gettin' a new (to me) bike

[pELYgroso]

well, since the tranny went out in my '94 wr250, I've been trying to decide whether to fix it w/ new parts which would probably cost me around $600 in new parts, buy a $1000 donor bike and have extra parts, or let 'er go. I found a pretty good deal on an '05 300 exc that I think I'm going to pick up.

specs:
2005 ktm 300 exc
skid plate
pro-circuit pipe
head and tail lights, so making it street legal will be a cinch!
head light upgraded bulb
fender bag
pro-billet moto rear rack with chain saw plate
rekluse exp clutch
slavens head mod
tube-less system front and rear
new tires
extra cylinder/piston with 1775 miles on them and extra twin air filter
Bike has 200 miles on new cylinder and vertex piston

It seems like a pretty sweet set-up for the way I like to ride. It's also geared down from stock a bit.

my questions are:
-for you 300 lovers out there...were there any years to avoid? any quirks to be said about the '05's?
-how is the power band on these? my WR is pretty manageable, and I've gotten good at using it to my advantage on technical climbs, etc.
-I've never ridden a bike w/ the rekluse. I do like to use my clutch....can I still use it?
-how is the maintenance on these? One of the reasons that I liked my old 2 stroke is that they're fairly low maintenance...same w/ the 300?
-I have no idea how the tubeless system works. Are they a plus, or just annoying? Can they fail and leave me stranded?
-I know some of the newer exc's are 6 speed. Is the '05 the 6 speed?
-I'm used to the really low 1st gear on my WR. Will the rekluse help negate the need for such a low 1st gear that I like?

-any other advice on the 300's?

The bike is in Rock Springs. Is anybody heading that way any time soon?

Thanks guys! Due to all of the questions, I didn't want to post this in the general questions thread and have the answers be spread all over the thread.

 

[Caleb]

Well, in my research when I was looking for a 300, everything I found said 08+ in when they made the most improvement and to get as new as you could afford. That's not to say the 05 won't be a great bike. Also, don;t get too caught up with the exc, as KTM no longer makes a 2T exc for the US. They do make a 4T exc but it's a different bike. The models get confusing. I don't know if the 05 had 6 speed, if I were to guess, I would say no. Although, I wouldn;t worry about that. The 6 speed may be nice for 1% of the time, plus the top gear on most of the 5 speeds is the same as the 6th gear. Not always, but most of the time. Those that think otherwise, it's all in their head.

The tubeliss system is cool, but may be annoying. It basically acts like a staun beadlock. You have a chamber that rides tight to the rim that has a tube in it that you pump up to something like 90-100 psi. Then you no longer have a normal tube. So if you get a flat, you patch it with a plug kit and don't have to pull the tire or anything. I think they'd be sweet, I was super impressed with it when Greg got a flat on our Moab -> Fruita ride. I don't think Greg was a huge fan of them though and he actually had them.

If it has the EXP or the Core EXP Rekluse, then you clutch will be the exact same as it is now. However, you may think you like your clutch, but I'll warn you once you no longer have to use it, you'll begin to care less about it It does help to alleviate the need for a super deep first gear, however, the first on the 300s is pretty deep, and if it's geared down lower than stock, I'm willing to bet the first will be as low or lower than you have on your WR.

The power band on my 300 was a beast, but completely manageable. I know that makes very little sense. They don't have the hit like a typical 2T bike, but if you get on the pipe, you better hang on because it can definitely take you for a ride.

300 maintenance is just like any other 2T...i.e. very little. Change your air filter every couple rides, change oil as needed. Despite it riding a lot like a 4T, it still has the maintenance of a 2T.

This is all based on my '08 300, so the 05 may be completely different but I doubt it's tons different. The current 300 EXC that's made overseas is equivalent to the US 300 XC-W. I don't think that's exactly true for the older EXCs, but it will probably get you in the ballpark of what to expect from it.

 

[pELYgroso]

Awesome, thanks!

If I'm in 1st gear, stopped, clutch out, and I give it a smooth throttle, will the rekluse catch at some point and lurch the bike forward, or is it a smooth release of the power?

 

[Cascadia]

It'll lurch forward a bit. Mine didn't jump. And it was pretty smooth after it caught. It was nothing that bothered me. I don't know if this is how they all are but this is how mine was. The benefits outweighed the negatives by far...if there were any negatives.

 

[Caleb]

I'm not sure what you mean. If I sit there in first, stopped, clutch out and roll on the throttle, it's 100% smooth. There isn't a point that it catches and and starts to go (or at least there shouldn't be). When you're in first, no throttle, if it's adjusted correctly you will have a tiny bit of pull. It's small enough that a foot down should stop it from moving forward.

 

[Cascadia]

Maybe mine just needed to be adjusted then.

 

[ChestonScout]

Awesome, thanks!

If I'm in 1st gear, stopped, clutch out, and I give it a smooth throttle, will the rekluse catch at some point and lurch the bike forward, or is it a smooth release of the power?

I would describe it like a snowmobile take off. If you hammer the throttle it will take off fast. If you roll into it, its smooth. I have little experience with the Rekluse but its just enough to know I want one. I borrowed Russ' Revlock (same as EXP) and my first ride with it will be tomorrow. I cant wait!

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm excited for you Tyler. I don't think the 300 will have nearly the hit of your 250. You're one of the best riders I know who can really use the clutch. I am excited to hear what you think of a rekluse.

 

[pELYgroso]

Thanks Steve! All I've heard are good things about the 300 and the rekluse, so I'm pretty stoked!

 

[pELYgroso]

Picked her up yesterday! The PO told me that since they're at 7200' elevation (Rock Springs), I should adjust the needle clip down a notch to richen it up a bit. Does that sound right? and put in a larger jet?

Just from riding it around the block, the power feels pretty much the same as my 250, just a lot smoother. The suspension feels better, and the rekluse clutch seems pretty sweet, although I'm sure I'll appreciate it more when I'm off-road!

 

[GAR]

If you ride mt. single track your average elevation is around 7200ft, just a thought

 

[sixstringsteve]

Very clean bike. Let's get it dirty this weekend.

 

[jentzschman]

Congrats on the new bike! Looks great.

 

[glockman]

I'm jealous. That is a nice looking bike.


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[pELYgroso]

Thanks guys!

I adjusted the needle clip down a notch and it REALLY made a difference! I'll have to see if it still runs well when I get up AF canyon....

 

[Gravy]

shiny!