Hidden Treasures?? KTM 200??

[john durrill]

Dirtbike,
 send me an e-mail to [email protected]
 I can send a reply with the picture attached.
John D.

[DKWRACER]

200 turned into a 300 Exc, I like big bores you know, and I won't stop till I'm dead, Santa came early this year.....

[hrbay]

Here's another take on modern stuff. Looking at the last thirty or so yrs the offroad scene has gone up and down at the retail levels . The single requirement for manufacturers is to get market share and return on investment. There has not been a start up or a family run company to survive too well in this market since Maico. The innovation we see on the modern bikes seems to be improvments by committee, they simply increase the technical degree of difficulty to solve simple problems and pass on the costs. I have wrenched on bikes for too long I guess, not enough on newer bikes, and am in technical shock, now that I am looking to buy a modern bike. I see hydraulic systems,(brakes and clutch) 900.00 dollar carbs, cartridge suspensions, et al, that really seem over the top for riding in the woods. I am looking at a KTM 250 4 stroke real hard but GAWD, I hit my leg on the fender every time.... George

GC

[LynnCamp]

Congratulations!!! Believing in Santa Claus sure payed off.

Paul mentioned that once with KTM, you don't see many switch to another brand.  Thought you all might be interested in some statistics I ran across in "Dealer News".

2003 DIRTBIKE Forecast By Brand

HONDA            122,454-44.79
YAMAHA            81,741-29.90%
SUZUKI            24,877-9.10%
KAWASAKI          28,937-10.59%
KTM               15,042-5.50%
OTHER                317-0.11%
Total Units:     273,368

2003 Calendar Year RETAIL Sales Trend

ATV             -0.25%
STREET           2.96%
DUAL            -5.67%
DIRT             9.33%
SCOOTER         12.77%

Forecast, NEW-UNIT Retail Sales By Segment
Calendar Year 2003

ATV              767,698-46.36%
STREET           550,115-33.22%
DIRT             273,368-16.51%
DUAL              19,445-1.17%
SCOOTER           45,171-2.73%
Total Units:     1,655,796

(Note:  Dealer News cautions that these estimates and could be subject to error.)

[dirtbike]

hrbay...
I think I see what you mean! I figure like this. With the most modern of technology. It is possible to build a 200cc engine, watercooled, so ported that you need to change piston every 15hour, computer controlled exhaust ports, $900 carb or why not injection, the thinnest skinniest cases and gear wheels to save weight just to end up with a power output of a 1980 KTM 390. Amazing, ehh?!?!

I just don't see why I that don't race GP's should wast tenfold the money on that.