Which 200

[noobi]

Hi, thought id start my own thread.

im looking to upgrade, i think itll either be a
2007 or nemer Gasgas EC200
or a
2006 or newer KTM 200EXC/XCW

i understand that this is a bit bias starting the thread here but no one replied on thumpertalk so itll have to be here.

What are the pros and cons of each bike, what year is best, which one you prefer?
the local gasgas dealer is a ktm dealer also so that doesnt matter.

any input is appreciated
thanks,
noobi

[roostafish]

I think the 2007 and newer KTM is probably pretty good, I'm not sure. I have never liked the KTM 200. I like the bigger bikes, but not the 200 because it just doesn't seem settled to me.

I think the Gas Gas 200 is easier to ride. I think that any year, brand new Gas Gas 200 is better than the KTM 200. If you can get a leftover brand new Gas Gas 200 for $5000 or less, you are going to be way ahead of a brand new KTM. If they're both the same price, both the same year, and both are 2007 or newer, I'd say........ Toss a coin because lots of people really like the KTM 200. Maybe you should just go with your gut.

[skid jackson]

I've been going over this same question ...
My answer would be to go with which ever one fits you best.
I almost got an 08 ktm 200 last fall. After riding my buds 08 several times this summer If I get 200 it will be a gas gas. The ktms have a fat bulky feel about them down at the foot pegs that bugs me. My gg 300 and my husky 125 both have a nice slim feel down at the foot pegs. The husky fits me best from an ergonomic stand point but is too damn tall. The gg is a nice bike for short legs but the 300 has too much damn motor. A husky 200 that is about 2 inches lower than my 125 would be perfect .... unfortunately it doesn't exist.

[roostafish]

Skid, there are a handful of real believers in that Husky with a "150" kit. I think it's probably a 144, but there are some fans out there. I've never ridden one with the kit, but I can tell you that I really like the WR 125, I'd probably do the squish band mod on it though, and maybe even go for even higher compression. As good as the chassis is, it's still a 125, and coming from a 300, I've gotten lazy!

[skid jackson]

If the weather holds ... I 'll find out what the husky 144 is like ...
I squeaked the piston on the 125 about 3 weeks back. I sent the head out of E gorr for a 144 kit .... don't think it will get back in time, but ......

[Berkyboy]

I should have a chance to ride a stroked 150 GasGas next week as I'm traveling to Spain to go over some end of the year stuff at the factory.

Officially GasGas is not building one, they've just messed around with it a little in the R&D department and we thought we have a look at what they've come up with. If we like what we see we may develop a US GasGas 150 kit.

We actually have one in the works for "hasslebria," which should be completed sometime during the first of the year. Brian had very good luck on his '09 EC125 GasGas this year where he finished second in the District 23 (AMA) Hare Scrambles 0-200CC "A" class while competing in a sea of orange 200s.

I think his best finish was first in class and 5th overall in a mud race that left most of the four-strokes that were eligible for the overall boiling over and running hot where his 125 was running as strong as ever.

Initial reports are that the 150 kit is like magic as the motor gains just enough low end to help keep you out of trouble in the technical stuff without taking away the over rev which is were the 125 makes its most useable power.

Of course the biggest advantage is the bike is based on the lighter 125 frame while the motor out pulls most stock 200s which are built on heavier 250 style frames.

As far as the EC200 GasGas goes (2007 and newer) the biggest improvement for the motor is to run a 10mm spacer on the stock pipe (where it leaves the exhaust spigot) to let the motor pull more like a 250.

I ran a 200 with this mod most of the summer and couldn't believe how easy this bike was to ride. Hands down one of the easiest off-road motorcycles I've ever ridden with plenty of power on tap with nothing more then a flip of the throttle.

[roostafish]

I'm very interested in hearing what the Gas Gas 150 bike is like. Gran Prix Cycle has a brand new MC 125 for a steal. The only thing keeping me from being more interested is how much of a disadvantage a 125 is to 250F's.

I realize the ISDE E-1 class is 80-125cc 2t and up to 250cc 4t, but if one were to buy that bike, qualify and race on it, then bring it home and freshen it up to be a 150, that would be cheap entertainment. Heck, I could get that bike, put my wheels and suspension on it and save myself a lot of dialing in the process. Hmmmmmmm.

[Berkyboy]

What makes a 125 shine in the woods is the ability of the bikes suspension, which is influenced by the rotating mass of the crank, to easily forgive too much momentum.

Bigger displacement bikes, 250 or 300 (two-stroke) and 450f's have a tendency to smash through obstacles (roots and rocks) where the 125s suspension easily absorbs the same obstacles.

The key to riding a 125 (or stroked 150) is to keep the motor "singing," or on the pipe, and carry your speed wherever possible. Of course 125s aren't for everybody and aren't for every track but in the hands of the right rider they are easily the bike or choice.

[skid jackson]

hmm gas gas 150 set up for the techy nasty woods stuff in New England ....
bet that would be popular bike in my neck of the woods

[roostafish]

I used to ride 125's back in the '90s, I thought they were great. The problem was when things got really ugly, and you needed a bike to chug through some situations, it was not as fun. I found that I could ride really aggressively for about 3 hours, then the fatigue from listening to it started setting in. It's not like the bikes were loud, they had a 94db sound limit back then too at ISDE qualifiers, but it still got to me.

I'll bet the new bikes are quieter and less tiring on the mind, but all that angry sound is one of the main reasons I went to a bigger bike.