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Irate Motorcycle Group.

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KTM 300-Are they that great?

Yup the big sketchy downhills where you boil over your brakes, I just kill it. Kinda use the clutch like a rear brake.

You guys ever run studs?
 
No, never used studs, they're very illegal in our riding areas.

I'd seriously love to though :cool:cool

I have used trials tyres a few times. That's really fun but it's considered being :rainbow:
🤣
 
Illegal? Why?

We have started to run them on the front year round. The front doesn't slide around, or wash out. Gives you way more brake. And will hold some crazy lines.

Don't run them on the rear tire very often
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3nuts* said:
No, never used studs, they're very illegal in our riding areas.

I'd seriously love to though :cool:cool

I have used trials tyres a few times. That's really fun but it's considered being :rainbow:
🤣
Click to expand...
Trials tire is a cheat code imo if you are in the right terrain.

The big hybrid tires out now are even better, much more side bite and braking power.
 
Steve300xcw said:
Illegal? Why?

We have started to run them on the front year round. The front doesn't slide around, or wash out. Gives you way more brake. And will hold some crazy lines.

Don't run them on the rear tire very often
Click to expand...

I know I’d love a go but I’ve been involved with all the local action groups over 30yrs to keep trails and access open for us all. Dirt bike riders, 4x4 clubs, gov land management, horse riders, bush walkers, mtb riders, etc. all in one room - it gets pretty hot 🔥

It’s been a constant battle to ride our tracks - like every where. Spikes would push a lot of activists over the edge. Even other riders would give massive grief purely over the perception of tyres with any metal sticking out for grip. There is another gov campaign to close access again.

I always go in hard on the topic of being able to ride where we always have - been fined for riding ST, but still do. Lead lots of groups of riders. My aim has been to represent the guys who ride the illegal ST, that’s always been my point, why bullshit, I was open about it in the meetings because there was always a truce. Everyone would be civil, but it was always made clear they are out there trying to catch us and there’d be no mercy if caught on the bikes. I have been caught when I was leading a few beginners - I would never ride off on them, so stayed and copped it. But many many times have kept riding and waved back at the officers, or rangers.

They’d all tell me they watched my youtube vids, but never got fined for those.

Been at the end of plenty of anger - even from fellow riding enthusiasts - who I tell to F off. There’s a few guys who ride who aren’t my fans and me theirs.

I’ve also helped replant / reveg trails we all agreed should be closed, and worked besides them all in a group, shovelling, putting in plants etc. We show respect to each other. Never had my sandwiches at the breaks poisoned yet.

Anyway I ramble on, it’s a fave topic.



CarterKraft said:
Trials tire is a cheat code imo if you are in the right terrain.

The big hybrid tires out now are even better, much more side bite and braking power.
Click to expand...

😂 Yes, Definitely a cheat code, won a ripper little rocky hillclimb challenge event with one (then they got banned after that) And quite surprising in slippery creeks with ruts, roots, logs and stuff too.

But, kept warning people they’re extremely light switchy when the terrain opens up and you start getting on it, roosting around corners. Turning turning…traction traction - then BAMMM - back ends wipes out sideways very unpredictably and dangerously.

Share the new hybrid, might try one
 
I have been running the kenda equilibrium for a few years. Its good but I would try another one next time.
The Moto Z tire seems good too, and the new Tusk Recon Hybrid looks good too.
 
How much life are you guys getting out of those types of tires? Tried a few of the sticky tires a while back. On solid rock they were awesome. But soon as you got into a loose rock hill climb they would get tore up pretty quick
 
Steve300xcw said:
How much life are you guys getting out of those types of tires? Tried a few of the sticky tires a while back. On solid rock they were awesome. But soon as you got into a loose rock hill climb they would get tore up pretty quick
Click to expand...
I don't ride but twice a year usually 10 days or so. Lots of miles in Colorado 60+ per day on pretty sharp rocks. No problems or critical wear issues, I am not the best test case.
 
I don't understand why you say the 300 is too heavy for guys 180 and under? I'm around 180 in my skivies and it feels light to me. I've thought about trying a 200 or similar, but haven't yet. Of course, my 300 is an 07 and is bare bones. There are not many bike that are significantly lighter that I'm aware of.
 
There is something to the heavy feel due to the bikes size. It's long and tall as fuck in stock settings. I am 5' 8" with stumpy legs. I have a x bushing in it all the way down and the forks up as far as I dare in the clamps, still tall as fuck.

I won't "lower" it but it is a issue.

Riding this bike is a technical job IMO.
I wish I would have GoPro'd this last year's trip. A super steep 1/4 Mike climb with solid baby heads, square edge ledges and washs, it eats it up.

On another trail that was plugged with SXS' and jeeps I lugged in first gear barely off idle and climbed for 10 minutes at 5 mph through loose gravel and baby heads over and over.
I have a home brew trail tech fan and it was running most of the time. Since adding the fan I have not let the smoke out no matter how gnarly the conditions.

Jetting is easy for me as I have low and high elevations to set for. Change the main by 10 points and raise lower the needle by one clip, dialed.

The modern 4t vs a 300 is apples oranges comparison, just try it is my suggestion.
 
Some of us reckon that the 300s actually can fall below idle speed, under load, going up a steep section.

Definitely only when the throttle is open, or it would stall of course.

Never proved it yet by measuring rpm to see, but it sure seems like it’s revving slower than idle.

No way would any 4 stroke pull at such a low rev.
 
I have a much better understanding now of the 300. I have learned a lot. If I were actually trail riding on tight two -track I think it would be my go to before most anything.

The reality is that I stick to flat (er) ground, rip around in sandy soil etc. Virtually zero trails in my immediate vicinity. I think attempting to crawl my 450 would be the same as crawling on my BMW GSA800. Not real fun. Great if you can keep moving, fun even. But stop and go with boulders and serious obstacles at a crawl would not be good. My BMW -which is an ADV bike-has zero crawl. My buddies Yamaha Tenere is almost in 3rd while I am still in 1st. I can't believe that they call it an ADV bike when I can't go slower than a fast walk in 1st. It is a great bike in all other ways, tough, reliable, easy to ride. But forget going slow.

Sorry for the OT there. Crawl matters for sure and I like the sounds of the type of riding you guys are doing. Just not much of it around here.
 
Glad you got to ride one. FWIW if I was doing alot of fire road, and open riding. I wouldnt want my 300 either.

Few of the guys have the ktm 500's with a plate on it. Pretty legit setup for what your doing

Only reason there is zero trails in your area, is because you haven't built them yet....
 
I had a 520sx That somebody stuck what I think was a 6 spd mxc gear set into, as well as the 540cc kit. Fire road is all that fucker was good for.
 
It was a badass bike. Didn't have the skills at the time to really ride the thing. Wish I still had it

Spendy motor to rebuild though
20221011_195159.jpg

20221011_195249.jpg
 
Steve300xcw said:
It was a badass bike. Didn't have the skills at the time to really ride the thing. Wish I still had it

Spendy motor to rebuild though
20221011_195159.jpg

20221011_195249.jpg
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Yikes. Seems like that could exceed the value of the bike pretty quick. That is the thing I don't care for with the big 4-strokes. It seems like they are kind of a ticking time bomb but what do I know. Does a guy do a top end every time you buy a used bike? I'd rather not.
 
CarterKraft said:
The big hybrid tires out now are even better, much more side bite and braking power.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but if you're on a hard pack fire road, the tread blocks squirm around so much you'll think the tire is flat. Even worse on the pavement. In wet rock stuff they are magic though.
 
toyotajeep said:
Yikes. Seems like that could exceed the value of the bike pretty quick. That is the thing I don't care for with the big 4-strokes. It seems like they are kind of a ticking time bomb but what do I know. Does a guy do a top end every time you buy a used bike? I'd rather not.
Click to expand...
I thrashed on the bike for a few months before it let loose. Sold the thing for a down payment on my 300.

Can't see buying used unless a guy wanted to try out a different bike, before getting a fresh one. I seem to hold onto a bike for a while
 
bdkw1 said:
Yeah, but if you're on a hard pack fire road, the tread blocks squirm around so much you'll think the tire is flat. Even worse on the pavement. In wet rock stuff they are magic though.
Click to expand...
Kinda settled into running one tire year round for everything. Around here the irc ve33 just works.
 
CarterKraft said:
I have been running the kenda equilibrium for a few years. Its good but I would try another one next time.
The Moto Z tire seems good too, and the new Tusk Recon Hybrid looks good too.
Click to expand...

A lot of shinko cheaters and midas double something or others in my group.

The change to a gummy tire was mind blowing, the shit that I was having to fight wheelies on was hilarious. Couldn't figure out what was going on with my bike until I had this eureka moment of "oh! That's traction!"

Our terrain is also a combination of roots, big ol nuggets of granite, or a loose sandy/rocky soil. Eats the lip off of tires pretty quick, but traction is surprisingly good even then. Plus you can always flip the tire.
 
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Steve300xcw said:
How much life are you guys getting out of those types of tires? Tried a few of the sticky tires a while back. On solid rock they were awesome. But soon as you got into a loose rock hill climb they would get tore up pretty quick
Click to expand...
I've got 761 miles on this one. Most of those miles come from loose and hard packed rock in UT, the rest were done in CO. KTM 300 This is a Tusk Recon, I am also running Tubliss so it hooks up great.

IMG_5919.jpeg
 
Too many posts to quote, so I'll just shout into the thread itself. 😁

The 300 is absolutely a bigger bike. I'm 6' tall, long arms and legs, and 155lb in my birthday suit. Muscling around a heavy bike on tight/steep trails sucks. In the current bikes, the 300XC-W (227.96lb) is 14.55lb heavier than the 150XC-W (213.41lb). That's enough of a difference to feel on the trail and with the right gearing I would take the 150 any day. Or maybe a Beta X-Trainer 300 (~216lb).

In tight PNW woods trails I LOVED my gummy Goldentyre Trials Hybrid and Fatty Front combo. I ran them at 8/10psi most of the time. I think they replaced that rear tire with the new G.O.A.T. tire that looks pretty cool. But if you want to tractor up a steep climb and actually keep traction, these types of tires are a game changer.

If the goal of the bike is faster riding in dryer terrain, then all of my experience and information won't really apply anyway. :lmao:

Also, you guys aren't helping the fact that I'm REALLY missing moto these days and have been considering diving back into it......
 
My secondary bike is a Husky 125 that was bored and stroked to 177. Love that bike. Except no e start and being like 5' tall :laughing:

I'm a bit faster on it than my Beta 250 but it is easier to ride than the Husky.


I need to get her back out of the shed for a rip one of these days...
 
When my 300 was down. I borrowed a yz125 that was set up for the woods. Nothing technical, just 40 miles of fast flowing woods riding. By far the most fun I have had on a bike.
 
Steve300xcw said:
a 150xc is on the short list of bikes that I need to own.
Click to expand...

It's absolutely one of the bikes that's tempting me back into riding. I had my XR400 when the 150xcw came out, I sat on one at a dealer, and I immediately knew I needed one. After checking the bank account I ended up buying a used 200 instead and building it.

I'm really sick of projects right now so the thought of buying a bike and gear on a Saturday and going riding on a Sunday is DAMN tempting.

I've been making the mistake of shopping for bikes. And I'm seeing financing promos which are..... Dangerous....... 😂
 
Steve300xcw said:
If your going to ride it. New bikes make sense to me.
Click to expand...

I sold my 200 in 2017 and have been seriously missing it lately. I moved last year and from my house there's 1mi of rural pavement and then 5mi of gravel roads into the local trail system. I could literally be on singletrack in 20min.

So yeah, I'd definitely ride it. And as you know used bike prices for anything nice are flat out retarded in the PNW lately.

Mainly... I'm sick of working on shit. My wheeler needs a bunch of work and might be driving by the end of winter. Maybe. We'll see how I feel in a couple weeks once I get this dumb Super Duty out of my shop.
 
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