2000 KDX 220 vs 2007 KTM 200 XC-W

[2001kdx]

Yes, of course Wide Ratio is the way to go for woods.

KTM's XC-W is their Wide Ratio tranny. It's closer than the KDX od course, but still gapped pretty well.

The XC line is in between the XC-W and a Close Ratio MX bike. It's a good compromise for 50/50 Scrambles and MX.

Imagine a brandy-spankin 2008 YZ250 all done up for woods, but with a WR tranny swapped in. There's my favorite woods bike.

[jc7622]

I really do not like the KTM ergonomics though. My KX chasis feels large and roomy compared to the KTM yet it is the same size. The KTM is too cramped for my tastes, yet I love them. I am sure you can get used to it though, but after the KX ergonomics I just am not willing to give that up and the KDX is a really comfortrable compared to the KX.

I guess I need to try to ride a KX125 and a KTM off road bike to see how they feel. When I hear someone say that the KTM is small I think that is good because it would be easy to throw around - but I may have that all wrong. Do the KTM SX bikes have the same ergos as the XC bikes?

My kids have drug me into racing cross country. Now that they would rather do that instead of trail ride that is really my only chance I get to do much riding. I have noticed that when I am in really tight trails I stay pretty much with the other riders around me, but when we come out of the woods into faster terrain people pull away from me and leave me behind. I don't know if it's me or the bike (or both). It has me thinking about doing a hybrid. Even when riding with my buddies I have noticed the only times I can outrun them is in the really difficult terrain. When we get on the really smooth, bermed, fast trails they outrun me on their MX bikes.

[cleoent]

Has anyone out there ridden both of these bikes? I'm trying to decide whether to swap my 2000 KDX for the KTM. There's a nicely maintained KTM 200 XC-W for sale in my area for a fair price.
Ironically, I just did a bunch of work to the KDX. New Pirelli MT-16's, 2003 KX 125 USD fork (newly serviced), serviced rear shock, new hand guards, IMS footpegs and I just picked up a new piston kit (not installed yet). The bike works great as far as this novice rider can tell!
I guess I'm mostly concerned with how well the KTM will work for me given my novice skills and the terrain out here: Very tight woods with lots of muddy ruts, roots, rocks, tight hill climbs with turns and big steps etc. Mostly 1st and 2nd gear technical stuff. Thanks for any input!

I've ridden both, except the one i rode was an 08, my brother in law's.

The 220 has more down low and will chug, but the ktm absolutely pulls like a freight train up top, it's insane. The brakes are better as well and the handling is firmer and better.

For mellow trail riding i think the kdx is much better, it's less exhausting, the ktm pulls in the powerband, does nothing outside of it and can wear you out. The seat is also firm, the kdx is soft.

If i had to have just one, it would be the ktm just because of bling factor, but since i can't afford it, and i like the parts the kdx does better, i'm in no hurry to upgrade.

[80elkster]

Gentlemen??
I have both a KDX 200 and a KTM 300 and I have to agree that the KDX is great for casual and spirited riding with the wife and kids when they are on the quads. But when I'm with the big boys I like to ride the KTM which really demands my attention and respect. The KTMs are not a sit down and cruise type of bike and yes the seat is like setting on a 2x6 but that can be changed out for a softer one for bout a hundred bucks. My 300 feels better when I'm standng and hauling ass through the trees where you've got to be on your game or you'll be eating bark. I do admit you can lug the 300 like a four stroke but it doesn't feel as stable at lower speeds like the KDX does. So for the novice the KDX is the way to go and once you get the RB mods and the suspension dialed in it is an excellent machine and don't get me wrong, the KDX keeps up very well with the 300 it just can be a handful at higher speeds.
Someday I'll get around to building a hybrid out of my KDX and likely the KTM will be sold off for a newer something or other but the KDX will always have a spot in my garage

[firffighter]

I agree. I've owned 2 KDX's and 2 KTM 200exc's. For now, I like the KDX because I mostly just trail ride with my family. But, now that I am signed up to ride 4 off-road events this year, I am thinking about the KTM again because it is a better bike for high speeds and race situations.

The trade off though is giving up the ability of the KDX to make a day on the trails feel so darn easy and comfortable. The KTM keeps you on your toes at all times, where the KDX seems more casual and stable on the trail. Once the tight stuff opens up and you start to hit speeds though, the KTM shines.

[green_passion]

Being that my KDX is down for cylinder work, a friend of mine offered for me to use his son's 2003 KTM 200 EXC last weekend.

First Impressions (Saturday)

Me and three other guys rode with me as I took her out for a test ride on Saturday. My first impression was that the throttle response and suspension was so much better than my KDX. I would twist the throttle and it would want to go and the whoops seemed to be a lot less harsh unlike my KDX that's very slow to respond and can be harsh to handle at higher speeds in the whoops. Although I kept running out of gears on the 200 in wide open stuff, I enjoyed how quick and nimble it was while getting there.

Once we hit the technical rocky stuff, the bike didn't have the nice bottom end of the KDX that I love so much but instead all the pipey bucking bronco-ness of a 125 MX two-stroke bike. I absolutely hated it because I now had to clutch the crap out of it and fight to keep my momentum going as I'm bouncing off the rocks. Plus when I tested how it would do on a small hill in second gear, it wanted to loop over if I wasn't "clutching" it and even with "clutching" it, the bike still stalled on me. However, once we made our way out of the canyons and onto the whooped out trails, the bike performed beautifully through the sand and the whoops. Once we got back to camp, I was left missing my KDX and not completely sold on the 200.

Sunday's Race

Sunday I tucked my tail in, and changed my race application from the day before from "two loops" (80 +/- mile race course) to the "one loop" (40 +/-mile course) because of my experience the day before on the bike. Once on the start line, I quickly realized that the shorter kick starter was a PITA and harder for me and my long legs so I was pretty much dead last off the start because of it.(okay that and because of the monkey controlling the bike, I'll admit it. )

Once going, the bike was pretty easy to manage except for the occasional rock or if I twisted the throttle wrong. I had more near crashes while riding this bike than I ever had on my KDX. At one point I really thought I was toast as I was doing a flying "W" in a rocky sand trail.

After my experiences the day before, I was overly conscientious on the uphills but I did find that the bike will lug-up a hill and stay manageable with good throttle control in second or third gear. (Don't get me wrong, I was seriously praying that I wouldn't stall it the whole time I was going up a hill.)

Also of note that I learned while riding this bike more extensively on Sunday was:
a) the seat is wayyyy too hard and it's very narrow compared to the KDX. b) I didn't like how narrow the bike felt between my knees when I stood-up.
c) it seemed a tad too short in the pegs for me (I'm 5'11") compared to the KDX.
d) it seems to vibrate a whole lot more than my KDX and it made my hands go numb.

Something that I feel is a "must buy" for this bike is a recluse clutch. I think that with this type of upgrade that it will resolve some of the problems I had while riding it.

All in all the 200 is a fun bike to ride with its quick throttle response and nice suspension. Definitely a step-up from the KDX's sleepy throttle response and lack-luster suspension. On the other hand, the 200 can get you into trouble faster and it lacks the serious bottom that the KDX has for a lot of the technical riding that I do. So with all that said, still by far my preference is the KDX for it's outstanding reliability and lugablility. Plus even Chris Blais and Quinn Cody at lunch yesterday echoed my same sentiments about the KDX.

[scheckaet]

KDX's sleepy throttle response

Wait till you get the RB goodies , jetted right (or close), you'll see a different beast and your grin will look like this ====>

[ebeck]

RB'd Hybrid with MX-Tech suspension set up for trail work.

[green_passion]

KDX's sleepy throttle response

Wait till you get the RB goodies , jetted right (or close), you'll see a different beast and your grin will look like this ====>

Oh I can't wait!! My RB modified carb is actually done and sitting on the counter at home. I'm just waiting on my cylinder to come back from Eric Gorr.

[fuzzy]

Great!

Imagine a brandy-spankin 2008 YZ250 all done up for woods, but with a WR tranny swapped in. There's my favorite woods bike.

YUP!

[jowens66]

Yep, there is a HUGE difference between the two bikes.

The Ktm is made to race, not trail ride. While it can be made to go at a slower speed, it performs best at race pace.

The Kdx is made for trails, yes it can be raced, but needs alot of work to race in the upper classes.

Try riding a newer Ktm 200, they are alot more friendly and less 125 like than the 2001-2004 models. I've ridden and raced quite a few KTM and KDX 200's in the past, and had the KDX 220.

Another thing you all have missed is KTM's can be tuned from mild to wild. They have powervalve springs you can change, the stiffest spring gives the smoothest power delievery, and the softest makes it more like a 125 in power delivery. Then you can fine tune your power delievery with the powervalve adjuster. All of this takes less than 10 min to do and change springs.

I don't like the KTM stock pipes for my type of riding, they don't give the smooth power i like. They give just as good as perfomance as an aftermarket pipe though. Throw a FMF Gnarly on it and feel the bottom end difference.

I had to change the seat on my KTM due to how dang hard it was. I now have a GUTS comfort seat on it that is wider than stock, taller than stock, and alot softer. I like it more than the KDX seat. But the hard seat did cause me to stand up more when riding, which is always a good thing.

You can't even compare suspensions or frames, the KTM is light years ahead.

If you want more low end power, give the KTM 300 a try, its like riding a KDX (power delivery that is) but about twice the power.

I don't think the KDX is any more reliable then my KTM 300, both are more trail oriented motors. You don't rev the 300 much in tight single track or you'll be off in the tree's somewhere. But i do agree, the KDX is one of the most reliable bikes out there.

Drop a tooth on the front sprocket it you don't like what the bike has down low in first. I've found that the KTM 200 has more power everywhere, but you have to be a good enough rider to use it's power. Thats why the KDX is better suited for some people, it has a more usable power for most, but the KTM can be tuned to be as usable with an 8 dollar front sprocket and a $1.25 powervalve spring and about thirty min or less of simple work.

KTM's Rock

[scheckaet]

KTM's Rock

BLASPHEMY!!!
Good write up