Kyle has gained a huge amount of experience while doing these tests and videos, and his advice is well worded and explained. Videos like this one are so valuable to riders like myself who would do fine with either the 250 or 300, but we want the best choice, and we can't ride each one for a while before deciding. Thank you Kyle.
I own the 2018 250 TPI and put a Rekluse clutch on it. It's amazing in the technical stuff, feels lighter and more nimble than the 300 and hangs with the big bore bikes in the wide open. I am not the best rider in my group but they have nicknamed my bike the "Hover Bike". It goes where other bikes just can't make it. Amazing piece of machinery.
@Patrick Darling I run a YZ250 in the woods too, great bikes. That being said, an SX ktm have a much more aggressive powerband. My YZ is smooth and predictable, I find KTMs to come on like a race bike.
In my opinion this was your best video. Spot on analysis as well! I ride the 300 and Love tight and technical. Still have my 250 and use it for more open trails!
If your budget is limited, get the 250 because in general, they're quite cheaper than a 300. The 250/300 are pretty much the same once you open the throttle up, but down low, the 300 just seems to pull longer before stalling, especially on a steep hill climb. And if you think you will get too tired from a 300, you probably lack the stamina to ride the 250 properly as well. The KTM 250 --> 300 kit is not worth it, even if you sell the old cylinder. It's too much money for too little performance. You're better off getting a custom head, cylinder porting, ignition tuning + carb oval boring for less money, and it will eat the 300 alive across the powerband. However, I think you should get the 300 just because of the resale value if you do decide to sell it on later, as I have yet to seen a 250 owner not wanting a 300 sooner or later. Do some tuning to the 300, and you have a rocket ship with 65 crank hp :P
The only bike I’ve owned, years ago when I lived in Japan, was an old Yamaha DT125, then I bought a used YZ426 (that was a horrible mistake that damn near killed me), and a HONDA CRM250. I absolutely fell in love with 2 strokes because of that bike. Super easy to ride. It killed me that I couldn’t bring it back with me.
I owned a 2010 200 XCW with FMF Gnarly pipe and rekluse clutch. I’m 200 lbs and it had no problem pulling me up trails and hills in the southern woods single track. After years of ownership I wanted something new and a bit more power. I rode a newer XCW 300 and 250 XCW. To me the 300 felt a bit heavier and rode like a larger bike. The 250 XCW was the Goldilocks to me in that it felt like the same weight as the 200 but with the power of the 300I just purchased a NOS 17 250 XCW and saved $1k off msrp! I’m happy with the choice 👍🏻 the 250 I think pound for pound is the best all around 2 stroke.
I rode my first smoker today after 6months on a KTM EXC-F 350. I rode the Husky 300TPI and it's breath taking. I thought my bike was quick on track at the top of 2nd gear but the TPI smoked it. I then rode a well sorted Beta XDresser and loved that just as much even though it didn't quite have the power of the 300TPI. Thanks for the good break down of the differences between the 250 and 300. I'm now in the market for a smoker and now understand what all the fuss is about. 👊
0:15 I don't know why... but this is one of the coolest crashes ever. I mean, not that I wish that upon anyone, but if it was gonna happen anyway, I'm glad it was filmed
I got the 300 because I'm a bit of a lazy rider and love the low end torque. It all depends on your riding style and personal preference (although money is a bit of a factor too, the 250s are cheaper to buy both new and used).
I'm about to get my 2019 Gas Gas EC 300 (2021 Rieju Mr 300) delivered. Why didn't you go for Gas Gas again? They are promoting them at a banging price! F.e. a ktm 300 is 10500 euro plus on the road, i got my bike at 7400 on the road.
@@carlogigante5239 because the counterbalanced engine in the KTM is a million times smoother than every other two stroke and it really makes a difference in fatigue and enjoyment.
@@CaptainPetrolburner on the other hand they are prone to expensive failures due to the fuel injection system. Not a big fan of being a guinea pig for the manufacturers, especially if a big one as Ktm.
Personnal i ride a ktm 200 xcw 2015 i ride it for 3 years now, im 5 foot 9 178 lbs. I change my big 350 xcf 2011 for the smoker.. i try a 300 and a 250 before i buy my 200. But i only put a fmf gnarly on my 200 and im fell now like the 250 but without the weight. Weight is very important more than the power when you ride extremly technical terrain.I have enough torque on the botom and i only do hard enduro personnaly the 250 and the 300 is way too much for 75% of people :) great review kyle!
I bought the 2018 KTM 300xc in October 2017 for riding single track trails and ridge runs because of watching all of the DirtBikeChannel videos on the 300xc and i love love love it!!! It’s like cheating!It is the best!!! I can’t thank you enough for these videos! The days of stalling my 2015 yz450f in the hills and lifting that dead horse just to exhaust myself kick starting it just to stall or crash over and over and over again in technical spots are over😀😀😀😀👍Thank you Kyle and Sam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can set up the 300 to rev by adding a pro circuit pipe and shorty silencer. It motos the bike out, put a rad valve, and rk head on there and the 300 stomps the 250 in about all rev ranges
Good comparison and really true. I have a 2017 EXC 250 and it is great. Not quite good as the 300 in the slow technical terain motor wise, but is lighter and almost as capable. You can go over everything with a little bit more effort. But I have some experiences with friends riding the 250 TPI bikes, and they really seem to be lacking in the low end grunt. Hope they fix it a bit on the 2019 models since I really like the 250. If not, 300 TPI will be a better option for technical riding.
If I end up getting a 2 stroke it will most likely being a 300, I want to start doing a lot of technical riding at low speeds. This info is spot on to what I have been researching as far as 250 vs 300.
No counter balance shaft, a new crank and cylinder design plus the new frame made it really smooth. I haven’t gotten to ride it much yet but so far I’m really impressed.
I did add the kickstart and wile I was installing it got a chance to examine the new clutch and I personally love how the steel disks have a steel sleeve to reduce the wear on the clutch drum. It makes it like butter! I thought the new battery was a display with nothing inside the plastic case at first, it’s amazing how light it is.
Jeff Loucks it does seem a little steep, my dealer knocked it down a bit and I got the oil injection as well but it was still way cheaper than buying the rr and getting the closed chambered forks, pegs, bling etc.
I had a KTM 200 and just purchased a KTM 300. The 200 was a really good bike and just plain worked in the trails I usually ride. Now I want to get into more technical riding so decided to move to the 300 for the torque down low. The 200 likes to be rode in the mid to higher rpm range, but lugged okay.
Saw some videos of a 12 yr old whipping his older brothers 450f race bike. When he stopped 2 change the Go-Pro batteries the kid, his son or little bro hopped on and took off, lmao it was epic. Brother had to ride him down on the little pit bike to get it back. LOVE my 250 2 smoker and will never switch it out until I've mastered it.
Luan 333 I’m trying to find a 250xc for sale, used. But there are absolutely none around me used! (Under 2015) quite aggravating, but I guess that says something about how much people love them
RIDER WEIGHT is the biggest factor determining the difference... simple physics...Torque (force applied) is what gets things moving, more weight requires more TQ. A 150lbs rider on either 250 or 300 isnt going to notice as much difference as a 230lbs rider would.. The 300 might feel what the 250 would feel like to a lighter rider, so you cant ask a small guy what you should get if you are bigger.. When facing hills, tight technical steep stuff the heavier rider is going to need to rev more and do more clutch work on the smaller bike. I dont know at what weight the difference is felt more... But im 230lb maybe 235 with gear on, and the 300 is perfect, I couldnt imagine being on something with less low end TQ... I'd be interested in testing a 250 but the thought of less TQ makes me think i wouldnt want to ride one in the mountains..
I’ve been asked this question a lot and my answer is always the same, buy the 250 put a high compression head on it, that will closely mimic a 300 and in my opinion the 250 acceleration is quicker, and run it around for a year and if you want more low end then buy a 300 kit and not only will you get more low end but you have practiced covering the clutch with the 250 and it will be ingrained in your muscle memory, so going to a 300 kit will make life easier after you’ve learned the skills properly. I’m personally not a 300 fan, I prefer my 2013 ktm 250 xcw cuz in my experience the carbureted bikes are fire breathing dragons compared to the neutered TPI bikes, mapping helps but not having extra stuff on my bike and keeping is simple is what I prefer.
I'm still rocking my 2001 KTM 250 EXC...I've thought about getting a new KTM but I still hang with my buddies whoa re riding the new bikes! Fuel injection would be nice but ever since I put my Lectron on it's been a game changer.
Love my 250! try the latest and greatest Rekluse clutch and you will be unstoppable. The low end power is amazing and much easier to control than the 300!
I couldn’t agree with you more Kyle. Also, building off what Gladius Jon said, the 300s are absolute torque monsters, difficult to stall and great in the gnarly stuff. 250s are solid for sticking in the higher rev and a great way to take your skills to the next level. Great vid, cheers.
Hello mate!!! Would you still think the 300 will be a good choice for a rookie doing mainly tight single track ??? I’m about to pull the trigger on a 250-300 tpi, I don’t know what to do!!!! For sure I don’t care about speed or riding on high rev. But 300 2s sound like a lot of power....
I normally ride a 501 Fe 2018 and it's like driving a tractor so I think the 300 would be a better choice for me because I'm used to writing a torque machine
I know this is an old comment but id say if only tight single track, 300 is the way to go. If you do a mix of wide open or flow trails and single track then 250.
250XC or 250xcf or? I am a B class woods rider, previous bikes: 2013 250 sxf (sold in anger! needed actual forks not 2x4 boards), 2012 crf250r (needed more power, actually loved the handling in the woods), 2015 yz450f (too heavy), 2013 kx450 (dont like rear wheel steering), etc. test rode a 2015 yz250 at lorettas trail event and loved it so started looking at two strokes again, but the new ktm250xc is the only 2t on my short list. 300 is not on my short list. Only other bike that i have been considering is another MX'er and doing woods convert (2017 yz250f) but I'm kinda set on getting a proper woods bike this time that has the 6 speed gear box, kick stand, 18" rear, etc.
I love these videos but what's the deal with the off angle close up shots? Seems everyone's doing them and it looks terrible to me. I'd rather see someone looking at the camera the whole time with shots of the bike spliced in. Maybe with more slow panning shots of the bike close up, showing off all the finer details.
How would you compare a stock 300 vs. a modified 250 2-stroke? Has a stock 300 more torque than a 250 with RK Tek head, 38 mm Keihin PWK with correct jetting, V-Force 4 and different pipe and silencer? Or does a modified 250 beat it with just these mods? Also the cylinder can be modified a little and/or raised by a thicker base gasket combo. 250 should be less tiring and less vibrating (older versions without balancing shaft) vs. 300. Also more free to rev and more over rev when needed. It is just like when you stroke or increase otherwise cylinder capacity but use the same carburetor as it does not get enough air for the displacement increase (read same size 36 mm stock carburetor for example in both 250 and 300) it makes just more low end but cuts top end or limits top end and does not rev as free and as high as 250.
I prefer the 250 power delivery. It's got the top end when you need the hit to pass another rider. When the trail turns to grease/muddy PNW style... the lack of bottom end helps greasy tires get the traction... just a better grip.. Yep 250 for me. 2stroke 4ever
well said. agree 100%. I'm a 300 rider and would love a 250 4t (i kno this is kinda unrelated) for motox track. there is no "best bike". you have to pick something that suits your riding style and terrain you're riding.
I've got 13/52 at the moment ('12 250 XC-W), and I feel first gear is way too low. In fact I almost never use 1st, I even launch the bike from 2nd. So maybe I should try 14/52 instead.
I like your videos... you're cool, calm and make a lot of good points. I'm a little envious of how many different bikes you get to ride... I've owned a lot, but nowhere near the variety you get to ride... very nice. Even if you don't have a lot of years on dirt bikes, compared to many of us (who started when we were less than 10 years old), you have enough and it looks like you have put in a lot of hours within the years you do have, which counts for a lot. A 250 will feel smaller, lighter and more nimble, not so much because of the small weight difference, but a 250 has less reciprocating mass. Engines have a gyro effect, and the smaller the piston, the less of this effect (a gyro effect makes the bike want to be upright). So less equals more "flickable." Somebody asked about sand. Sand is a power sucker/robber... so I would guess that a 300 would do better in sandy conditions. I'm enjoying your videos, even if it's a couple years after they came out. Thank you!
I never win anything, but for a chance to win a legends bike, well hell I'll try. I love ktm but since I found maico I'm trying to save up for the 685 enduro before ktm closes them for good. It seems like that is the luck of maico. Which is sad. Maico is a legend that basically gave us the bikes we have today. If you ever get a chance can you give a review of the 685? Love your vids and can't wait for the next one. Man, I wish we could get the fuel injected 300 here. Do you think we could special order one?
Kyle I love your videos! Some of us live where you need plates on your enduro bike because sections are linked by public roads. I used to be able to get plates for KTMs up until about a year ago. Could you do a test on the 250 EXCF? First test it as is and then make necessary modifications to make it truly enduro and hare scrambles ready
Hey Kyle, ive been watching your videos for a while now and they're great, keep it up! I know you sort of started on quad bikes before moving to two wheels but ive never really heard you speak of bad injuries or broken bones or not that i can remember, have you ever had a bad spill? I recently bought another 2 stroke, solely because of the info i got from this channel, a 250 EXC TPI and i love it
Love the 300 for torque, recently just bought the '18 300xc.. i had a '12 250xc and a '16 350sxf and for trails i will say the 300 is king. I'm a weight lifter and am about 210lbs so i like the torque. i found 250xc's had to be reved way more for hills cause of less torque. the 350 was good but just rebuilt the top end and it was over $1000 so i like how 2 strokes are cheaper (why i switched back to a two stroke)
Can anyone tell me why KTM makes the 250 and 300? Why two bikes that are so similar? Is there that large of a market for both? Or is there some type of emissions or racing standard?
300 is king in the heavy Dutch sands, i was thinking about buying a 200 or 250 but they were not available anymore and are hard to sell in the Netherlands. Biggest disadvantage of the 300 is the vibriation (got an 2014, so no balanceshaft yet). Still very happy with the bike tho, only improvement could be the front suspension (little harsh, also after a revalve) and vibration.
Great review, don"t you think the less torque of the 250 vs 300 in low RPM could have more traction on muddy trails ? When we compare 4 stroke, we say that it's easier to manage the power and less torque of a 300/350 than a 450/500, could we make that analogy or this doesn't make sense. I own a Sherco 300 SEF which i love the quality of the traction, I live in north of france with a lot of muddy but not so technical trails and I'm wondering wich one of the 2S between 250 and 300 has the same curve of torque even if a little less power than my 4S.
I bought the Husky 2018 tx300 and love it but I also race an old school 2001 cr250 and love it as well. The question is what do I nee d to buy to have a Husky tx250 -- cylinder piston etc - will this work? It seems it would be less expensive than buying another bike and you could flip flop.. I understand exactly what you are saying about the difference between the two... I am Torn.
I watched all of these videos before buying my new (at the time) 250 xcw. I think the bike is perfect. But as a slow rider, and some one who likes the grunt of a 4 stroke for wheelies and such I should have bought a 300. I saw all these videos and I thought the 300 wasn't too far off, until my friend bought a new 300xcw 2 weeks later. The torque level is so much different, it's like night and day. I went with the 250 because I dual sport on the road. But i feel terrible running my 250 on the street. I'd love to try a 300 full time. But that's primarily because I'm bad at wheelies and slow. So I want the bike yo make up for my lack of skill lol
I must say I like you're video's that don't include bike reviews......EFI vs Carb.....when you review a bike I like to see a lot more riding......subscribed..
Good overall summation from my experience. On a slightly unrelated topic - i was reading yesterday that KTM is completely killing off carbies and going full FI in 2019. Have you heard anything over there Kyle? Wondering if its just in Aus and they are just stopping the imports.
Great vid ! I am currently on a 2011 ttr 230. I feel it is just too heavy. Looking for a new bike for a 55 year old that is not as strong as I once was. I like the electric start of my 230, and the grip it has. I am 5'10 at 200 lbs. Was thinking of trying a 125 trail bike, but am not sure. I do not do tech trails. What do you recommend ?
I weigh only 160 pounds and I'm 5' 10'' so I find the 250 is more nimble than the 300. I miss the torque of the 300 but I'm just more comfortable on the 250. I feel that I can do more with it and it's not too much of a bike for me. If I had 25-30 lbs (of muscle that is) more on me I would own a 300 for sure.
I'm 152lbs/5'10 with a 300, high compression head/lectron/reeds... It's nice having a mapping switch, ill say that. I like having the power on tap. Gearing is a big part of it... and clutch control. It's funny how he says 300's allow you to be lazier with your clutch.. a 300 with a serious tire (140 IRC M5B) will loop out a lot easier than a 250 in technical terrain.
Hey Kyle, love the channel. Have you done any riding in deep sand on the 250? I have a 300 and it seems to handle sand really well because of its low down torque. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a 250 for my next bike to try something different, but it would still need to cope reasonably well in the sand.
300 but theyre too expensive where i am so a 250 will do for me. Ofc, i can always upgrade the top end of my sx250 to a 300. It a little over a grand just for the kit.
im pretty new into this. i mainly do offroad riding on my 250excf. not much technical stuff... but recently just bought a 300exc. it need some maintanance but im just wondering would there be a big difference between a 250 and a 300 2stroke for me. i mean i have no experience with a 2smoker but i just LOVE the sound, smell and its agressive reaction on the trottle. oh, and what do you mean by “riding on the pipe”?? thx greetz from the netherlands
Well Kyle I’ve watched enough videos now you have me back on a 2 stroke lol ,picking up a 2018 tx 300 carby model next week ,putting a lectron , fmf gnarley etc , think I will be happy again, d
Hi Kyle! I want to say I love your videos! just had a quick question, any chance you could do a step by step learning to ride tutorial? I'm 21 years old I live in utah, but i dont have anyone to go riding with who could teach me how to ride technical and i would love to watch you do a tutorial on it! I think you could seriously nail it!
Dalton Maughan look up a guy on TH-cam called cross training enduro skills he’s got some great videos for beginners. Also try and meet people at sra parks and Facebook posts and such. Much more enjoyable is you ride with someone
I agree with Graham, Cross training has some very good videos, a much older channel to also look at is Offroad Fanatic, they made some awesome videos for technical riding. Kyle has done a couple of videos on this subject but he is telling views how he does it with a very brief breakdown, the other two channels have had more access to riding experts than Kyle at this moment in time anyway (Kyle has only just recently had access to Graham Jarvis), so the other channels' breakdowns of the technics are very detailed. I love Kyle videos for the ride and gear reviews which are some of the best that I have come across, and the scenery.
I was gonna tell you the same as the others told ya crosstrainingenduroskills the channel has from basic thru advanced training videos. Learn to ride slow and get good skills the speed will come in time
Great comparison between the 2 sizes but I think there will be more of a difference with a few other brands that what it is with the KTM/Husky's. I'm hoping to be able to get me a 300 this upcoming year as well as a 200 (or close) for my son as well.
So coming off a 2000 CR250 that felt great on open trails but in single track feels like I’m constantly working and just snotty. Was going to switch to a 350 4Stroke but now with more research I’m looking hard at the 250 and 300 your talking about.
research overheating issues with the newer 4 strokes. 2 strokes stay a lot cooler in tight conditions. all the tpi stuff is amazing... you should try to ride a tpi 150 before you decide. it will actually feel more like your CR then the other 2, because it likes to rev more which is fun in the open terrain. you will have at least as much low end as the CR. but if you need top speed get the 250. only go for the 300 if you truly hated the way your CR lit up quickly. any 300 will force you to ride a different way using lower RPM's. not bad, just very different and maybe less fun if your style is more top end. its actually quite hard to compare the tpi bikes to anything else. the 250 will act like what you thought the 300 would. always tight stuff, get the 300. faster paced, the tpi 250 will do it all. 150 would just feel way lighter everywhere. they are all good.
Again(I believe I have asked/suggested 3 times prior), have you compared them with the green spring in the 250, adj all the way out, or with the green spring, at all? I think you'll be very happily surprised! You get all the fun 250 characteristics + PLENTY of grunt! Thank you for sharing!
@@williamgill_esq.6487 I'm actually running the lightest spring (red) now to make it snappier. Exhaust control valve springs. Control the speed in which the power valve opens. Yellow is standard green is stiffer red is the lightest.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Kyle has gained a huge amount of experience while doing these tests and videos, and his advice is well worded and explained.
Videos like this one are so valuable to riders like myself who would do fine with either the 250 or 300, but we want the best choice, and we can't ride each one for a while before deciding.
Thank you Kyle.
I own the 2018 250 TPI and put a Rekluse clutch on it. It's amazing in the technical stuff, feels lighter and more nimble than the 300 and hangs with the big bore bikes in the wide open. I am not the best rider in my group but they have nicknamed my bike the "Hover Bike". It goes where other bikes just can't make it. Amazing piece of machinery.
In about 10 more years of saving 😂I'll get there
Don't forget that KTM sells a kit to convert the 250 to a 300. If you can do a top end you could have two bikes with one chassis.
Stevie Wonder You can get the sx version piston on the 300 hit as well which has the same characteristics as the 250 just more.
@Patrick Darling Good for the track, bit much for the woods.
@Patrick Darling I run a YZ250 in the woods too, great bikes. That being said, an SX ktm have a much more aggressive powerband. My YZ is smooth and predictable, I find KTMs to come on like a race bike.
How much are we talking?
I always enjoyed smoking guys on 300 on my 200, I even had 125 stickers on my 200 that really pissed em offf
I used to do the same on a 93 kdx200, this was in 2017!
ill race anyone on my YZ125X , with sum stuff done....im a stick so i got endurance like....
I have a 200SX. The heaviest flywheel of any 200, the high compression adds torque.
Ultimate troll! I like
Scott Techmer I used to do the same on my kdx200! Miss that bike.
In my opinion this was your best video. Spot on analysis as well! I ride the 300 and Love tight and technical. Still have my 250 and use it for more open trails!
If your budget is limited, get the 250 because in general, they're quite cheaper than a 300. The 250/300 are pretty much the same once you open the throttle up, but down low, the 300 just seems to pull longer before stalling, especially on a steep hill climb. And if you think you will get too tired from a 300, you probably lack the stamina to ride the 250 properly as well.
The KTM 250 --> 300 kit is not worth it, even if you sell the old cylinder. It's too much money for too little performance. You're better off getting a custom head, cylinder porting, ignition tuning + carb oval boring for less money, and it will eat the 300 alive across the powerband. However, I think you should get the 300 just because of the resale value if you do decide to sell it on later, as I have yet to seen a 250 owner not wanting a 300 sooner or later. Do some tuning to the 300, and you have a rocket ship with 65 crank hp :P
all that being said each bike's power valve can be tweeked in either direction influencing the powerband ;)
The only bike I’ve owned, years ago when I lived in Japan, was an old Yamaha DT125, then I bought a used YZ426 (that was a horrible mistake that damn near killed me), and a HONDA CRM250. I absolutely fell in love with 2 strokes because of that bike. Super easy to ride. It killed me that I couldn’t bring it back with me.
I owned a 2010 200 XCW with FMF Gnarly pipe and rekluse clutch. I’m 200 lbs and it had no problem pulling me up trails and hills in the southern woods single track. After years of ownership I wanted something new and a bit more power. I rode a newer XCW 300 and 250 XCW. To me the 300 felt a bit heavier and rode like a larger bike. The 250 XCW was the Goldilocks to me in that it felt like the same weight as the 200 but with the power of the 300I just purchased a NOS 17 250 XCW and saved $1k off msrp! I’m happy with the choice 👍🏻 the 250 I think pound for pound is the best all around 2 stroke.
I rode my first smoker today after 6months on a KTM EXC-F 350. I rode the Husky 300TPI and it's breath taking. I thought my bike was quick on track at the top of 2nd gear but the TPI smoked it. I then rode a well sorted Beta XDresser and loved that just as much even though it didn't quite have the power of the 300TPI. Thanks for the good break down of the differences between the 250 and 300. I'm now in the market for a smoker and now understand what all the fuss is about. 👊
0:15 I don't know why... but this is one of the coolest crashes ever. I mean, not that I wish that upon anyone, but if it was gonna happen anyway, I'm glad it was filmed
I never felt like a 250 was too slow lol
I got the 300 because I'm a bit of a lazy rider and love the low end torque. It all depends on your riding style and personal preference (although money is a bit of a factor too, the 250s are cheaper to buy both new and used).
I wanted a new 300, found a bargain on a lightly used 2018 KTM 250 XC-W, I'm super stoked. Major upgrade from my 2005 GasGas EC250 2T.
I'm about to get my 2019 Gas Gas EC 300 (2021 Rieju Mr 300) delivered. Why didn't you go for Gas Gas again? They are promoting them at a banging price! F.e. a ktm 300 is 10500 euro plus on the road, i got my bike at 7400 on the road.
@@carlogigante5239 because the counterbalanced engine in the KTM is a million times smoother than every other two stroke and it really makes a difference in fatigue and enjoyment.
@@CaptainPetrolburner on the other hand they are prone to expensive failures due to the fuel injection system. Not a big fan of being a guinea pig for the manufacturers, especially if a big one as Ktm.
Went from a '12 300 Berg to a '17 250 Husky, best decision i made so far❤
Personnal i ride a ktm 200 xcw 2015 i ride it for 3 years now, im 5 foot 9 178 lbs. I change my big 350 xcf 2011 for the smoker.. i try a 300 and a 250 before i buy my 200. But i only put a fmf gnarly on my 200 and im fell now like the 250 but without the weight. Weight is very important more than the power when you ride extremly technical terrain.I have enough torque on the botom and i only do hard enduro personnaly the 250 and the 300 is way too much for 75% of people :) great review kyle!
I bought the 2018 KTM 300xc in October 2017 for riding single track trails and ridge runs because of watching all of the DirtBikeChannel videos on the 300xc and i love love love it!!! It’s like cheating!It is the best!!! I can’t thank you enough for these videos! The days of stalling my 2015 yz450f in the hills and lifting that dead horse just to exhaust myself kick starting it just to stall or crash over and over and over again in technical spots are over😀😀😀😀👍Thank you Kyle and Sam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bought a left over 2016 250 XC last spring, got a very good price on it and I love it.
BRC Racing in Calgary Canada build a modern 500 two stroke that fits in a 250 KTM frame. I'd like to see you check that out.
You can set up the 300 to rev by adding a pro circuit pipe and shorty silencer. It motos the bike out, put a rad valve, and rk head on there and the 300 stomps the 250 in about all rev ranges
I bought a beta 300 x-trainer for my son. I never thought I would like a 2-stroke. I enjoy riding it more than my old KTM 400EXC
Good comparison and really true. I have a 2017 EXC 250 and it is great. Not quite good as the 300 in the slow technical terain motor wise, but is lighter and almost as capable. You can go over everything with a little bit more effort. But I have some experiences with friends riding the 250 TPI bikes, and they really seem to be lacking in the low end grunt. Hope they fix it a bit on the 2019 models since I really like the 250. If not, 300 TPI will be a better option for technical riding.
If I end up getting a 2 stroke it will most likely being a 300, I want to start doing a lot of technical riding at low speeds. This info is spot on to what I have been researching as far as 250 vs 300.
TheBraps no 125 2t is good power too the wieght to power ratio is the same
Hype4Five But the 125 has no low end torque and it's hard to get traction because of the peaky powerband
I went with the Beta 300rr Race Addition and I’m a old moto racer KTM guy and I’ve never been happier!
They made some changes (forget the details) for '18 to reduce vibes but it wasn't a counterbalancer.
No counter balance shaft, a new crank and cylinder design plus the new frame made it really smooth. I haven’t gotten to ride it much yet but so far I’m really impressed.
I did add the kickstart and wile I was installing it got a chance to examine the new clutch and I personally love how the steel disks have a steel sleeve to reduce the wear on the clutch drum. It makes it like butter! I thought the new battery was a display with nothing inside the plastic case at first, it’s amazing how light it is.
Good to hear. Seriously considering an '18 250 RE. Wish the kicker was still stock !! $399 seems steep.
Jeff Loucks it does seem a little steep, my dealer knocked it down a bit and I got the oil injection as well but it was still way cheaper than buying the rr and getting the closed chambered forks, pegs, bling etc.
Then I guess add the super torque of the 250 TPI 2 strokes that pretty matches the 300 carby bike to mess the whole decision up!
I had a KTM 200 and just purchased a KTM 300. The 200 was a really good bike and just plain worked in the trails I usually ride. Now I want to get into more technical riding so decided to move to the 300 for the torque down low. The 200 likes to be rode in the mid to higher rpm range, but lugged okay.
Saw some videos of a 12 yr old whipping his older brothers 450f race bike. When he stopped 2 change the Go-Pro batteries the kid, his son or little bro hopped on and took off, lmao it was epic. Brother had to ride him down on the little pit bike to get it back. LOVE my 250 2 smoker and will never switch it out until I've mastered it.
I road both and you hit the nail on the head about the differences..
Wish I got the 250 it’s more fun
I feel like a 250 would be perfect for me. It is just a shame those bikes are just too expensive where I'm from. I'm trying to find a good used one.
Luan 333 I’m trying to find a 250xc for sale, used. But there are absolutely none around me used! (Under 2015) quite aggravating, but I guess that says something about how much people love them
Luan 333 the good thing is 2 strokes are great on the used market. If it needs a little maintenance no big deal as long as she isn't thrashed.
RIDER WEIGHT is the biggest factor determining the difference... simple physics...Torque (force applied) is what gets things moving, more weight requires more TQ. A 150lbs rider on either 250 or 300 isnt going to notice as much difference as a 230lbs rider would.. The 300 might feel what the 250 would feel like to a lighter rider, so you cant ask a small guy what you should get if you are bigger.. When facing hills, tight technical steep stuff the heavier rider is going to need to rev more and do more clutch work on the smaller bike. I dont know at what weight the difference is felt more... But im 230lb maybe 235 with gear on, and the 300 is perfect, I couldnt imagine being on something with less low end TQ... I'd be interested in testing a 250 but the thought of less TQ makes me think i wouldnt want to ride one in the mountains..
I’ve been asked this question a lot and my answer is always the same, buy the 250 put a high compression head on it, that will closely mimic a 300 and in my opinion the 250 acceleration is quicker, and run it around for a year and if you want more low end then buy a 300 kit and not only will you get more low end but you have practiced covering the clutch with the 250 and it will be ingrained in your muscle memory, so going to a 300 kit will make life easier after you’ve learned the skills properly. I’m personally not a 300 fan, I prefer my 2013 ktm 250 xcw cuz in my experience the carbureted bikes are fire breathing dragons compared to the neutered TPI bikes, mapping helps but not having extra stuff on my bike and keeping is simple is what I prefer.
I'm still rocking my 2001 KTM 250 EXC...I've thought about getting a new KTM but I still hang with my buddies whoa re riding the new bikes! Fuel injection would be nice but ever since I put my Lectron on it's been a game changer.
I love my 250. When I'm lugging the bike around I dont want gobs of torque and power. If I need more power I down shift or slip the clutch.
Love my 250! try the latest and greatest Rekluse clutch and you will be unstoppable. The low end power is amazing and much easier to control than the 300!
You really sound like a 4 stroke rider. A lot of what I like about a 2 stroke you bring up as an issue.....
I couldn’t agree with you more Kyle. Also, building off what Gladius Jon said, the 300s are absolute torque monsters, difficult to stall and great in the gnarly stuff. 250s are solid for sticking in the higher rev and a great way to take your skills to the next level. Great vid, cheers.
most people arent even riding to their 300's full potential at all haha but they gotta have it haha
Both. I have a 1976 Honda 300 and 350 and just got a 91 rm 250 yesterday and I love them. You can keep your ktm not a fan.
They are so close it could be a coin flip
Hello mate!!! Would you still think the 300 will be a good choice for a rookie doing mainly tight single track ??? I’m about to pull the trigger on a 250-300 tpi, I don’t know what to do!!!! For sure I don’t care about speed or riding on high rev. But 300 2s sound like a lot of power....
I normally ride a 501 Fe 2018 and it's like driving a tractor so I think the 300 would be a better choice for me because I'm used to writing a torque machine
I know this is an old comment but id say if only tight single track, 300 is the way to go. If you do a mix of wide open or flow trails and single track then 250.
Great vid! You’re spot on right about the difference in engine characteristics between the 250 and 300.
We need an update on that guy falling down the mountain
250XC or 250xcf or? I am a B class woods rider, previous bikes: 2013 250 sxf (sold in anger! needed actual forks not 2x4 boards), 2012 crf250r (needed more power, actually loved the handling in the woods), 2015 yz450f (too heavy), 2013 kx450 (dont like rear wheel steering), etc. test rode a 2015 yz250 at lorettas trail event and loved it so started looking at two strokes again, but the new ktm250xc is the only 2t on my short list. 300 is not on my short list. Only other bike that i have been considering is another MX'er and doing woods convert (2017 yz250f) but I'm kinda set on getting a proper woods bike this time that has the 6 speed gear box, kick stand, 18" rear, etc.
Great video! I've had my eyes set on the yz250x...
Well I'm assuming u got that ie you're profile picture 🤣
I love these videos but what's the deal with the off angle close up shots? Seems everyone's doing them and it looks terrible to me. I'd rather see someone looking at the camera the whole time with shots of the bike spliced in. Maybe with more slow panning shots of the bike close up, showing off all the finer details.
How would you compare a stock 300 vs. a modified 250 2-stroke? Has a stock 300 more torque than a 250 with RK Tek head, 38 mm Keihin PWK with correct jetting, V-Force 4 and different pipe and silencer? Or does a modified 250 beat it with just these mods? Also the cylinder can be modified a little and/or raised by a thicker base gasket combo. 250 should be less tiring and less vibrating (older versions without balancing shaft) vs. 300. Also more free to rev and more over rev when needed. It is just like when you stroke or increase otherwise cylinder capacity but use the same carburetor as it does not get enough air for the displacement increase (read same size 36 mm stock carburetor for example in both 250 and 300) it makes just more low end but cuts top end or limits top end and does not rev as free and as high as 250.
Hi Kyle, another great informative vlog/video. Interesting, would this comparison also apply between four-strokes, mainly EXC -F 250 and EXC-F 350?
I prefer the 250 power delivery. It's got the top end when you need the hit to pass another rider. When the trail turns to grease/muddy PNW style... the lack of bottom end helps greasy tires get the traction... just a better grip.. Yep 250 for me. 2stroke 4ever
I’m out here with a yz125 using a river boat paddle wheel as a sprocket going “what’s bottom end?”
if you had something more enduro specific it would be better i have te 125 and this thing has a very good bottom end for 125.
Get the 300 if you want it to feel more zippy put a smaller sprocket on the front and or larger on the rear simple
Owned both love both 250=win 300=win!!!
I think many people would go for the 300 just so they can finally say they own the 300.
well said. agree 100%. I'm a 300 rider and would love a 250 4t (i kno this is kinda unrelated) for motox track. there is no "best bike". you have to pick something that suits your riding style and terrain you're riding.
My solution is 250 with gnarly pipe and +2 teeth in the rear on an XC.
Sounds like a great combo.
What is that.. 14/52 ?
Torbjørn Kristoffersen Yes, exactly. This is a '08 250 XC.
I've got 13/52 at the moment ('12 250 XC-W), and I feel first gear is way too low. In fact I almost never use 1st, I even launch the bike from 2nd. So maybe I should try 14/52 instead.
Jeff Loucks or 250 with 300 graphics😊
I like your videos... you're cool, calm and make a lot of good points. I'm a little envious of how many different bikes you get to ride... I've owned a lot, but nowhere near the variety you get to ride... very nice. Even if you don't have a lot of years on dirt bikes, compared to many of us (who started when we were less than 10 years old), you have enough and it looks like you have put in a lot of hours within the years you do have, which counts for a lot. A 250 will feel smaller, lighter and more nimble, not so much because of the small weight difference, but a 250 has less reciprocating mass. Engines have a gyro effect, and the smaller the piston, the less of this effect (a gyro effect makes the bike want to be upright). So less equals more "flickable." Somebody asked about sand. Sand is a power sucker/robber... so I would guess that a 300 would do better in sandy conditions. I'm enjoying your videos, even if it's a couple years after they came out. Thank you!
A 250 motor cross bike is insane to a beginner, are the cross country bikes more manageable for a beginner?
I never win anything, but for a chance to win a legends bike, well hell I'll try. I love ktm but since I found maico I'm trying to save up for the 685 enduro before ktm closes them for good. It seems like that is the luck of maico. Which is sad. Maico is a legend that basically gave us the bikes we have today. If you ever get a chance can you give a review of the 685? Love your vids and can't wait for the next one. Man, I wish we could get the fuel injected 300 here. Do you think we could special order one?
Thank you for this. You answered all my questions.
Kyle I love your videos! Some of us live where you need plates on your enduro bike because sections are linked by public roads. I used to be able to get plates for KTMs up until about a year ago. Could you do a test on the 250 EXCF? First test it as is and then make necessary modifications to make it truly enduro and hare scrambles ready
Hey Kyle, ive been watching your videos for a while now and they're great, keep it up! I know you sort of started on quad bikes before moving to two wheels but ive never really heard you speak of bad injuries or broken bones or not that i can remember, have you ever had a bad spill? I recently bought another 2 stroke, solely because of the info i got from this channel, a 250 EXC TPI and i love it
Love the 300 for torque, recently just bought the '18 300xc.. i had a '12 250xc and a '16 350sxf and for trails i will say the 300 is king. I'm a weight lifter and am about 210lbs so i like the torque. i found 250xc's had to be reved way more for hills cause of less torque. the 350 was good but just rebuilt the top end and it was over $1000 so i like how 2 strokes are cheaper (why i switched back to a two stroke)
Can anyone tell me why KTM makes the 250 and 300? Why two bikes that are so similar? Is there that large of a market for both? Or is there some type of emissions or racing standard?
300 is king in the heavy Dutch sands, i was thinking about buying a 200 or 250 but they were not available anymore and are hard to sell in the Netherlands. Biggest disadvantage of the 300 is the vibriation (got an 2014, so no balanceshaft yet).
Still very happy with the bike tho, only improvement could be the front suspension (little harsh, also after a revalve) and vibration.
I live in the Netherlands too, but no where to go off road anywhere. I'm looking to get one just for on-road use.
Thank you for explaining the nuances between booth
Great review, don"t you think the less torque of the 250 vs 300 in low RPM could have more traction on muddy trails ? When we compare 4 stroke, we say that it's easier to manage the power and less torque of a 300/350 than a 450/500, could we make that analogy or this doesn't make sense. I own a Sherco 300 SEF which i love the quality of the traction, I live in north of france with a lot of muddy but not so technical trails and I'm wondering wich one of the 2S between 250 and 300 has the same curve of torque even if a little less power than my 4S.
KTM please build 700cc two stroke twin and I'll buy it
thank you so much. this helps immensely with my decision.
Yo Kyle it's been a while. But ur vids are still great and ima get back into it. Thanks for your dedication man!
If I could just have a 125 2t I would be very happy
I bought the Husky 2018 tx300 and love it but I also race an old school 2001 cr250 and love it as well. The question is what do I nee d to buy to have a Husky tx250 -- cylinder piston etc - will this work? It seems it would be less expensive than buying another bike and you could flip flop.. I understand exactly what you are saying about the difference between the two... I am Torn.
New 300 tpi 2019 today 👻👻😃😃
Thanks kyle for your inout👍🇸🇪
I watched all of these videos before buying my new (at the time) 250 xcw. I think the bike is perfect. But as a slow rider, and some one who likes the grunt of a 4 stroke for wheelies and such I should have bought a 300. I saw all these videos and I thought the 300 wasn't too far off, until my friend bought a new 300xcw 2 weeks later. The torque level is so much different, it's like night and day. I went with the 250 because I dual sport on the road. But i feel terrible running my 250 on the street. I'd love to try a 300 full time. But that's primarily because I'm bad at wheelies and slow. So I want the bike yo make up for my lack of skill lol
Could you make a 250 a 300 with a stroker kit?
KTM have the kit.
Its not a stroker kit its a big bore kit
I must say I like you're video's that don't include bike reviews......EFI vs Carb.....when you review a bike I like to see a lot more riding......subscribed..
I put a 300 top end kit on my KTM 250 sx when I felt I needed a little more power.
What if you only do a little bit of technical stuff, but are a very heavy rider? Does that make the 300 a no-brainer?
You should test a KTM 380! Im going to look at one this week, hopefully its nice so i can pick it up :)
I love my 300 exc but its almost the same bikes. pick up 250 2t you be hapy take 300 2t and you be hapy :)
Good overall summation from my experience. On a slightly unrelated topic - i was reading yesterday that KTM is completely killing off carbies and going full FI in 2019. Have you heard anything over there Kyle? Wondering if its just in Aus and they are just stopping the imports.
Great vid ! I am currently on a 2011 ttr 230. I feel it is just too heavy. Looking for a new bike for a 55 year old that is not as strong as I once was. I like the electric start of my 230, and the grip it has. I am 5'10 at 200 lbs. Was thinking of trying a 125 trail bike, but am not sure. I do not do tech trails. What do you recommend ?
Kdx250
Ktm 300xcw
250 with a gnarly pipe and high compression head. Best of both worlds.
I've seen a few people buy 250s and modify them to 310s. I'm guessing the 300 feels bigger and heavier
I’m looking forward to some CR250 vids man! Getting tired of KTMs tbh.
I weigh only 160 pounds and I'm 5' 10'' so I find the 250 is more nimble than the 300. I miss the torque of the 300 but I'm just more comfortable on the 250. I feel that I can do more with it and it's not too much of a bike for me. If I had 25-30 lbs (of muscle that is) more on me I would own a 300 for sure.
I'm 152lbs/5'10 with a 300, high compression head/lectron/reeds... It's nice having a mapping switch, ill say that. I like having the power on tap. Gearing is a big part of it... and clutch control. It's funny how he says 300's allow you to be lazier with your clutch.. a 300 with a serious tire (140 IRC M5B) will loop out a lot easier than a 250 in technical terrain.
I am owning 300 tpi and tried 125, I believe that 250 is also great for riding.
Hey Kyle, love the channel. Have you done any riding in deep sand on the 250? I have a 300 and it seems to handle sand really well because of its low down torque. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a 250 for my next bike to try something different, but it would still need to cope reasonably well in the sand.
the revving on my 96 KTM MXC 300 revs faster than a RM250 and newer KX250 but that could be due to the short crank
300 but theyre too expensive where i am so a 250 will do for me. Ofc, i can always upgrade the top end of my sx250 to a 300. It a little over a grand just for the kit.
im pretty new into this. i mainly do offroad riding on my 250excf. not much technical stuff... but recently just bought a 300exc. it need some maintanance but im just wondering would there be a big difference between a 250 and a 300 2stroke for me. i mean i have no experience with a 2smoker but i just LOVE the sound, smell and its agressive reaction on the trottle.
oh, and what do you mean by “riding on the pipe”??
thx
greetz from the netherlands
Will you ever get a 4stroke again or just stay with the 2stroke ? Great video by the way. I really like the 250 to ride aggressive with!!!
Motoxryder247 i’ll do four strokes again.... Maybe later this year. We’ll have to see how it goes.
Dirt Bike Channel Right on man looking forward to it. It would be a awesome to compare the 4stroke vs the 2stroke tpi
Thank you Brother now I am clear. Respect from Mather Russia.
Well Kyle I’ve watched enough videos now you have me back on a 2 stroke lol ,picking up a 2018 tx 300 carby model next week ,putting a lectron , fmf gnarley etc , think I will be happy again, d
Hi Kyle! I want to say I love your videos! just had a quick question, any chance you could do a step by step learning to ride tutorial? I'm 21 years old I live in utah, but i dont have anyone to go riding with who could teach me how to ride technical and i would love to watch you do a tutorial on it! I think you could seriously nail it!
Dalton Maughan look up a guy on TH-cam called cross training enduro skills he’s got some great videos for beginners. Also try and meet people at sra parks and Facebook posts and such. Much more enjoyable is you ride with someone
I agree with Graham, Cross training has some very good videos, a much older channel to also look at is
Offroad Fanatic, they made some awesome videos for technical riding.
Kyle has done a couple of videos on this subject but he is telling views how he does it with a very brief breakdown, the other two channels have had more access to riding experts than Kyle at this moment in time anyway (Kyle has only just recently had access to Graham Jarvis), so the other channels' breakdowns of the technics are very detailed. I love Kyle videos for the ride and gear reviews which are some of the best that I have come across, and the scenery.
I was gonna tell you the same as the others told ya crosstrainingenduroskills the channel has from basic thru advanced training videos. Learn to ride slow and get good skills the speed will come in time
Go check Cross Training Enduro channel and make sure to ask Barry what bike you should buy :P
I own both. I prefer the 300.
What about a 200? Any opinions?
Good video as usual.
Nice video. But now would you rather have the aer fork or the explorer 48?
How about trying both out and deciding whats best for you?
Great comparison between the 2 sizes but I think there will be more of a difference with a few other brands that what it is with the KTM/Husky's. I'm hoping to be able to get me a 300 this upcoming year as well as a 200 (or close) for my son as well.
Did you get a 200?
@davidb9323 No, I got a 2018 Beta 300rr race edition. That was like new only had 21 hours on it.
So coming off a 2000 CR250 that felt great on open trails but in single track feels like I’m constantly working and just snotty.
Was going to switch to a 350 4Stroke but now with more research I’m looking hard at the 250 and 300 your talking about.
research overheating issues with the newer 4 strokes. 2 strokes stay a lot cooler in tight conditions. all the tpi stuff is amazing... you should try to ride a tpi 150 before you decide. it will actually feel more like your CR then the other 2, because it likes to rev more which is fun in the open terrain. you will have at least as much low end as the CR. but if you need top speed get the 250. only go for the 300 if you truly hated the way your CR lit up quickly. any 300 will force you to ride a different way using lower RPM's. not bad, just very different and maybe less fun if your style is more top end.
its actually quite hard to compare the tpi bikes to anything else. the 250 will act like what you thought the 300 would. always tight stuff, get the 300. faster paced, the tpi 250 will do it all. 150 would just feel way lighter everywhere. they are all good.
Again(I believe I have asked/suggested 3 times prior), have you compared them with the green spring in the 250, adj all the way out, or with the green spring, at all? I think you'll be very happily surprised! You get all the fun 250 characteristics + PLENTY of grunt! Thank you for sharing!
It has been three years since you asked this question with no response so I thought I would ask - what the heck is a green spring?
@@williamgill_esq.6487 I'm actually running the lightest spring (red) now to make it snappier. Exhaust control valve springs. Control the speed in which the power valve opens. Yellow is standard green is stiffer red is the lightest.