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Hi thread. I just bought a 20 yr old KTM 250 EXC for way too much money for my 16-yr old and me, of course to hoon around on somewhat regular Jeep/camping trips in the Pacific Northwest. After riding it around for a couple hours at Juniper Dunes OHV on two separate days, I realized that it was probably too much bike for him - he's a complete noob to motorized 2-wheelers. Also he's short at 5'1" and kickstarting it is kinda hard for me at 5'6". So when I was  last night, I ordered a Chinese DB17 bike off Amazon. I figure two bikes are better than one? I think I'll end up shaving the seat on both bikes to lower them more. Being short sucks.Anyways, I really like riding the KTM but most of the trails at Juniper sucked due to soft/deep sand everywhere. We typically go 4-wheeling at Athanum/Naches/Manastash or the Blue Mountains near Walla Walla/Dayton. Looks like most PNW goons are on the West side?
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Jul 21, 2020 18:55
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500excf type r posted:My daughter is an inch and a half shorter and she fits a crf80 pretty well but she's 10 lol Yeah we're short. I'll shave and recover seats before messing with suspension. I did see that there are spacer kits available for the EXC but they're expensive.
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Jul 22, 2020 15:06
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Went camping to Bumping Lake this past weekend and took the KTM along. I went on a couple of trail rides with my wife in the Jeep following. First trail was up to Granite Lake Campground and it was kind of rough in places. Second trail/FR was up to Copper City (only to the collapsed mill). It went pretty great. I didn't crash or drop the bike, I got to practice very low speed handling following some horse trailer caravans, and the seat height seems to be mostly fine for me. Bonus pic at Granite Lake for height reference. I'm short. 
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Jul 27, 2020 20:27
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meowmeowmeowmeow posted:Sounds and looks like a good time! I've been eyeballing the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route for that same thing. There's a few good youTube videos on it, too. The vast majority of the route seems like easy forest roads. TotalLossBrain fucked around with this message at 20:53 on Jul 27, 2020 |
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Jul 27, 2020 20:42
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3M 5200 bonds just about anything to anything. However, it takes ~7 days to cure/dry.
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Jul 31, 2020 23:31
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So the Tao Tao bike I ordered on Amazon got lost in shipping (?) and the seller refunded me. After spending more time on Facebook marketplace and getting frustrated with people, I ordered a Segway X160/SurRon electric bike instead. Seat height and power level seem ideal for my teenagers to learn on. I'll update when I get the bike. Also I rode a bunch in the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest west of Mt Adams this past weekend.   Bonus: Some dude getting stuck on a rock. According to the camp host, this happens frequently. 
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Aug 10, 2020 19:29
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A little maintenance update on my 2000 KTM EXC. Because I'm a horrible dumbass, it fell off the trailer this past weekend. Thankfully this happened at walking speed on a dirt road. Steering got a little misaligned, the front light stopped working, and the plastics up front got a crack. While dissembling things at home, I also found the FMF Fatty chamber cracked in two places. I had heard/felt a weird clattering vibration at certain low RPMs so that was probably it.   Not sure what to do about the crack yet. I hope to find a local welder but have no idea where to start looking. I ordered a newchamber from Revzilla in the meantime. Coming from Jetski aftermarket parts, $233 shipped for a complete pipe seemed ridiculously cheap.
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Aug 12, 2020 20:07
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Yeah it looks to be stainless. I am in Eastern WA. So anyone capable with a TIG welder should be able to do this?
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Aug 12, 2020 20:21
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Looks like a nice day out! I'll be near Greenwater tomorrow to run the Naches Pass Trail (with a Jeep though).
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Aug 13, 2020 23:17
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TotalLossBrain posted:So the Tao Tao bike I ordered on Amazon got lost in shipping (?) and the seller refunded me. After spending more time on Facebook marketplace and getting frustrated with people, I ordered a Segway X160/SurRon electric bike instead. Seat height and power level seem ideal for my teenagers to learn on. Update: Amazon hosed up again! The Segway X160 arrived today with some minor exterior damage on the box. A bolt fell out of the box when I moved it. Once opened, I found that the battery had been removed from its own box and installed in the bike. Consequently, the battery cover was smashed in half. The front axle uses wheel spacers/bushings called "axle plugs". They have an o-ring to seal to the hub surface on the wheel. One of those was missing, making the bike useless. I packed it back up, UPS is picking it up tomorrow. Back to the drawing board, looking at local used bikes again. Some more reasonable deals out there now. TotalLossBrain fucked around with this message at 03:25 on Aug 19, 2020 |
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Aug 19, 2020 03:20
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I picked up this 30 year old Yamaha RT 100 today. The PO restored the bike to drat near new condition. It's a blast to rip around on this little thing. Perfect for the starter bike I wanted.
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Aug 20, 2020 03:37
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I found it via FB market place ad. When I get to the given address, I find a tiny motorcycle shop with lots of cool old and unique bikes inside. The owner was a very nice South African immigrant and his parents. Nice fellow. Towards the end of the transaction he revealed that he "fled South Africa because it went to the dogs". I wrapped up and left. In conclusion, Kennewick is a land of revolting contrasts.
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Aug 20, 2020 05:47
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I use Avenza maps. Plenty of National Forest maps are available free. Lots more paid maps, but reasonable. There is also an app called US Topo Maps, which uses free maps, too. I also have Backcountry Navigator. Seems fine, haven't used it much.
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Aug 21, 2020 01:02
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I spent a few hours riding at McCubbin Gulch OHV area in the Mt Hood National Forest with my boys. 15 and 12, both of them reefed around on the little Yamaha RT100. Couple small crashes, nothing bad. This place has some nice single track riding.
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Aug 22, 2020 02:40
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That looks amazing. I wish I had OHV trails nearby, but the closest is Juniper Dunes and I hate riding through loose sand. There's also Horn Rapids MX park, which is private. But it's ten minutes from my house, so I'm going to go check it out soon. But I really like PNW forest trails.
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Aug 25, 2020 18:54
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My dislike for sand riding is purely aesthetic. I think it looks like rear end and I'd rather ride in the woods.
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Aug 27, 2020 18:00
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So I'm looking at buying a new Kawi KLX 140R (the L version) which has an MSRP of $3,449. The local dealer quoted me $5,300 OTD which seems lol excessive. I can understand licensing and tax, but this dealer wants $200 for a licensing fee, $400 destination charge, $300 assembly fee, $500 for some GPS locator they seem hesitant to take off. Is this normal? Problem is that hardly any dealership in WA has these in stock, so it's not like I got other options and this dealer seems to know it TotalLossBrain fucked around with this message at 04:48 on Oct 9, 2020 |
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Oct 9, 2020 04:45
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Just a garbage dealership I guess. I had another place give me an OTD price for a '21 CRF125 (MSRP $3,599) and that came to ~$4,200. Regardless, I found a deal on a 'used' '19 KLX140R L that was $3,900 OTD. Not sure why they sold this used. The factory tires on it look brand new. There are very light surface scratches on some of the plastics, otherwise it looks and feels new. This bike is for my 16 yo. The KTM 250 was supposed to be his bike, but he is just too short. Couldn't find a suspension lowering link for that vintage KTM and cutting the seat only lowers it so much. We are headed to Ahtanum tomorrow for a day of fun.
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Oct 10, 2020 06:34
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Cold day at Ahtanum! There was even a white out blizzard near the top of Darland Mountain. The Kawi 140 rides very nicely. I've never ridden a thumper, that power is nice and even. We're going out again to Juniper Dunes later today. The recent weather should have compacted all that loose sand down. Juniper today, all three bikes. This place is a lot nicer in cooler/wetter weather. 
TotalLossBrain fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Oct 12, 2020 |
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Oct 11, 2020 15:35
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Looks cold but fun. I was out for a couple hours at Juniper Dunes again this afternoon. I've really grown to like the place. I was in this thread bitching about it a few months ago. All that lose summer sand turns to decently packed beach sand in the fall.
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Nov 8, 2020 05:03
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So I posted before how I hate riding in sand. Given that Juniper Dunes is about 35 minutes from my house, I've pushed myself to learn riding there. I'm glad I did - that area is amazingly huge and a lot of fun to ride if you just go fast enough. My rear wheel spins a lot in the loose stuff. I want to pick up at least a new rear tire more suited to Dunes/soft/medium sand trails. Any recommendations? Paddle tires seem very much limited to soft sand only. How about something like the Dunlop Geomax MX11? The thing is, I still like riding trails in the Washington Cascades in the summer time. But the vast majority of my riding over the year will be at Juniper. Edit: I've got a Starcross 5 Soft on the rear which seems to be a decent sand tire already? TotalLossBrain fucked around with this message at 07:19 on Jan 2, 2021 |
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Jan 2, 2021 05:55
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Front is about 10.5, rear is 11.0 psi.
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Jan 2, 2021 15:55
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Going back out again tomorrow so I'll give the lower pressure a try.
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Jan 3, 2021 07:35
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I was out in the dunes again today, super nice weather. I ran the tires at 8 psi this time and that was a bit better. Tbh, it seems like I still need to learn shifting my weight for traction in sand. The more I ride out there, the better it gets. Also it's pretty crazy how the parking/camping areas can be packed but you rarely run into anyone on the trails. It's a big area.
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Jan 4, 2021 05:51
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Hit the sand again today for about three hours and going back for more tomorrow. It's nice having this ~30 min drive away
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Jan 10, 2021 07:39
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drat that's really nice! Unrelated, my 250 EXC blew the top end yesterday - bad enough to need replating. I think I'll send it to Power Seal even though it's in PA. Ugh that puts me out for probably 4-5 weeks. I'll probably send up selling it once it's back together and get something newer. Parts availability is starting to scare me with it being 21 years old. I need a new rear fender and can't find one anywhere. I might have to switch to the SX fender if it fits
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Jan 18, 2021 19:20
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Sent my KTM cylinder off to get replated. I'll be selling the bike once it's back together. I'm also going to sell the little Yamaha RT100 because that kid is ready for an upgrade. But so is the older one with his KLX140R. Guess it will get passed down and now I'm looking for two KLR300R bikes in the northwest. Edit: Whelp put a deposit down on two. TotalLossBrain fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Jan 19, 2021 |
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Jan 19, 2021 18:40
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builds character posted:Why'd you end up with those instead of, for example, ttr225s? A few different factors: Bigger, higher compression engine with fuel injection on the KLX (I'm coming off a 2T 250 and don't want to give up too much power lol) Better suspension, adjustable with more travel Really comfortable with the dealer Seems to be a really popular bike since it came out. This may be less relevant since it's a different model, but I do really like the way our KLX 140 handles. I was really tempted by the WR250F and YZ250F but I couldn't have pulled off two of them. Besides, if I am honest with myself about my skills and riding environment, then I really should not need anything more.
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Jan 20, 2021 00:31
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I got one of the two KLX300Rs I ordered, but from a different dealer. Next to the KLX140R G.  I got 2.5 hours of break-in done today and will need to change the oil sometime this week. Very comfortable ride with nice linear tractor power. Compared to the old KTM 250 2T this is like a diesel.
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Feb 8, 2021 04:54
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Shelvocke posted:How are you finding the 300? My only dirtbike before this one was a KTM 250 EXC from 2000. The 300 has softer suspension, 2 inch shorter wheelbase, and is a bit heavier. It feels much more nimble and is very easy to ride. I'm a pretty short guy and certainly can't flat-foot this bike but it's still a very confidence-inspiring ride. The KTM pulled harder once on the pipe, but this thing just pulls steady everywhere. I tried out some of the shorter hill climbs yesterday, just leaving it in first and drat near idling up.
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Feb 8, 2021 18:17
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I got the topend for my 250 EXC back from PowerSeal for a weld & replate. Fired up first kick so that was great. The plastics are finally complete, new grips, everything is clean. So my plan was to pick up two new KLX300Rs for myself and my 17yr old kid and sell the KTM once it's back together and running. I already got one of the KLX bikes, but still waiting on the second. Of course, now that the KTM is running again I am already anxious about selling it. Such a fun bike to ride but man I don't want that maintenance schedule and finding parts for a 21 year old KTM can be challenging. I guess I'll break in the new topend and park it until sold. Here's hoping the new stimulus checks give me a plethora of buyers.
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Feb 11, 2021 17:03
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That looks very cool. I tried winter riding in the snow on Saturday and it went pretty badly lol. About 6-8 inches of melting snow on regular knobbies just didn't work for me or the two kids. If we had snow more consistently I'd look into the studded tires - that traction looks amazing. I am trying again today. It's been 40-50 degrees for two days now and most of the snow is gone. Juniper Dunes might now actually be muddy for once. I'll be breaking in the new topend on the KTM and my 17yo is riding the KLX300R. I'll post some video later.
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Feb 22, 2021 18:43
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Here, have some video of riding around at Juniper Dunes in the snow and then a couple days later. It's my 17yo riding with the cam on both a KLX140R (loud) and a KLX300R (not so loud). Yours truly loving around with the KTM. I know the cam position is not ideal, still working on fixing that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6B3Fxs9J3M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG68QMWlPJA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBgWNPk4eoU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnQgzFEybKA
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Feb 23, 2021 20:43
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TotalLossBrain posted:I picked up this 30 year old Yamaha RT 100 today. The PO restored the bike to drat near new condition. It's a blast to rip around on this little thing. Perfect for the starter bike I wanted. I sold this guy today  My 16-year old outgrew the KLX140 and moved up to a KLX300. My 13-year old moved from the little Yamaha to the 140. I sold it for $100 than I paid for it, taxes excluded. And I did buy a bunch of new parts for it - tire, chain, brakes, grips, misc OEM parts. Great bike.
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Mar 17, 2021 05:45
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I'm spending the weekend riding bikes on the beach and Dunes at Sandlake (Oregon) It's pretty neat. We all got paddle tires and smaller front sprockets, definitely all worth it 
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Apr 10, 2021 15:57
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dema posted:Off to Moab tomorrow morning. Thoughts and prayers. How far is the drive? Juniper is getting too hot and too dry to be much fun. I'm going to check out the Morrow County OHV Park this weekend. Couple hours drive, never been there.
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Apr 15, 2021 03:58
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Looks like Beverly Dunes? Pushing bikes sucks. I had to do that last weekend at Morrow County OHV in Oregon.
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Apr 26, 2021 14:54
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ant mouth posted:Prior to the bike pushing, how was marrow co? I've been eyeballing it for a few years, but always end up going to east fort rock instead. I thought it was pretty nice. Lots of narrow double and single track through high forests. Still some snow and melt water puddles. It's all forest soil and rocks. There was nobody there but us. The approach is weird in that the campground is right by hwy 207 but the day use area is another five miles down a dirt road. Some trail gates were closed but according to park management they are all open. The gates are easy enough to get around.
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Apr 26, 2021 16:04
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While at Morrow OHV I noticed my head bearing rattling. I figured I'd regrease the bearings while at it. After I pulled the fork legs out I noticed that the side that's been leaking very lightly for a few months now (I am dumb and should have taken care of this sooner) compresses far more than the non-leaking side. The only shop close-by employs an independent suspension tech who is booked out. Seems like fork seals aren't that hard to do yourself, especially on this model (WP 43U cartridge), so I ordered some wiper seals and dust seals and oil. Any goons do their own suspension maintenance?
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Apr 26, 2021 21:05
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 18:40 |
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Thanks for all the tips, goons. I've ordered an appropriately sized seal driver and bushings. I already had several videos cued up but haven't watched them yet. I hope to check out Ahtanum or Little Naches soon, hoping the snow is gone from the lower elevations.
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Apr 26, 2021 22:26
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