2012-2015 ktm sx 250

12/2/2017 4:09am Edited Date/Time 12/16/2019 5:00am
how did you guys like the older models ktm sx 250? i know the forks where bad but you can always change that.
how was the sock and the bike in general ? was it reliable?
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RPM68
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1559
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11/18/2006
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DFW, TX US
12/2/2017 4:32am
how did you guys like the older models ktm sx 250? i know the forks where bad but you can always change that. how was the...
how did you guys like the older models ktm sx 250? i know the forks where bad but you can always change that.
how was the sock and the bike in general ? was it reliable?
I loved mine, had my best races on my ‘13. Lots of stuff broke for no reason bc it vibrated a lot but one of my favorite bikes ever.
Pirate421
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1812
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7/26/2015
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MA US
12/2/2017 4:47am
I have a 14 and it’s been a great bike. 65 hrs no issues, jd jet kit and runs awesome. They do vibrate more than the new ‘17-18 but no more than the YZ250 I had. Just make sure you keep the motor mounts tight with a dab of blue Loctite and that will keep vibration down.

The pre 2015 have the cc forks which are cheaper and easier to get right than the 4cs. They are really good when setup by a reputable tuner for your weight and ability. I think this generation of bike is the most under rated. Go for it
Motofinne
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10670
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FI
12/2/2017 4:50am Edited Date/Time 12/2/2017 4:53am
The WP CC forks were pretty good, i had Race Tech tuned CC forks on my 2014 SXF 450 and they were really good. The CC forks were on at least the 2013 and 2014 KTMs if i remember right.

The 2015 got the not so good 4CS fork.
Markee
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4/15/2013
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Suffolk, VA US
Fantasy
2006th
12/2/2017 4:50am
I put a lot of hours on my 13, motor was awesome other than the vibration. Clutches lasted for ever. I had the shock revalved and never looked back, worked fine.

The forks before the 4cs are not bad, but I ended up doing a KYB conversion.

Filter cage needs replacing with something like a DT1. Stock cage can shake loose. They are thinner than the current model as well.

1.5 out on air screw
42 slow jet
170 main jet
NECJ needle
40:1
Red spring on power valve, 1/8 from flush

I found the Bill's pipe and silencer worked great.

The Shop

wpark89
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1115
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA US
12/2/2017 5:36am
I'm still riding a 13 (bought in 15 with only 1 hour on it)

At first I wanted my 07 RM 250 back but after re valving the forks it was a whole new bike. I used the RM needle and I had to go leaner than what everyone else says on the pilot

The only thing I've broke is the stock pipe...but I raced 250 SX's back in 00-02 and the stock pipes always cracked.


Pirate421
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1812
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7/26/2015
Location
MA US
12/2/2017 6:26am
Love these bikes post up a picture and a ride report if you get it
Pyry
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13
Joined
4/4/2014
Location
FI
12/2/2017 6:51am
170 hours on my 2013. Back end of MXB and cross country racing. Had to do crank bearings at around 110 hours, other than that only scheduled maintenance and replacing stuff broken from crashes. Haven't touched clutch or transmission yet. Overall very reliable bike. Hydraulic clutch is great.

I can't tell the difference between good and bad suspension and have only done basic maintenance once a year. I think I blew one fork seal a few years back. Footpegs were done at 150 hrs, new pegs sit very tightly so no frame wear. Lost a couple of engine bolts too.

The first time I had my subframe apart I noticed some wear from sand getting between the aluminium and plastics. I taped the subframe with some number background and the last time I checked no new wear.

12/2/2017 8:05am Edited Date/Time 12/2/2017 8:09am
I have 600+ hours on my 2011 model One problem i have had is that the power valve o rings get worn and start leaking.
Another is that the boots rub the subframe on the left side so i just zip ty around it.

Stock exhaust Got a minor crack in the mount tab. Replaced whit a Pro Circut and used gasket sealant on the orings and silencer joint.

I replaced the Front forks whit Honda Forks that was a lot better than the stock forks


I replace 1 piston every year to be safe
2
hyler199
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621
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4/23/2017
Location
CA
12/2/2017 9:12am
I have a 2013 with id say 200 to 230 hours on it. Bought in 2014 from a dealer that was previously used by a CMRC rider. When I picked it up it looked MINT. I assumed under 5 hours of use.

I have not touched a top end or anything internally.

I have had issues with bleeding the front brake. Approx at the end of the year I spent 2 different winters spent hours trying to bleed it and perfect the method of doing so. Turns out on my 3rd winter I bought a syringe and backbled it .......... holy shit in 2 minutes it was amazing.

Findin neutral is a bit tough when stopped and in gear. I normally switch to neutral while im rolling just before I intend to stop.

Ive had p3 carbon pipe which was SICK.... until I hit a tree stump that was hidden and the force bent (not dented) the pipe and broke the exhaust flangeport. Cost me $200ishCAD to replace... now I dont use the p3 pipe id rather dent pipes and get them repaired instead of bending the mounting points etc

Subframe wear is true! Plastics ground my old one down and had cracks 1 inch above the lower mounting bolts by the frame where it gets thin. My dad and I riveted a backplate to it to gain strength.

Never bled clutch, never greased swingarm bearings yet lol (doin that this winter)

SSS suspension revalve


Love the bike.... loctite is key
2
JMX82
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1386
Joined
5/9/2013
Location
Hyllykallio FI
12/2/2017 9:38am
I bought used 2016 250SX which is last bike with old engine and frame from an auction few months ago. I have ridden the bike only three hours but I feel that it is a great handling bike and the vibration doesn't bother me at all. Aluminum framed CR250's vibrate much more than my KTM. The motor has very usable power trough the whole rev range and it is really easy to ride. Rear shock needs some work because it tends to swap side to side in some places and forks suffer from slight mid stroke harshness but over I'm quite happy with the stock suspension. To my surprise European model 2016 250SX came with CC forks instead of dreaded 4CS forks and with newer style fork lugs and axle.





Bermworm
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300
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9/3/2013
Location
CA
12/2/2017 10:30am
how did you guys like the older models ktm sx 250? i know the forks where bad but you can always change that. how was the...
how did you guys like the older models ktm sx 250? i know the forks where bad but you can always change that.
how was the sock and the bike in general ? was it reliable?
RPM68 wrote:
I loved mine, had my best races on my ‘13. Lots of stuff broke for no reason bc it vibrated a lot but one of my...
I loved mine, had my best races on my ‘13. Lots of stuff broke for no reason bc it vibrated a lot but one of my favorite bikes ever.
Same story as RPM68 bought a 13 in August of 12 and paid $ 800cdn for a lifetime transferable comprehensive warranty.Glad I did. First thing was in about a month the pipe split down both sides about 6inches from the exhaust port 4 inches long . Its pretty rocky were I live so I thought it was rock damage got a new free pipe no problem. Next the case seal on the clutch side was paper originally used to blow about every 3rd ride always got replaced or fixed for free. This was an annoyance more than anything as it never leaked that bad but would allow oil out behind the kickstart and make quite a mess.This was fixed when they changed the gasket from paper to rubberized aluminum.Rims tacoed almost immediately went to A60's.Had a clutch cover bolt strip out the internal case had to get the case replaced.Had a fork pinch bolt strip out had to get a Heli coil put in. Had the bottom shock bolt back out on 3 separate occasions each time destroying the rear link.Could never keep any bolt or the spokes tight ever.Sold in 16 and bought a YZ 250(15) have not done a thing except oil and air filters same as the 06 CR 250 I owed before the KTM.My dealer was awesome and the warranty was always honoured(they don't offer it anymore) but I absolutely loved that bike and probably rode my best ever on it. At the end it was just a constant source of anxiety and consumed a lot of time so I pressed the easy button and went back to Japanese.If I could afford a new bike every year I would still be on KTM but would never consider a used one.I've always thought I wouldn't of had these problems if I bought the bike in April 13 instead of August 12 IMO.
Joko
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Cromwell, CT US
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12/2/2017 2:05pm
Has anyone ever balanced the crank with good results? Not sure if the original balance factor is off or the crank assembly is out of true when originally manufactured?
NVA57
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6/10/2015
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NL
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1742nd
12/2/2017 2:25pm
I have a ‘13. Going into my 3rd season with the bike now. It handles very well and suspension is great. There are some downsides though. We had to strengthen the subframe to keep it from cracking due to the wear coming from the plastics. Also, the crank has a weak spot where the threadholes create cracks overtime. Didn’t know about this so it completely shattered with about 100 hours on it.

Of course this can happen with any bike. Just something to keep in check.
seth505
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4/1/2008
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SD, CA US
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1048th
12/2/2017 3:02pm
I liked my 13 a lot but it did vibrate a lot! I had no issues with mine other than slightly notchy shifting at first.
chump6784
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1687
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5/9/2011
Location
AU
12/2/2017 7:44pm
I had a 2012, only put 12 hours on it before i sold it due to injury.
I went from a 2007 RM250 and the ktm was better in every way except for maybe the forks. More power, better brakes, turned in to corners as well but drove better out of them. It had a different feel in the cockpit though and i just never felt as comfortable.

I like my current yz250 better than the ktm. It just fits me better. Little engine work, bigger front brake and flywheel weight and it's a better bike imo
12/2/2017 7:57pm
2014 with 230 hours. Engine is awesome, still on stock lower end and change the piston usually around 30-40 hours. They come out looking great still.
Thelen20
Posts
1997
Joined
11/28/2009
Location
Marshall, TX US
12/3/2017 3:53am
I love my 2015 with about 80 hours on it. On my second top end. I went with cone valve forks for my 4cs fix. I don't feel like I am riding an obsolete bike at all, very competitive model. I have spent some time on a buddy's 2017 250sx, it is nice but I just like how my motor screams compared to his, they are very different engine packages.

Somehow still on the stock clutch too, crazy! I do spend a fair amount of time checking for loose bolts. . . And yes I do find some.
12/3/2017 12:12pm
seems to be a really good bike, and holding up well,
i was going to look at one the weekend but it got sold.
Is the WP CC fork that seems to be on the eu models good ? can it be setup good with just revalving ? has never ridden a bike with cc forks.
chump6784
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Location
AU
12/3/2017 12:32pm
seems to be a really good bike, and holding up well, i was going to look at one the weekend but it got sold. Is the...
seems to be a really good bike, and holding up well,
i was going to look at one the weekend but it got sold.
Is the WP CC fork that seems to be on the eu models good ? can it be setup good with just revalving ? has never ridden a bike with cc forks.
My 12 had the cc forks, once spring rates and valving was done they were much better. I had the same guy do my RM and KTM and the RM was slightly better afterwards.
chump6784
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1687
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5/9/2011
Location
AU
12/9/2017 10:00pm
I just got my yz back from the guy who did the suspension on my last ktm and rm and i will say now, just get a yz. With the suspension done it turns in so much better and the forks on the ktm aren't even close. Throw a dep pipe on it, oversized front rotor and flywheel weight and in my opinion it's a better bike than the ktm
12/13/2019 12:40pm
anyone still riding one of the older ktm 2 strokes ?
2
spimx
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3/25/2019
Location
Port Isabel, TX US
12/13/2019 12:58pm
I had the 13 ktm 250sx with the 300 kit, It was very light it vibrated a lot and had serious acceleration, suspension was not that bad, loads of mechanical problems, too many to list

spimx
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Port Isabel, TX US
12/13/2019 12:58pm

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spimx
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Port Isabel, TX US
12/13/2019 12:59pm

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cody41
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518
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4/25/2013
Location
Miami, FL US
12/14/2019 4:06am
I have Twin Air filters, a wash cap, and a brand new orange Cycra stadium front number plate for these bikes if interested.
MxKing809
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Big Sand Whoops, MI US
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12/14/2019 5:29am Edited Date/Time 12/14/2019 5:33am
I had a 14 that I framed before it was started up, and powder coated the frame. They were orange the year or two later, so I was bummer a bit......

But great bike. Vibe like crazy but have tunable engines. Set the squish, run high quality fuel, play with the power valve. I wasn’t ecstatic about the flex of the frame while rowing through rollers around a corner, but we have sand tracks here so it was amplified. I’m sure it would have been a welcomed cushion on a harder pack track.

Suspension wise: I had FC rework the forks and they were much better, if not a bit harsh. They installed the bladder in the shock to mimic the Japanese bikes, which helped a shit ton. The piston would bind in the WP shock and the bladder floats. It kept the tire engaged at all times through small chop.




2
MxKing809
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Big Sand Whoops, MI US
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12/14/2019 5:30am
MxKing809 wrote:
I had a 14 that I framed before it was started up, and powder coated the frame. They were orange the year or two later, so...
I had a 14 that I framed before it was started up, and powder coated the frame. They were orange the year or two later, so I was bummer a bit......

But great bike. Vibe like crazy but have tunable engines. Set the squish, run high quality fuel, play with the power valve. I wasn’t ecstatic about the flex of the frame while rowing through rollers around a corner, but we have sand tracks here so it was amplified. I’m sure it would have been a welcomed cushion on a harder pack track.

Suspension wise: I had FC rework the forks and they were much better, if not a bit harsh. They installed the bladder in the shock to mimic the Japanese bikes, which helped a shit ton. The piston would bind in the WP shock and the bladder floats. It kept the tire engaged at all times through small chop.




I have the stock engine covers if anyone wants them.
1
kage173
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2125
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11/27/2015
Location
TX US
12/14/2019 6:56am
Best bang for your buck that you can get.

More motor than you need, great handling, very tunable, hydro clutch.
3
1
12/15/2019 1:19pm
kage173 wrote:
Best bang for your buck that you can get.

More motor than you need, great handling, very tunable, hydro clutch.
yes they are starting to get cheap an i would think that it would be an better option than an yz, even tho i like a yz250.

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