Yammy at home.

[ktm525]

^ Buddy has a 2002 KDX and a YZ450F.  The two times we’ve ridden out west he’s left the Yammy at home.

Well a YZ is high strung for trail riding, definitely not the right tool for the woods. It depends on the what and are riding and at what pace. As a rider on the larger size 6'2" and 210 the power to weight ratio on a smaller bike can get a little dodgy. On a tight single that is relativelyh fat a 200 would be fine. The large shale hill climbs are becoming a thing of the past but there are still some great rides that at least for me require large dollops of HP.

[rrocket]

The KTM200 is likely the best off road 2 stroke ever. Guys hold onto them forever...and they generally get snapped up immediately on the used market. It's an all time great. Period.

Fredette has the KDX recipe down pat now and with his porting, a pipe and a RAD valve, the engine really wakes up and doesn't leave you wanting more. He knows what works on the suspension side too.

His prices are beyond fair and with a few hundred bucks you can have a fantastic bike near perfect for whatever you need it for.

As much as I'd want the KTM, I could have a KDX built exactly as I wanted for the same or less....

I have an admiration for both the KTM and KDX as off roaders.

[ktm525]

The KDX was like a light agile version of an XR250, nothing really like it. The unsung hero of the 90's has to be the Suzuki RMX250. Steve Hatch, Rodney Smith and Randy Hawkins absolutely dominated ISDE, National Enduros and GNCC on them. Suzuki couldn't figure out a way to sell them., they may have been too early. The article was great and I agree that Kawi would have continued to sell a ton of them. It is too bad the Japanese manufacturers gave up on two strokes.

[Triple Bob]

What do you guys think of the Honda CRF250RX for enduro/trail riding? I'm not a racer, so would it overheat in the woods?

As much as I like the Beta 200RR, I'm more inclined to stick with 4 stroke and Japanese reliability.

[ktm525]

What do you guys think of the Honda CRF250RX for enduro/trail riding? I'm not a racer, so would it overheat in the woods?

As much as I like the Beta 200RR, I'm more inclined to stick with 4 stroke and Japanese reliability.

Some questions:

How big are you?
I assume casual trail pace?
How tight of trail? Barely fit bars through or quad type width? 

To minimize heat in slow situations you want: Proper gearing  (reduced). This will allow you to tackle most obsacles without excessive clutch slipping. Clutch slipping is the big factor in slow speed technical overheats. Four strokes should have a  fan but they cover symptoms and can run a battery dry if they run excessively. My big FE501 can get hot in the very technical stuff so I need to stay off the clutch and bulldoze at speed. It does not like to dance while with the 300 I can clutch and rev etc without as much overheating fear.

So back to your question. As long as the bike is not struggling to move you and you minimize clutch slipping you should be ok.  Buy a KDX200 if you can find one lol.

Will your trail riding look something like this? This type of terrain will get bikes hot fast. I could do it with the 500 but the key would be speed and stay off the clutch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl5dFp6EkL0

[HeliDriver]

I don’t know anything about that Honda, but looks like it’s heavily based on their MX bike? I’m sure reliability will be fine, but maintenance might be high.

Have there been concerns with reliability on the Betas? I haven’t heard anything. In general, I’d be less concerned about reliability on a two stroke (even an Italian one) than a high-strung 4 stroke (even a Japanese one.)

Have you ridden the Beta? I’d probably base my decision on which was more fun to ride, and which was the cheapest/easiest to maintain. Parts availability may factor into it as well, but seems like Beta has a good dealer presence here these days. And even when my wife had her oddball Ossa, it was no big deal to get parts sent from the States if the Canadian distributor was out.

[HeliDriver]

Sounds like two very different bikes:

https://dirtbikemagazine.com/honda-crf250rx-full-test-2/

https://dirtbikemagazine.com/beta-200rr-2-stroke-full-test/

For a fun trail bike, seems like Beta is the choice.

[bridgecity]

What do you guys think of the Honda CRF250RX for enduro/trail riding? I'm not a racer, so would it overheat in the woods?

As much as I like the Beta 200RR, I'm more inclined to stick with 4 stroke and Japanese reliability.

A friend has an '18 450RX.  Uses it for a mix of old timer MX racing and trails.  He doesn't have any problems with it on the trails.  Had it in the mountains last year, 35C while riding, and it was fine even with us keeping the pace slower for the kids.  Not the ultimate trail bike, but won't be a problem for overheating. 

[ktm525]

My old 525 EXC used to get so hot in the technical stuff that the gas in the tank would boil. When we stopped others would ask if my coolant was boiling. "No, just the gas".. They would quietly inch away. 

Thinking about it more, anyone looking for a "trail" bike should be looking for a dual sport. Being road legal opens up a ton more off road trails.


Here is a good article on them:

https://dirtbikemagazine.com/10-best-used-dual-sport-bikes/

[Triple Bob]

My old 525 EXC used to get so hot in the technical stuff that the gas in the tank would boil. When we stopped others would ask if my coolant was boiling. "No, just the gas".. They would quietly inch away. 

Thinking about it more, anyone looking for a "trail" bike should be looking for a dual sport. Being road legal opens up a ton more off road trails.


Here is a good article on them:

https://dirtbikemagazine.com/10-best-used-dual-sport-bikes/

I already have a CRF250L, looking for something significantly lighter.

I've heard lots of good things about the Beta, apart from the fact the electrics and some other stuff can be poor quality. So was tempted to stay with Honda. I think the 250RX with fans/cooling mods might be a good bet. It's a little bit heavier than the Beta but not much, and will probably be more reliable.

[Triple Bob]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsk5s3mM9YU