| Author | Message | ||
     B00stzx3 |
So my buddy took me trail riding in Manassas, VA. Him on a KTM 450 and me on a KLX 300. I'm HOOKED! Love the dirt. Short of waiting for Erik to make a motard like it was planned long ago, I've been looking hard at ATKs, the most widely available American-made dirtbike. Most are too tall for me, but they made a 125 liquid cooled version that might fit me. The parts are definitley not available as the Japanese/Euro bikes, but I think this upcoming year I'm gonna bite the bullet on an ATK 125LQ. Dirt riding is a blast!! ATK even makes a 700cc two-stroke called the Intimidator. All my buddies have tried to talk me out of the ATK...but they did the same thing with the Buell. Check out this bad mofo -  and the 700cc beast  I worry about parts availability especially since the 125 is rare, but my fears were unfounded with the Firebolt so why not this? MURRICA!  (Message edited by b00stzx3 on October 05, 2012) | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
That 700 would make me mess in my shorts, one way or another. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I love my KDX-200 (now a ported 225). Fantastic enduro bikes and you should be able to score one for $1000 to $2000 (depending on condition). Light, insanely durable, and easy to get parts for. | ||
| 86129squids |
 A 700cc 2smoker? Single piston? Wow... makes me wanna find a nice old Suzook Water Buffalo. | ||
| B00stzx3 |
LOL...yeah. It's pretty nuts eh? Reep - if it's anything like the KLX, it's gotta be a nice bike! I had a blast on the 300. I assume the KDX is liquid cooled??? If I can't get the ATK125 it it's unfeaseable, I'd like to maybe out a YZ or CRF150. | ||
| Reepicheep |
It's like a KLX, but much lighter and much more powerful and with a better suspension.  Think 230 or so pounds, with maybe 30 peak HP. It weighs less than I do. I don't know if thats  or  . | ||
| Reepicheep |
Also, you are probably better off with a 200 or more cc bike just in terms of the power being more reliable. The MX bikes are really high strung, and you can get pretty poor and pretty frustrated using them as enduro bikes. My kids KX-60 is rated (literally) for 10 hours between piston changes. The KDX has lots of the attributes of the MX bikes, but is made to be reliable and predictable and economical. It really is the ultimate playbike. | ||
| Strokizator |
My buddy road an ATK 605 for years. It's got a Rotax engine in it. Buy one of those and throw some Buell graphics on it and you wouldn't be too far off. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
Rode five miles of this a few evenings ago. Rocks to mud to sand. What a hoot to be back on dirt with the lil Honda 230L.  Yeah,I need to get the pressure washer out now............ | ||
| 86129squids |
 That last pic, looks like that lil Honda is showroom NEW. Where are the AFTER pics?! OK, my goal in 2013 is to find a vintage Suzook RS250. It was a PE250 frame with a RM250 motor. I GOTTA get back into the dirt. | ||
| 86129squids |
Or, an early XR200R. Got memories of my best buddy riding wheelies through all 6 gears... And flying off the top of "Springmont Hill", landing like a butterfly at the bottom. Glad I'm alive after all that. | ||
| Reepicheep |
XR200's are also really nice playbikes. Great fun, run forever, no drama. Here is the photo documentary of the rebuild of my KDX... Great time. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/270 985/487241.html?1251372415 | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Reep, you know off-hand what the differences are between the KX and KDX? My 91 KX250 looks a LOT like your KDX. Only big difference I see is that my forks are inverted. Probably a dumb question, but the KX is the first and only dirt bike I've owned. (Message edited by pkforbes87 on October 06, 2012) | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
My reason for carrying life insurance: Cost me $400 with the top end in a box. About $200 later and she runs like a scalded dog. (she's not as clean as she looks in this photo - JB weld and mechanics wire are holding her together in places)  | ||
| Just_ziptab |
 "After" picture. I already pulled the weeds and crap off of it,plus the parasitic seeds off of me.This is a 2009 with 7,567(!) miles on it when I got it 2 weeks ago. Never been dropped or abused. Not a single scratch on it. I already put the new rear tire on that came with it.New sintered brake pads from eBay ($21.00) are on it now too.Commuter bike for"an older gentleman" as the dealer told me.Needs one side panel screw and a little cleaning ..and it will be showroom again.....till the next outing......vicious cycle,ride/clean/ride/clean.....  | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I in no way want to poop on your dreams, but you've got to remember how much (exponentially) more abuse these get than a street bike. Comparing parts availability to a Buell is silly. Maintenance/service is probably going to be ten times more frequent. If you plan to do an occasional dirt ride, and/or in a controlled environment (Organized rides or tracks) than get the ATK, ride it, enjoy the hell out of it, and fix it when necessary. If you're going to ride a lot, or out in the boonies, get something from the big 4 and worry less. But regardless of what you ride, dirt is so much fricken fun. I'm absolutely addicted.   | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I'm kicking myself every day since losing out on a KE250 that I saw on craigslist. CLEAN TITLE!! I'm an idiot. EEEeeediot! I didn't even know kawasaki made a KE250! oh well $400 more beer money I guess. | ||
| 86129squids |
You DIDn't KNOW there was a KE250?  Wow... now MUST find MY RS 250, and my TS400... And, my Dr. BIG.   | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Brad, I've got an eye open for a late 70s TS250M, the silver one with the high level banana exhaust. My first bike, love to find another but they weren't very common even then. Saw a fully restored one for sale recently but it was stupidly expensive. Plenty of DR BIG s for sale over here, problem you'll have is that the clocks on a Euro model will be in kms & if you get a UK model in miles, the headlamp will point the wrong way. I've no idea how tough it would be to get it road legal over there either. Easiest way would probably to get a basket case DR650 with title & import a DR800 for "parts" if you get my drift. | ||
| Rick_a |
I've always been a fan of the 605. Almost bought one years ago but the owner backed out. | ||
| Reepicheep |
The KX bikes have a much better suspension, but are made to be light and win races, so they get a bit fragile over the long run and require more frequent maintenance. Though if you slap in a wiseco piston and get nicksil plated bores, it'll likely run forever. The KX generally leads the KDX in technology... I think the 95 KDX motor was an older KX motor, and less tuned for top end. The KX-60 we have is pretty much a nightmare to keep running right (no KIPS valve). The KX-80 (now a 100) (Newer and with KIPS) we got to update it is much easier to tune. | ||
| B00stzx3 |
Great info!! Guess it might be high strung. Dangit there needs to be more American made dirtbikes out there. Tell Erik to get on this!!! | ||
| Xl1200r |
Not sure what you're looking to spend, but Honda just came out with a replacement for the 230L that is now a 250, fuel injected, liquid cooled single (same engine as the CBR250). Supposed to be about on par with the KLX but for less money. http://powersports.honda.com/2013/crf250l/offroad. aspx Actually, it's even $500 less than the very old-school 230L they sell along side it. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
That Honda is a screaming value. From what I've read, if you're going to be riding hard, the WR250R is still king of the class, but for the cost difference, the Honda is hard to beat if buying new. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Fond memories of the KE100 my brother and I grew up with. We tried SO hard to kill that bike to no avail. Great fun. | ||
| Arcticktm |
IMHO, you would need to have "buy made in USA" as your #1 criteria to seriously consider an ATK. I have fond memories of trying to rebuild my friends ATK406 in the N. Michigan woods when it totally melted the piston. On the plus side, it was still air cooled and easy to take apart! It was the most obnoxious, vibrating, thing I ever rode. Couldn't wait to get back to my Honda (and later KTM). Not surprisingly, I am a big KTM fan, and the 4 I have had have never let me down in a race or on a trail ride. Nothing wrong with the Jap-4 either. I agree a 125 is a bit high strung for a playbike. Too much work to keep it wound up. If you like small, KDX200/220 is great value playbike, and the KTM200 is really nice if you want something more serious. I miss having a proper dirt bike (and a place to ride it). |
