switching from 4 to 2t (ktm 150sx)

[tony477g]

So my story is simple was going to race had a yz125 05 and i thought I would be faster on the 250f so i sold the yz125 and got a 09 crf250r. Started practicing and after a while I got bored with the bike, I liked the torque but it just wasnt fun to ride, also I ride revving the bike like i did with a 2 stroke and also am always feathering the clutch(force of habit). I still have it right now but i think im going to sell it and go back to 2 strokes  Ive been wanting a ktm 150sx so bad, less weight, cost less when it needs a rebuild and i can actually do it, has more power at peak, easy starting(crf kills!) also it just looks sexy. I just hate how hard it is to find one! I would like to test a 2012 before i go buy one because im almost certain that im going to have to go with a 2012 because its impossible to find a 2010-11. I'd love to be like a novice tester for dirtrider or something or if there was any ride days out in the west for the 2012's just to get hands on with the bike and see what ive been missing out on. Hey a guy can dream right? 

[ACMX]

Pretty cool man. Story was great except for when you bought that crf

[Bioflex]

I think that's one of the best parts.
The guy tried the "future", the product which is supposed to make 2 strokes obsolete, yet now he is going back for more 2 strokes!

Nice work, would really like to hear a comparo of the Ktm150 vs the CRf once you have it,

[scotty dog]

So my story is simple was going to race had a yz125 05 and i thought I would be faster on the 250f so i sold the yz125 and got a 09 crf250r. Started practicing and after a while I got bored with the bike, I liked the torque but it just wasnt fun to ride, also I ride revving the bike like i did with a 2 stroke and also am always feathering the clutch(force of habit). I still have it right now but i think im going to sell it and go back to 2 strokes  Ive been wanting a ktm 150sx so bad, less weight, cost less when it needs a rebuild and i can actually do it, has more power at peak, easy starting(crf kills!) also it just looks sexy. I just hate how hard it is to find one! I would like to test a 2012 before i go buy one because im almost certain that im going to have to go with a 2012 because its impossible to find a 2010-11. I'd love to be like a novice tester for dirtrider or something or if there was any ride days out in the west for the 2012's just to get hands on with the bike and see what ive been missing out on. Hey a guy can dream right? 

About this time last year i got to try the 2011 150 sx and loved it, i hope they are doin it again this year coz i will go again, i know they also did it in the US coz someone else on here went to a ride day aswell and rode the 150....
Ya couldnt go wrong Tony 

[tony477g]

I think that's one of the best parts.
The guy tried the "future", the product which is supposed to make 2 strokes obsolete, yet now he is going back for more 2 strokes!

Nice work, would really like to hear a comparo of the Ktm150 vs the CRf once you have it,

Ya man right now i can't give a comparison since i dont have one haha, but once i find one for sure man. The 125 felt underpowered and it still does compared to the 250f. Im actually faster on the 250f.......... but I believe everything is harder for me on the 250f, why that thing is heavy! 250f was harder to ride in ruts, it wanted to stand up and i would lose time right there, It also wasnt flickable like the 125 every where that bike feels heavy (air, stand, turns). Im 5'5'' and weigh 120lbs and the 250f just feels like a hog to me, if i started going down in a hard packed turn i could put my foot out and save it on the 125, ive never been able to save one with the 250f that goes for trail riding as well. the 125 handled way better as well pretty much everywhere. the one place i believe the 125 lagged in power was turns, if you werent in the right gear and you didnt feather the clutch the 250f would already be pulling away. So ya the 250f may have more power/torque but the bike is heavy, if it shuts off good luck starting it, stands up in turns, isnt as flickable, the price for a new top end is around $1000. The 125 was simple it lacked in torque but that made me a better rider by learning which gear to be in and to feather the clutch, its lighter everywhere on the track, the handling was great, I could get it to start one kick, price for a new top end is around $1000 (without the last zero  ). People tell me all the time that 4 strokes are the future, I dont believe that now, I believed it at one point but now that ive had the experience of a 4 stroke and saw that its led to more tip overs, crashes and more money out of my pocket, I think its about time I start making some premix. Ya scotty I would love to go to a ride day or do something of the sort just to get the feel of the 150sx

[rookie]

i grew up riding 2 stroke

rode the 400 and 450 mxer

and now, i;m back! right at home!!

 

[Mr Tibbs911]

Yeah if I had the money out of pocket I'd go buy a KTM 150SX in a heartbeat. But until KTM fields a competitive Pro Rider, I feel that finding a KTM dealer locally will be nearly impossible. Good luck and hope you love your 150sx if/when you get it.

[Larry63r]

I just bought a 2011 150sx on the 4th. Rode it yesterday (7/7/11) for the first time. I bought it for my son. He is 14 and ready to get off the 85 and on a big bike.
I have been looking for one for about three months. I was on the list at my local shop to get a 2012 untill I found out that KTM put linkage on the 2-strokes for 2012. I took my name off the list and started looking for a used '11'. I have riddin all the 2011 KTMs with linkage and I didn't like the way the rear suspension worked on any of them. I found an '11' 150sx that had 19 hours on it with an FMF spark arrestor and some other spare parts for $4800. I have never owned a 125 before, I have been riding 250s since 1983. The 150sx is not as fast as my '06' 250sx but it is impressive. It is harder to ride because it doesn't have the low end but it sure does corner well. I wiegh 220lbs and it pulls me around just fine. 
Keep checking craigslist and cycletrader every day. The one I bought had several other people looking at it. One from Canada and another from Hawaii. I got it because the owner didn't want to bother with the hassle of shipping the bike.
Good luck. I am very happy with mine and I think you will be as well. They are great little bikes.

[keeptwostrokesalive]

I would get the 2012 ktm 250sx.  Their legal in the 250 and 450 class and would be a lot more reliable in the long haul.

[Larry63r]

The 2011 and the 2012 have the same engine, forks, plastic, wheels, bars, grips, carb and every thing else. They changed the frame and swingarm for the linkage.
I have ridden all the 2011 KTMs with linkage and I don't like it. I like the PDS system, I think it works much better. Give them a few years to get the linkage system worked out it might work as well as the PDS system but right now it does not.

[2strokenut]

I can speak from experience here. I have a yz125 and bought a 2011 ktm150sx first thing i noticed was that the yz125 was way crisper on the throttle and seem to have  more bottom end power, but once it got into the mid the ktm was quite powerful. I originally thought it was a great power-band, but had only been riding well groomed or recently rained on tracks so traction was not an issue. Then i got to a race and the track was getting really dry and hammered and that no bottom and great mid on up turned into uncontrollable wheel spin and rider fatigue. Bike is very tuneable and i think I could have made engine more to my liking but suspension also would need some work to even come close to what the yamaha has stock so I traded in for a new yz125 and I am very happy that i did.

My opinion is that yes 150sx is a faster motor but not a faster bike, if that make sense? you can just push harder on a yz125(suspension allows this), and the throttle response and bottom end makes up for the difference in mid/top end pull advantage the 150sx has(supposably suspension can be good but not for cheap). if you ride sand or groomed tracks the 150sx motor is great if you ride a lot of hard pack yz125 engine and suspension will more make up for less cc's my laptimes are for sure faster on yz125 and i am close to 200lb.

I would try on on tracks in conditions that you mostly ride before buying on, not to mention look up parts difference(cylinder, pistons etc) stock for stock you will find more then double the cost on most of them(after i looked it up I thought I might as well have bought a yz250f).

Not trying to be to much of a downer but i was also very excited to get the 150sx and it only stayed in my possession for 12hrs before it lost its appeal to me.

[Dirt Addict]

hey Tony do you ride with the gang?  if so which chapter? class?

i'm like you, i bought in to the hype, the displacement advantage and listened to the wrong crowd
but i decided to do the responsible thing and just ride for myself to have fun. I've been racing a 09 150sx and have fun doing it.
ride what makes you happy.
the 150sx is nite and day faster than the 05 yz125. i had an 05 bumped up to a 144 with an athena cylinder kit.  the ktm pulls harder, longer.
if you decide to get a 2012, don't hesitate. you won't be sorry.

[tony477g]

hey Tony do you ride with the gang?  if so which chapter? class?

i'm like you, i bought in to the hype, the displacement advantage and listened to the wrong crowd
but i decided to do the responsible thing and just ride for myself to have fun. I've been racing a 09 150sx and have fun doing it.
ride what makes you happy.
the 150sx is nite and day faster than the 05 yz125. i had an 05 bumped up to a 144 with an athena cylinder kit.  the ktm pulls harder, longer.
if you decide to get a 2012, don't hesitate. you won't be sorry.

Sorry i dont know what you mean by gang and chapter haha, as of right now no racing because my dads job took the insurance away so were looking for a decent one. Im going to see if i can find a good insurance. as for the 150sx ive found 2 both used. first i found a 2010 ktm 150sx for $3500 heres what he said 2010 KTM SX 150, 2010 KTM chassis with a brand new 2011 KTM 150 SX motor. Chassis has less than 20 hours and the motor has less than 10 mintues. This bike is like brand new.or will install the 200 motor for 4500. next is a 2011 ktm 150sx for 6000 heres what he said2011 ktm 150 sx. awesome condition, low hours, only owner. bought brand new last november for 7,400. new piston put in with only one ride on it. again great condition with nothing wrong. bike has plenty of power. very light and easy to throw around. super fun bike. out of town until july 10th. will take calls about the bike now though.

[Dirt Addict]

in socal  Over the Hill Club uses a ''g'' behind their numbers. it denotes the socal chapter for othg. it's a vet racing club (old guys).

so why does the 2010 have a new motor?
I also noticed that for 4500 the 1st guy will put in a 200 engine in to the chassis?  thats what i did. I'm 200 lbs plus gear. i needed a little more oomph on the starts. plus the 200 piston has a little longer life between top ends.
between the 2010 and 2011 the chassis is the main difference. it's supposed to handle slightly better. but i've ridden my buddies 2011 back to back with my 2009. other than suspension setting differences i couldn't tell the difference.

[tony477g]

in socal  Over the Hill Club uses a ''g'' behind their numbers. it denotes the socal chapter for othg. it's a vet racing club (old guys).

so why does the 2010 have a new motor?
I also noticed that for 4500 the 1st guy will put in a 200 engine in to the chassis?  thats what i did. I'm 200 lbs plus gear. i needed a little more oomph on the starts. plus the 200 piston has a little longer life between top ends.
between the 2010 and 2011 the chassis is the main difference. it's supposed to handle slightly better. but i've ridden my buddies 2011 back to back with my 2009. other than suspension setting differences i couldn't tell the difference.

Oh no haha I live in nevada, also my last name starts with a gso thats why its there, I'd have to ask why it has a new engine. oh ya the guy with the 11 dropped the price to 5500