Post by: eprovenzano on February 14, 2013, 01:30:24 PM
A few friends has a 250Fs, and when we would go riding, they would kick, kick, kick, kick, pant, repeat... until it would fire. When we were trail riding and we need to stop for a break, we always stopped at the top of a hill so they could bump start the thumpers... He watched myself an others on smokers, one to two kicks and the bike lights up. He is also looking to get a lighter bike as the TTR was a heavy weight. Recently he sold the TTR and is in the market.
He's been looking at KTM's and really liked the 350's. The price is a bit steep, and I'm concerned about EFI, and a few other issues... So he sent me a notice, he's coming to the dark side, he found a 09 KTM XC 250... The bike has electric start, with a kicker, low hours, and needs a new odds and ends, just like any used bike... but I think he finally saw the light... or smoke.
Post by: ford832 on February 14, 2013, 01:45:16 PM
Good choice.I'll be interested to hear his impressions as a reasonably new rider.
Post by: SachsGS on February 14, 2013, 04:13:57 PM
Post by: moto867 on February 14, 2013, 04:33:38 PM
Post by: msambuco on February 15, 2013, 03:52:46 AM
Post by: citabjockey on February 15, 2013, 06:15:50 AM
Looking forward to updates.
Good job Eric!
Post by: ford832 on February 15, 2013, 01:25:31 PM
With the estart,I could stall in a corner,yank the clutch,stab the button and go-with hardly a lost second.
I find my YZ much harder to start-just because the position of the kick is awkward for my buggery right hip.
Post by: Stusmoke on February 15, 2013, 09:56:00 PM
Extremely frustrating when you're just trying to start a 125 lol.As for the KTM, he will love it. Most dudes at my local track end up bump starting their foopers after the first practise session. Funny to watch while I just sneeze on my kick lever and fire up.
Post by: eprovenzano on February 16, 2013, 03:26:31 PM
Most dudes at my local track end up bump starting their foopers after the first practise session. Funny to watch while I just sneeze on my kick lever and fire up.
That is soooo true... A buddy has a 125, and yes sneeze of the kicker and it fires right up. Now my 300 needs a manly kick to fire her up. Yes she has a lot of compression.
Here is the bike on his radar
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3528802497.html
Post by: ford832 on February 16, 2013, 08:28:46 PM
Post by: Stusmoke on February 16, 2013, 08:32:10 PM
Most dudes at my local track end up bump starting their foopers after the first practise session. Funny to watch while I just sneeze on my kick lever and fire up.
That is soooo true... A buddy has a 125, and yes sneeze of the kicker and it fires right up. Now my 300 needs a manly kick to fire her up. Yes she has a lot of compression.
Here is the bike on his radar
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3528802497.html
My 01 YZ250 had tons of compression too. It needed a fair bike of a kick to get fired up. But it did it, it wasn't that it needed to be kicked heaps of times you just had to put a fair bit of leg behind the kicks.
Post by: cnrcpla on February 16, 2013, 11:11:24 PM
Quote
My 01 YZ250 had tons of compression too. It needed a fair bike of a kick to get fired up. But it did it, it wasn't that it needed to be kicked heaps of times you just had to put a fair bit of leg behind the kicks.I'd say that's how most bigger bore 2t's are, if you can't kick em like a man and start em, you probably shouldn't be riding em
With the planned head on mine I can stand on the kick starter and it will bearly move 
Gotta jump on it to start her up
Post by: Stusmoke on February 17, 2013, 02:36:21 AM
I really want a 500 even more. Has anyone ever put a wide ratio tranny in a 500 and registered it?
Post by: gpnewhouse7 on February 17, 2013, 08:20:36 AM
I really wanna take your YZ for a spin man... Sounds scary
I do too actually, imagine the looks on peoples faces when some old 90s yz smokes their new 450
Post by: eprovenzano on February 17, 2013, 01:55:42 PM
Post by: Stusmoke on February 17, 2013, 09:28:56 PM
Post by: msmola2002 on February 18, 2013, 01:52:25 AM
Post by: Stusmoke on February 18, 2013, 06:07:29 AM
Post by: CamKrist on February 18, 2013, 09:13:55 AM
Post by: Stusmoke on February 18, 2013, 09:26:11 PM
Similar subject was being discussed at yahoo answers last week. I can post the link if needed.
Nah its all good thanks though. Just thought I'd mention it.
Post by: moto867 on February 19, 2013, 12:10:02 AM
Post by: eprovenzano on February 23, 2013, 01:35:51 PM
My cousin called me as he wanted to go look at a CRF250, (he likes the dual exhaust...) I thought we had lost him for sure. I agreed to go with him for a second pair of eyes. The bike a 2007 had hardly been ridden and really was in exceptional shape. He took it for a spin but back came back rather quickly. Either he was sold or something was wrong... He pulled me aside... I'm sold, I want a two stroke... I want a light bike and this is too heavy. We then went and looked at an 06 KTM 250XC. He loved it.. It was in great shape and the price was right but he passed on it... I was stunned. He said if I'm going to spend money I'm going to get what I want... I want e-start. Well I can't disagree with that logic, Its your money, get what you want. He said he needs a little more cash to get what he wants, so within the next month we will be on the prowl for a KTM 250XC with estart.
Post by: Stusmoke on February 23, 2013, 10:26:56 PM
Update:
My cousin called me as he wanted to go look at a CRF250, (he likes the dual exhaust...) I thought we had lost him for sure. I agreed to go with him for a second pair of eyes. The bike a 2007 had hardly been ridden and really was in exceptional shape. He took it for a spin but back came back rather quickly. Either he was sold or something was wrong... He pulled me aside... I'm sold, I want a two stroke... I want a light bike and this is too heavy. We then went and looked at an 06 KTM 250XC. He loved it.. It was in great shape and the price was right but he passed on it... I was stunned. He said if I'm going to spend money I'm going to get what I want... I want e-start. Well I can't disagree with that logic, Its your money, get what you want. He said he needs a little more cash to get what he wants, so within the next month we will be on the prowl for a KTM 250XC with estart.
Ok first off: I can't deny my hunger for those dual exhausts. They look badass. But your cousins got the right of it. He thinks it feels heavy puttering around in the back yard? Wait till hes trying to throw it around a tight and technical trail.
Post by: eprovenzano on March 06, 2013, 06:41:44 PM
And another rider comes into the smoking section...
Post by: citabjockey on March 06, 2013, 08:00:28 PM
Post by: Stusmoke on March 06, 2013, 10:41:21 PM
Post by: jar944 on March 09, 2013, 02:17:51 PM
Well it's official... I found him a bike... it's a 2009, KTM 250 XC... yes ladies it's a smoker... He wanted a light weight 2 stroke off-road bike with e-start, and he couldn't afford a brand new one. This Katoom fits the bill... the XC is not a full on MX'er but more of a tweener... (in between MX and off-road enduro). I've been in contact with the dealership about the bike for a couple of months, as I thought the price was pretty decent, but knew we could get a little discount if we pushed them... but they just dropped the price by $500. The bike is located at a dealer over 2 hours away, but he pulled the trigger and put down a deposit. We pick it up Saturday... yes we need to inspect, and see any service history, but baring anything stupid, we have another convert.
And another rider comes into the smoking section...
Good choice on the xc and the fact its a 09 or newer is a big plus.
Post by: eprovenzano on March 10, 2013, 09:26:16 PM
My cousin said one of our riding buddies stopped by to drool over the bike... he's ready to dump his YZF 250 and come over the the smoking section... I think I see a trend developing....
Post by: Stusmoke on March 11, 2013, 12:34:51 AM
We picked it up Saturday. He can't get over how light it is... The bike was well ridden. The PO had replaced the top end, including the cylinder, head, piston and rings. I saw the receipts as he rebuilt it himself. The bike had been sitting for a while, and took 15 kicks to fire up. She idled perfectly, and the quick ride in the parking lot all seemed well. The riding area there is very rocky, and the expected battle scars were evident, scratched plastic, and a small dent in the pipe. Other than that, the bike seams very tight. He brought it home, cleaned it up, and started it on Sunday, and she fired on the 3rd kick... (ahh the joy of a two stroke) the battery was low, not sure if it will take a charge, but its on the tender now.
My cousin said one of our riding buddies stopped by to drool over the bike... he's ready to dump his YZF 250 and come over the the smoking section... I think I see a trend developing....
When your cousin starts riding the bike more often she'll fire up in one kick. I found there was a little bit of an art to firing up 250 smokers. You've really gotta use the entire stroke of the kick lever and stomp on it. As opposed to a 125 which you just randomly stab the kick lever and it fires right up. It always gives me a bit of a giggle to watch skinny little faries roll starting their 250Fs after the first practise session while I just give my bike a random kick while sitting in the saddle and she fires right up
I usually give them a little wave as I scream out onto the track.