2005 KTM 450 EXC - worth a punt as a fun weekend off roader?
Discussion
Hi folks,
Well the desire to be back messing about on 2 wheels (and sometimes one) is strong!
I sold my last bike about a year ago (2005 Speed Triple) and now fancy a dirt bike to mess about on.
There is a KTM 450 EXC for sale near me. Not in great condition but I'm not to bothered about that as long as it is mechanically sound - it will be covered in mud most of the time anyway. I know nothing about these bikes other than a bit of internet research.
Anyone know anything about these bikes? I had a Honda XR 650R a few years ago and it was a hoot but frankly a bit too big, tall and heavy for what I wanted it for (chucking it about on dirt). Am I likely to find the KTM slightly less huge or are we talking broadly the same thing here? I'm no pro rider by any means but I have been knocking about on various decent sized bikes for 30 yrs and apart from 2 silly incidents have managed to keep everything rubber side down.
I was after a little 250 or 350 but nothing has come up and the KTM has. Anything I need to look out for apart from the usual? Do they require very careful maintenance or can I expect to blat about happily on the weekends without having to do a full service every time I park it up? I have seen some people talking about very regular oil changes and valve clearances.
Lastly what sort of money should I expect to pay for one in “well used” condition?
Thanks for any advice.
TD
Well the desire to be back messing about on 2 wheels (and sometimes one) is strong!
I sold my last bike about a year ago (2005 Speed Triple) and now fancy a dirt bike to mess about on.
There is a KTM 450 EXC for sale near me. Not in great condition but I'm not to bothered about that as long as it is mechanically sound - it will be covered in mud most of the time anyway. I know nothing about these bikes other than a bit of internet research.
Anyone know anything about these bikes? I had a Honda XR 650R a few years ago and it was a hoot but frankly a bit too big, tall and heavy for what I wanted it for (chucking it about on dirt). Am I likely to find the KTM slightly less huge or are we talking broadly the same thing here? I'm no pro rider by any means but I have been knocking about on various decent sized bikes for 30 yrs and apart from 2 silly incidents have managed to keep everything rubber side down.
I was after a little 250 or 350 but nothing has come up and the KTM has. Anything I need to look out for apart from the usual? Do they require very careful maintenance or can I expect to blat about happily on the weekends without having to do a full service every time I park it up? I have seen some people talking about very regular oil changes and valve clearances.
Lastly what sort of money should I expect to pay for one in “well used” condition?
Thanks for any advice.
TD
These are big bikes to chuck about doing Enduro or MX, but probably OK for green landing, if you have any nearby.
The 450s are very powerful. I'm used to riding 1000cc sportsbikes and racing / trackdays on them. I bought a 450 earlier this year, rode it once and sold it. It was way too much for me as a novice off reader, some will tell you that they're easy tomrode, but I didn't. A 250 4T is plenty for me and I'm enjoying riding that.
The 450s are very powerful. I'm used to riding 1000cc sportsbikes and racing / trackdays on them. I bought a 450 earlier this year, rode it once and sold it. It was way too much for me as a novice off reader, some will tell you that they're easy tomrode, but I didn't. A 250 4T is plenty for me and I'm enjoying riding that.
Gavia said:
These are big bikes to chuck about doing Enduro or MX, but probably OK for green landing, if you have any nearby.
The 450s are very powerful. I'm used to riding 1000cc sportsbikes and racing / trackdays on them. I bought a 450 earlier this year, rode it once and sold it. It was way too much for me as a novice off reader, some will tell you that they're easy tomrode, but I didn't. A 250 4T is plenty for me and I'm enjoying riding that.
^^^ ThisThe 450s are very powerful. I'm used to riding 1000cc sportsbikes and racing / trackdays on them. I bought a 450 earlier this year, rode it once and sold it. It was way too much for me as a novice off reader, some will tell you that they're easy tomrode, but I didn't. A 250 4T is plenty for me and I'm enjoying riding that.
The 450's of the last 5 years with more fined EFI have helped & Id say Honda are probably the easiest most manageable but an 05 KTM 450 will be quite a lumpy bike. EXC will be less tuned but still a slogger
If its just open rides, trails etc you'll be fine. Anything tighter and you'll want smaller. I did a Spain ride couple years back https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdhRDjIHo2s... and I was the only one who rode a 450, the other 11 guys rode 250s and to be honest it might not look it from the video but it was hard work at times
I had a 2005 525 exc for 5 years. I rode it in forests on dirt tracks. It was light and essy to ride. The bike has a strong engine, but soft and easily modulated throttle response at lower rpm. Mine was reliable as hell, but I did get through a lot of consumables. I dropped/crashed it a lot too! I'm about 5'8" and only 10.5 stone, so it was a bit tall for me for low speeds.
Thanks Guys. So it sounds like it will be quite feisty! Not a huge issue as I won't be doing anything very technical - but of course I don't want to be flipping it over every 10 mins.
Out of interest how would it compare to a 2001 XR 650R?
I did not really have any major issue with the XR except that it was not exactly chuckable - for me at least because I did not have the last 10% (50%?) of skill to be able to do it consistently.
Problem is that even smaller and older bikes are crazily expensive and I might be able to get hold of this for say £1500.
An XR 250 / 400 would be fine but cheap ones are rare as hen's teeth around here from what I can see.
TD
The guy who runs our local Enduro track explained the pricing to me very simply.
450s are cheap and plummet in value compared to 250s for one reason. It takes real skill to be able to ride and master a 450. If you have that skill, then you want the latest and best 450. Nobody else should ride one, so the market is limited and therefore the residuals are affected. Everyone should ride 250s or lower and so demand is high, therefore residuals are high.
He is a former British team level rider and he won't ride a 450, as he thinks they're too much for enjoyment riding.
450s are cheap and plummet in value compared to 250s for one reason. It takes real skill to be able to ride and master a 450. If you have that skill, then you want the latest and best 450. Nobody else should ride one, so the market is limited and therefore the residuals are affected. Everyone should ride 250s or lower and so demand is high, therefore residuals are high.
He is a former British team level rider and he won't ride a 450, as he thinks they're too much for enjoyment riding.
Joe5y said:
I recently had the same contemplation but having ridden my friends KTM 450 I knew that the 250 was the one for me.
Amusingly, now that my mates have ridden mine (below) they have all gone for the 250 KTM EXC-F. Truly amazing bike!
I've got the XC250F, which is a halfway house between the full MX SXF and yours. Absolutely love it and still a far better bike, than I'll ever be a rider. Amusingly, now that my mates have ridden mine (below) they have all gone for the 250 KTM EXC-F. Truly amazing bike!
Gavia said:
The guy who runs our local Enduro track explained the pricing to me very simply.
450s are cheap and plummet in value compared to 250s for one reason. It takes real skill to be able to ride and master a 450. If you have that skill, then you want the latest and best 450. Nobody else should ride one, so the market is limited and therefore the residuals are affected. Everyone should ride 250s or lower and so demand is high, therefore residuals are high.
He is a former British team level rider and he won't ride a 450, as he thinks they're too much for enjoyment riding.
This!! Ive done a fair few Enduros Ive owned most things from a big wheel 80 mx bike to a 400 , I've settled on a ktm 250exc 2t and love it also have a Yam wr 250r for pottering about on , 450s are cheap and plummet in value compared to 250s for one reason. It takes real skill to be able to ride and master a 450. If you have that skill, then you want the latest and best 450. Nobody else should ride one, so the market is limited and therefore the residuals are affected. Everyone should ride 250s or lower and so demand is high, therefore residuals are high.
He is a former British team level rider and he won't ride a 450, as he thinks they're too much for enjoyment riding.
I would say the xr 650 wouldnt be much more powerful than the newest KTM 250s especially if you take power to weight into consideration , the smaller lighter bikes suit our conditions best I would guess these big bikes would be awesome in the dry desert conditions in Aus and the US.... but not our slippery muddy tight places we ride /... hence the second hand value of the 250s
TorqueDirty said:
Out of interest how would it compare to a 2001 XR 650R?
I did not really have any major issue with the XR except that it was not exactly chuckable - for me at least because I did not have the last 10% (50%?) of skill to be able to do it consistently.
Problem is that even smaller and older bikes are crazily expensive and I might be able to get hold of this for say £1500.
An XR 250 / 400 would be fine but cheap ones are rare as hen's teeth around here from what I can see.
TD
My brother owned an xr250...it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding I did not really have any major issue with the XR except that it was not exactly chuckable - for me at least because I did not have the last 10% (50%?) of skill to be able to do it consistently.
Problem is that even smaller and older bikes are crazily expensive and I might be able to get hold of this for say £1500.
An XR 250 / 400 would be fine but cheap ones are rare as hen's teeth around here from what I can see.
TD
I had an xr650 back in 2004-2005. I sold it to a mate who put the super moto wheels on it you see here but this was the bike. I don't have many pics around this time as phone cameras were crap ams my digital camera was huuuge
Apart from s
ting oil in the air box from big wheelies it was the best wheelie bike I've ever owned If you were cool on this the ktm will be fine, just more sporty in pretty much every way
Birky_41 said:
My brother owned an xr250...it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding
I had an xr650 back in 2004-2005. I sold it to a mate who put the super moto wheels on it you see here but this was the bike. I don't have many pics around this time as phone cameras were crap ams my digital camera was huuuge
Apart from sting oil in the air box from big wheelies it was the best wheelie bike I've ever owned
If you were cool on this the ktm will be fine, just more sporty in pretty much every way
Yup, that is what I had. Lots of fun and then quite a large amount of pain from a poorly executed high speed wheelie on tarmac! Wish I had not sold it now to be honest, but my arse begs to differ!I had an xr650 back in 2004-2005. I sold it to a mate who put the super moto wheels on it you see here but this was the bike. I don't have many pics around this time as phone cameras were crap ams my digital camera was huuuge
Apart from s
ting oil in the air box from big wheelies it was the best wheelie bike I've ever owned If you were cool on this the ktm will be fine, just more sporty in pretty much every way
TD
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