KTM 200 or 300 for green laning....????

[flipflopdog]

Right folks. I'm revving up nicely here and hovering over the 'Buy Now' button but keep bouncing between the infamous 200exc and the 300. Is there anyone out there that's had both bikes for a back to back comparison and can lay down some advisory words here..???

Cheers Flipdog

[Thedktor]

I have ridden both quite a bit and you really should ride them before deciding as I find both very unsuitable for trail riding! Just my opinion, 4-strokes are far more civilised.

The 200 is an odd one as it revs up very quickly and just spins the back tyre continually which is good or bad depending on your point of view. Quite hard to ride at non-race speeds as it switches from a modest amount of low end power to screaming two-stroke in an instant.

The 300 is torque and power everywhere, loads of go, grip and traction. Horrible on the road, uses a lot of fuel, but you will have a lot of fun if you can live with the spluttering and surging that affects any two-stroke....

[SteveW]

Hi,
I'm not sure I'd consider either bikes as a great choice for Green Laning.
I think either bike would be a lot of fun, I'd edge towards the 300 myself, but for trail/lanes I'd say they both have issues.
For a start both are going to be fairly noisy, which can upset horse riders and the public in general.
If you're buying second hand, these bikes are likely to have had a fairly hard time, can you be sure the previous owner(s) looked after them correctly?
Do you really need 2T power bands and all that poke on Green Lanes?
Lack of Tank range....and piss-balling about with 2 stroke oil for non-competitive riding?
What kind of rider are you?
I'd say both these bikes would encourage a rapid and pretty dramatic riding style. If you're a novice or plodder you'll be out-gunned on either bike.

[herman]

I had the 200 for several years and it was brilliant. Green lanes and raced. 55 mile range so needed a bigger tank. I now use a 250 which is far more flexible , has about an 80 mile range plus and feels more stable. The 300 with a medium power set up will be fine. Buy on condition as a lot will have had the speedo disconnected. Build quality as with everything has gone down the newer you go

[flipflopdog]

keep it coming gents, you know what, i'm getting flashbacks of the Husky 360 I bought back in 2011, I think its easy to get seduced by Orange eh...?? Anyone had a 400exc..??

[SteveW]

I've not had a 400exc, but I use a 450exc for trails/lanes and I can't think of a better bike.
It's even decent on the Tarmac between green lanes.
I find it's very flexible and you can ride it in any style that suits your mood.
It's got loads of poke and great traction in 3rd, you can short shift and let the bike's torque just pull you up hills or through mud.....then if the mood takes you, you can light the wick and enjoy it's top end shove.
Loads of aftermarket stuff....big tank required for long days on trail and mixed road mini-touring.
Actually, any of the Japanese/euro Enduro 450's are great trail bikes

[frenchy3]

I have ridden the 400 exc and it is a great bike that really flatters your riding.It is torquey and powerful with an almost electric motor style linear power delivery. KTM suspension takes a bit of getting used to if you have mainly ridden Japanese bikes. Don,t get hung up with worries about short service intervals and recommended engine rebuild frequency,the truth is KTM was over cautious with it,s recommendations even down to saying it shouldn,t be used for extended periods on the road. A true classic of a bike. It swayed me away from a Honda XR400 and Kawasaki KLX300 which were great trail bikes apart from their lack of electric starts.

[The Sarge]

I have had both and with a bit of extra work and no more than £150 you can make a perfect trail bike out of the 200. The big advantage the 200 has over the
300 is the ability to adjust the power valve to suit when and where that awesome power kicks in, on the 300 you have to change springs. I also fitted a steehly flywheel weight of 11oz which gives the little motor enough inertia to prevent you from constantly revving it to prevent it cutting out, especially useful on slow ground. Both are easy to maintain and the 300 does have more torque but it needs it because it's heavier. For me and I am only 5'9" the 200 was perfect, very light and agile and when that power kicks in on -pipe it brings a grin to your face :woohoo:

I traded mine in for a 250 EXC-F which was a mistake, dull as dish water :S

Sarge

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[ChasF]

The 400exc is the best 'trail bike' in ktm's range.

The 200 and 300 are both great fun to ride. The choice depends on whether you prefer traditional peaky 2 stroke performance or a torquier engine that is a bit more like a 4 stroke to ride. Both are race bikes.

[flipflopdog]

Thanks Gents.....

I tell you what. its like being a kid in a sweetie shop when you suddenly find yourself with a budget for a new bike...!!! I'm swaying towards a four stroke now, CCM 404 anyone..???