Silly question from newbie

[wrench]

OK, here's my .02 .... having lived in USNY, owned both the 250/300 [GG & KTM], read your evaluation of your own riding style and your last post that you will get the 250 due to $$. This is my suggestion and reasoning.

You will end up with a 300.

The 250GG has a more linear [electric like] bottom into the mid power curve where it transforms into a mx'er type of "hit" from mid to top. WOT can get you into trouble in the tight stuff.

The 300 is linear through out with a mild "controllable hit" as you approach WOT. On fast transfer sections, the front wheel usually stays about 1-2ft off the ground in 4th-6th with WOT throttle input. A little slip of the clutch will loft the front over obstacles with ease in the lower gears. Think of the 300 as the perfect balance and the 250 a smother less violent MX power curve.

An auto clutch would make the 250 more forgiving as it will stall more quickly than the 300.

I went from a converted MX 250 to a KTM 300, then GG250 and finally the GG300. As I got older, my riding style changed [mostly due to lack of time for training as my kids became more active], I went from a fairly quick, gear banger to a more deliberate, smoother less hard in, clutch dump out of the turn style. That is when switched from the MXer to the pupmkin 300 [2001], I loved the engine, but hated the suspension/ergo's of it. I had ridden the bike 3yrs earlier and liked it, so when my buddy got a new on, I bought it. After six months I thought I needed to go back to a 250, and jumped at a friends GG250 [2001] when he put it up for sale.
I really liked the handling/ergo's and power. The only problem was that it did require more "work" to ride than that 300 did. More like my old 250, which my "style" no longer worked with. Even though I felt more comfortable on it, I was actually slower. A year later, that same friend was bitten by the DualSport bug and since our state would not tag his GG300, I bought it.
Best decision so far. It is a 2003 model and has been the easiest bike to ride that I have ever had in the woods. As I get older and slower [near 50] I find that the seems to be better suited to a more decisive/deliberate riding style, not saying that it can't handle a quicker style, just that it is more forgiving to mistakes.

I can only imagine that the newer bikes are worlds better and I am sure that if you contact Rod Overstreet, he will get you hooked up with what ever demo you want in your area.

Perhaps you would do better to buy an older model 250 to see if you like it or not, you can resell it for what you paid [plenty of deals out there] and then you will have an easier time shelling out the cash for a new one without the "hit" on resale value.

In closing, I will repeat ... your described riding style suggests that you will end up with a 300cc bike.