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KTM 300-Are they that great?

toyotajeep

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2020
Member Number
1309
Messages
253
Loc
Oregon
I ride an older kx450. It is fast, and fun. Also has alot of the motocross shortcomings. A guy offers me a 2005 KTM 300 with a desert tank and a Recluse in trade. At first I was thinking no way. The more I think about it I am beginning to wonder if I wouldn't be better off with the trade.

Power isn't that far off, head light, desert tank, lower cost repairs for internals. It is an older one for sure. I just like to rip around after work and so forth but it could be handy for longer rides and has enough HP to keep me happy.

I love the 450, but maybe the 300 is better for my needs.

Why do people rave about the 300 so much? What makes it so great?
 
300s are a 250 2 stroke that uses the extra 50ccs to make more grunt off the pipe. That's pretty much the long and short of it.

There are a ton of merits to the amazing traction and acceleration they can achieve in low traction environments. That's why they're so common in modern hard enduros. You can also still pipe them and make them scream too, and they're a joy doing that as well.

I think the "2 strokes are cheaper to rebuild" thing is a meme. It comes out in the wash when pistons aren't $50 anymore and you have to put in a new one twice as often.

Just from the fact that you're in Oregon I would say trying one is 100% worth the effort. Not sure if jumping in with both feet and buying one outright is the best idea, but only you can be the real judge here.

Hope whatever you decide on keeps you riding :smokin:
 
They're pretty awesome. Mines an 07 and it's killer. Lots of power, but retarded low end. Just idle up trails like a diesel :laughing:

If anything, you buy/sell/trade enough, you should do it just to try it. Worst case, trade it off later for something else.
 
I’ve got a KTM300, and a 530

I’d never pick the 300 for long rides over a 4 stroke.
Just letting you know if you want to do long rides on it.
 
I think honesty is important. I have always ridden big open class bikes. I got into them for stress relief and so forth. The reality though is that I like how they look and I like the power but that is about it. Lots of drawbacks as well. Every time you get on the gas you run a checklist so you don't end up on your head. I am not afraid of an open class, but I respect them. For any ride longer than a hour you need gas, no kickstand etc. Nothing huge but they are things to think about.

I would say my bike is probably worth 3K-ish and an 07. It does start on the first kick, and has some decent bling. I do like it. His bike is an 05 and maybe a little cleaner. Just a little.

If I could have 90% of the power with a more useable bike on a regular basis I'd think about it pretty hard.

I am going to do a little more work on my 450 and give it a couple hour ride and then decide.

BTW-is the Recluse clutch really that cool? I have always been curious.
 
toyotajeep said:
BTW-is the Recluse clutch really that cool? I have always been curious.
Click to expand...
Not to me. Most people set them up where they slip too much, so that just makes me feel like I'm not in control of the clutch. Nothing like letting the clutch out to pop the front wheel up and feeling it just slip for a second :homer:

When set up really tight, they're basically just an $800 anti-stall feature. Pretty cool if you're into that. Useless to me.



Also just to bring it up, you could easily get an aftermarket kickstand and desert tank on the 450 for a lot cheaper than you can buy a bike for :flipoff2:

I have that love of open class bikes myself. The 300 will measure up to your 07 fine. Put the right spring in the power valve and it might even put it to shame. They're pretty versatile.
 
My '13 xcw has been pretty bullet proof. Easy to ride, but it scoots when I want it to. get about 60 miles of woods riding before hitting reserve, on the stock tank

Dunno where your riding, but that 300 will lug down way lower than your 450. I toss a piston in mine every 125 hours or so.

A red power valve spring will make things happen. A RK Tek head will will make it a completely different bike. zero regrets on that one!

Everybody around here with a recluse, uses them as a crutch. Might be different if a guy knew how to ride and then stuffed one in his bike.
 
When was the last time you were on a 2 stroke? Those 300 really are not aggressive bikes. Have saw a handfull of 450 guys, go out and get either a ktm or yamaha 2 stroke. Only to be back with a 450 within a few months.

Might be worth seeing if you could swap bikes for a ride or two?
 
Thank you for the thoughts. Since my neighbors are cattle and pine trees getting meaningful input is hard around here.

My priorities are cars and crawlers. It just seems like off road bikes are a distant third in priority.

So basically the Recluse makes the bike shift like a Honda 110 3-wheeler etc? I don't do alot of stuff where that would be a priority. Pretty much fire roads only and maybe some sand. I do zero technical stuff on my dirt bikes as far as tight and technical stuff. Maybe in the future, but I can deal with that then.

It sounds like the 300 would come pretty close and offer a few things my 450 does not. It sounds pretty versatile actually as a bike.

However I really do enjoy the thrill of acceleration with the 450. Best thing for me to do is get a couple of hours in the saddle on my 450 in the next week or so.

I don't think this trade is anything special really. Similar condition, his is two years older and no title. They are close enough for me in value to do this but no real incentive financially to do this.

Seat time and I will decide. Thank you for the thoughts.
 
Steve300xcw said:
When was the last time you were on a 2 stroke? Those 300 really are not aggressive bikes. Have saw a handfull of 450 guys, go out and get either a ktm or yamaha 2 stroke. Only to be back with a 450 within a few months.

Might be worth seeing if you could swap bikes for a ride or two?
Click to expand...
Last one was a 2004 KX500. Cant really switch for a ride due to location unfortunately.
 
Its hard to help with honest info.

I have never ridden a 450 in the mountains, lugged down to 4.8 mph in a rock field idling behind a jeep or sxs but have done miles of that on my 300.
Riding this bike on the pipe is exhausting for me, I just don't have the cardio or core strength to sustain that pace, but I short shift and run a Power Valve spring to delay the hit to the highest RPM possible.

I would think even if you traded and decided it wasn't for you you could easily get out of the KTM.
 
If you rely on engine braking a lot, watch out on the 300, it can catch you out, because there isn’t much.

It’s caught me out a couple of times, both ways, when going from 4T to 2T to 4T.
Well for the first pants shitting adjustment or two anyway.
 
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One thing I do like. Is unless a guy has it wound up, those 300's are pretty damn quiet. We even snuck up on a mountain biker last summer. Scared the hell out of him lol.
Where as the 450's, those things just seem to echo off of every ridge.

Depending on where your riding. Its rather beneficial if nobody really knows your there
 
3nuts* said:
If you relay on engine braking a lot, watch out on the 300, it can catch you out, because there isn’t much.

It’s caught me out a couple of times, both ways, when going from 4T to 2T to 4T.
Well for the first pants shitting adjustment or two anyway.
Click to expand...

Riding 4T dirt bikes for years ruined me on 2T bikes. Engine breaking is a magical thing I now can't live without. :laughing:
 
I never really considered a recluse till I got a 300. The brakes are way better than my old bikes and I kept stalling it. Usually at the worst place. On the KX500 there really wasn't a chance the poor rear brake was going to stop the motor.
 
My riding has been in NW Oregon and SW Washington, so much tighter/steeper terrain. So I can't necessarily say what bike is better for your riding.

BUT...

I have owned Kawi's and an awesome '11 KTM 200 XCW. If you like tinkering with the bike, and you have a good source for KTM parts, they are amazing to ride. Definitely a different feel. You can tell that they were optimized as an enduro bike and not just a MX bike with a bigger tank. They are a bit finicky though. Not as bulletproof as a Japanese bike, and parts are noticably more expensive. I don't think you'll save any money at all, maybe you'll even end up spending more money and time.

But it could be worth it. Ride it and see how it works for you.
 
bdkw1 said:
I never really considered a recluse till I got a 300. The brakes are way better than my old bikes and I kept stalling it. Usually at the worst place. On the KX500 there really wasn't a chance the poor rear brake was going to stop the motor.
Click to expand...
Yea brakes are a lil grabby till you get used to them. I doubt the brakes on a '05 are goona be that fresh though...

My 300 has never idled worth a shit. And the E-start was just a failure from the get go. Been an awesome bike though.

Another thought. 300's around here hold there value like a toyota does. And as long as it isnt a calpped out pile. I would guess that you could get more for that '05 300 than an '07 kx450
 
Steve300xcw said:
One thing I do like. Is unless a guy has it wound up, those 300's are pretty damn quiet. We even snuck up on a mountain biker last summer. Scared the hell out of him lol.
Where as the 450's, those things just seem to echo off of every ridge.

Depending on where your riding. Its rather beneficial if nobody really knows your there
Click to expand...

So true.

What we’ve noticed over the years is:
4T exhaust frequency pushes through the atmosphere further.
2T sound gets knocked down real quick.

2T for the Stealth 🥷
 
Its crazy, you can hear a 450 from miles away. that 300 in the timber is outta earshot within 100 yrds.
 
Steve300xcw said:
Its crazy, you can hear a 450 from miles away. that 300 in the timber is outta earshot within 100 yrds.
Click to expand...

I think the power valve tuning range has some do with that as well.

It seems like the 300s are tuned for the valve to open lower so you can ride in the meat of the power at lower revs. More chugging, less screaming like a 125. Not sure if the 300 valve can be set up to hit later, but for the most part the 300 riders I've seen aren't revving them out anyway.
 
This is my 300

It's the 250SX but with ...

Watch the vid

 
With the FMF Q Stealth muffler on mine it is extremely quiet, very easy to sneak up on people.

I've never noticed a need for more breaking on my bike with Red EBC pads. I'm a heavy front brake user and it is more than adequate.

I don't miss engine breaking, a PDS suspension bike benefits from some brake dragging which I do occasionally on poor footing.

Which brings up another point, if you do any sort of hard trail riding the smooth belly PDS bike Is pretty nice but not required.
 
We have sat in a canyon listening. Trying to figure out where half our group went. Pretty soon you hear a Rev limiter from somebody that's hung up on a hill and pissed. Sounds like they are on every ridge
 
CarterKraft said:
With the FMF Q Stealth muffler on mine it is extremely quiet, very easy to sneak up on people.

I've never noticed a need for more breaking on my bike with Red EBC pads. I'm a heavy front brake user and it is more than adequate.

I don't miss engine breaking, a PDS suspension bike benefits from some brake dragging which I do occasionally on poor footing.

Which brings up another point, if you do any sort of hard trail riding the smooth belly PDS bike Is pretty nice but not required.
Click to expand...

I’d have to check but usually always have EBC HH pads.

I was wondering if anyone would bring up PDS VS linkage.

For me personally, when on a PDS Kato (my 530 has it), I’m pretty shy with my ass being anywhere near the seat over any decent sharp edge hit, much more confident with a linkage (my SX has that) in that situation. Unexpectedly been pole driven through the spine a few times, totally unexpectedly, it’s not consistent to a particular shaft stroke speed or anything.

I use to consider the linkage getting snagged/abused down there when log crossing or dealing with stacks of branches/whatever, but don’t think about it anymore.

I use the rear brake a lot for brining the rear around and out of corners, dragging it as I roll on the throttle a bit. Especially on a 2T. The bigger 4T has a lot more engine braking though and helps with steering the rear especially in lower speed tight windy ST.

I really like riding tight jungly ST and wide open terrain, especially if the wide open is loamy, undulating and windy. I’m definitely much more confident with linkage, it’s been so much more confidence inspiring because of it’s consistency.
 
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Mine beat the hell out of me. Got it sprung for a 210lbs rider and revalved for the area I ride.

I should have had that done before I ever rode the thing!

I abuse the front brake..alot. the back, I can't ever seem to get on the damn thing unless I am sitting on the seat.
 
Steve300xcw said:
Mine beat the hell out of me. Got it sprung for a 210lbs rider and revalved for the area I ride.

I should have had that done before I ever rode the thing!

I abuse the front brake..alot. the back, I can't ever seem to get on the damn thing unless I am sitting on the seat.
Click to expand...

Yeah, i had the pds rear re-valved quickly 😅 it can get pretty rude.

It might help to lift the brake lever up a bit if it only feels good while sitting. Maybe, maybe not.

I really like a LHRB (I have a CLAKE but not fitted right now). It’s great for a lot of things.

One situation is when you’re stalled/stuck/blocked going up a near vert snotty climb and need to stop rolling back, but can’t keep your right foot on the brake.

Another is when you’re sluicing down a really sketchy sloppy tight downhill, unable to slow down, totally a passenger, stuck in a rut that’s impossible to escape, and both feet are acting as skis to stay up. Left hand brake is a life saver, especially on a 2T with zero engine braking.
Lots of times been in a line of good riders, all out of control heading down a crevasse in the rain, thinking glad I got a handbrake, hoping the mate behind me doesn’t take me out 😳🤪


Those are besides the obvious advantage of being able to rear brake into and around right handers while your right foot is off and out front. Some love it, lots don’t. Gotta pick for yourself
 
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