Built Yz125 vs built Ktm 125

idiotic isaac
Edited Date/Time 8/6/2020 1:51pm
Hey motards, I’m returning to the reddit of Moto to ask a question about 125s. So I’m wondering wether it’s better to get a Yz125 and put money into engine work or to get a Ktm or Husky 125 and put money into suspension work. I need to race school boy 1 and 125 B/C so I can’t put a big bore in the Yz btw.

Thanks
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Rickyisms
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Rickyisms 7/18/2020 10:33pm
7/18/2020 10:33pm
KTM with good suspension and simple mods will be easier to ride faster.
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Donkey Kong
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Donkey Kong 7/18/2020 11:13pm
7/18/2020 11:13pm
They're both good so the real answer is it doesn't really matter but I'd get the KTM personally.
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chump6784
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chump6784 7/19/2020 12:05am
7/19/2020 12:05am
There is a poster here who had a shop do the motor on his sons KTM 125 but his son couldn't get used to it. He then bought a yz 125 and had the same shop do the engine work and they achieved the same power output as the KTM.
There are plenty of people who have spent good money on the KTM suspension only to be unhappy with it or go all in on a spring conversion. There are also people who like the stock KTM suspension.
Either way you'd have a bad ass bike but IMO, I'd go the yz with engine work
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cody41
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cody41 7/19/2020 5:45am
7/19/2020 5:45am
I’d go yz with engine work. The chassis and suspension makes it easier to ride fast.
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yz133rider
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yz133rider 7/19/2020 5:47am
7/19/2020 5:47am
I’d vote ktm with spring forks and jetted well and run t2. A stock ktm on t2 is going to make similar power to a yz with $$$$ put into it.
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navalseabee
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navalseabee 7/19/2020 5:53am
7/19/2020 5:53am
I’m in the camp of having spent tons of money on KTM suspension only to end up unhappy. Tried it all, valving spring conversions etc. based on how good the KYB stuff is I‘d go that route personally.
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yz133rider
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yz133rider 7/19/2020 6:01am
7/19/2020 6:01am
navalseabee wrote:
I’m in the camp of having spent tons of money on KTM suspension only to end up unhappy. Tried it all, valving spring conversions etc. based...
I’m in the camp of having spent tons of money on KTM suspension only to end up unhappy. Tried it all, valving spring conversions etc. based on how good the KYB stuff is I‘d go that route personally.
Bingo , kyb, ohlins or cone valves whichever you get best deal on don’t think u can go wrong.
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bh
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bh 7/19/2020 6:37am
7/19/2020 6:37am
Really depends on how much you weigh. If your a lightweight the power won’t be as important as the handling but if your on the heavier side I would worry more about the power.
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MZ193
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MZ193 7/19/2020 6:59am
7/19/2020 6:59am
I'd go with the orange one.
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mx98wfo
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mx98wfo 7/19/2020 7:07am
7/19/2020 7:07am
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha is the better bike as the chassis and suspension are better and it’s easier to go fast on a good chassis with less motor.
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BobPA
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BobPA 7/19/2020 8:41am
7/19/2020 8:41am
mx98wfo wrote:
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha...
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha is the better bike as the chassis and suspension are better and it’s easier to go fast on a good chassis with less motor.
Keefer also worked for Yamaha for a large number of years.

I have ridden both, the KTM engine is much better out of the box. It is also better after you throw money at it.

You guys must be awfully fussy to hate your suspension that much. My '17 450 is bone stock and handles excellent. 80% of my friends are still on stock suspenders as well...some of them can get around a track pretty well too.

Chassis is a matter of opinion. I hate the two stroke YZ's. They feel like I am riding something from the early 2000's. The modern KTM chassis does everything better IMO.

But, it is all rider preference...see what YOU like, not a bunch of bros on the internet. But, if it were my money, why would you spend top dollar on a bike that saw its last revision 14 or so years ago.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 7/19/2020 9:25am
7/19/2020 9:25am
Well, the stock KTM/Husky seems to whoop-ass on a mod'd Yamaha. So, there's the answer when it comes to racing.

The AER's with the new internals like the 2020 Rockstar/Red Bull editions have (and the stock 2021s will have...or so I'm led to believe) those new forks work really, really nicley. The stock shock seems awfully damn good, to me.

Also, the stock KTM/Husky motor runs STUPID FAST on T2 mixed at 50:1.
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HondaFan33
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HondaFan33 7/19/2020 10:30am
7/19/2020 10:30am
TeamGreen wrote:
Well, the stock KTM/Husky seems to whoop-ass on a mod'd Yamaha. So, there's the answer when it comes to racing. The AER's with the new internals...
Well, the stock KTM/Husky seems to whoop-ass on a mod'd Yamaha. So, there's the answer when it comes to racing.

The AER's with the new internals like the 2020 Rockstar/Red Bull editions have (and the stock 2021s will have...or so I'm led to believe) those new forks work really, really nicley. The stock shock seems awfully damn good, to me.

Also, the stock KTM/Husky motor runs STUPID FAST on T2 mixed at 50:1.
Isn’t T2 mixed at 40:1 already? Curious what you mix it with to make its 50:1 and why? I assumed the point of a premixed has was to avoid the hassle of mixing. I’m looking at getting a 150 so curious about the hot setups, thanks.
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H4L
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H4L 7/19/2020 10:33am
7/19/2020 10:33am
My vote would go to the YZ.. It's a solid platform with very good suspension from the showroom floor.
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seth505
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seth505 7/19/2020 10:43am
7/19/2020 10:43am
How are people saying the yz chassis is better? Have you ridden both bikes and still feel that’s true?
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OneWordResponseGuy 7/19/2020 10:54am
7/19/2020 10:54am
Sorry, but the YZ chassis is not nearly as good as the KTM. It might be better suspended but it's completely outclassed in motor, brakes, chassis, ergos and potential to make even better.
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kkawboy14
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kkawboy14 7/19/2020 10:56am
7/19/2020 10:56am
OneWordResponseGuy wrote:
Sorry, but the YZ chassis is not nearly as good as the KTM. It might be better suspended but it's completely outclassed in motor, brakes, chassis...
Sorry, but the YZ chassis is not nearly as good as the KTM. It might be better suspended but it's completely outclassed in motor, brakes, chassis, ergos and potential to make even better.
Seems like Ty and Levi would disagree with your statement
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OneWordResponseGuy 7/19/2020 11:06am
7/19/2020 11:06am Edited Date/Time 7/19/2020 11:09am
kkawboy14 wrote:
Seems like Ty and Levi would disagree with your statement
Ty Masterpool was head and shoulders above his competition that year. Not surprising. Here are the results from last year.

Looks like the consumers disagree with your statement.







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yz133rider
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yz133rider 7/19/2020 11:14am
7/19/2020 11:14am
kkawboy14 wrote:
Seems like Ty and Levi would disagree with your statement
OneWordResponseGuy wrote:
Ty Masterpool was head and shoulders above his competition that year. Not surprising. Here are the results from last year. Looks like the consumers disagree with...
Ty Masterpool was head and shoulders above his competition that year. Not surprising. Here are the results from last year.

Looks like the consumers disagree with your statement.







Dang. 7 out of the top 10 were husky/ktm and that year 9/10. Pretty well settles that.

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Kyle978
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Kyle978 7/19/2020 11:21am
7/19/2020 11:21am
Buy a KTM, send the suspension to Enzo, put a pipe and silencer on it, get it jetted correctly and go rip!
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Motofinne
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Motofinne 7/19/2020 11:26am
7/19/2020 11:26am Edited Date/Time 7/20/2020 12:06am
mx98wfo wrote:
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha...
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha is the better bike as the chassis and suspension are better and it’s easier to go fast on a good chassis with less motor.
I really, really like the Keefers. But that is such a weird move. Either someone is getting paid or his kid is an absolute exception (little, little minority) that somehow has a style that suits the YZ better.

I have had the chance to ride both 2020 bikes at the same track on the same day. I can't understand how a rider would pick the YZ if they have the option to get a SX (or TC). And this is coming from me, a guy that has bought 3 brand new 4-stroke Yamahas the last 3 years.

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idiotic isaac 7/19/2020 11:41am
7/19/2020 11:41am
mx98wfo wrote:
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha...
Keefer Testing just talked about this on one of his last podcasts. His son is riding 125’s and they tested both but decided that the Yamaha is the better bike as the chassis and suspension are better and it’s easier to go fast on a good chassis with less motor.
Motofinne wrote:
I really, really like the Keefers. But that is such a weird move. Either someone is getting paid or his kid is an absolute exception (little...
I really, really like the Keefers. But that is such a weird move. Either someone is getting paid or his kid is an absolute exception (little, little minority) that somehow has a style that suits the YZ better.

I have had the chance to ride both 2020 bikes at the same track on the same day. I can't understand how a rider would pick the YZ if they have the option to get a SX (or TC). And this is coming from me, a guy that has bought 3 brand new 4-stroke Yamahas the last 3 years.

Which did you notice any glaring issues about the suspension/handling going from one to the other?
endurox
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endurox 7/19/2020 11:48am
7/19/2020 11:48am
Put the WP spring kit in the KTM, VHM head with SX or MX insert and go ride.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 7/19/2020 11:54am
7/19/2020 11:54am
TeamGreen wrote:
Well, the stock KTM/Husky seems to whoop-ass on a mod'd Yamaha. So, there's the answer when it comes to racing. The AER's with the new internals...
Well, the stock KTM/Husky seems to whoop-ass on a mod'd Yamaha. So, there's the answer when it comes to racing.

The AER's with the new internals like the 2020 Rockstar/Red Bull editions have (and the stock 2021s will have...or so I'm led to believe) those new forks work really, really nicley. The stock shock seems awfully damn good, to me.

Also, the stock KTM/Husky motor runs STUPID FAST on T2 mixed at 50:1.
HondaFan33 wrote:
Isn’t T2 mixed at 40:1 already? Curious what you mix it with to make its 50:1 and why? I assumed the point of a premixed has...
Isn’t T2 mixed at 40:1 already? Curious what you mix it with to make its 50:1 and why? I assumed the point of a premixed has was to avoid the hassle of mixing. I’m looking at getting a 150 so curious about the hot setups, thanks.
You add VPR to get it down to 50:1. I add 1,125 gallons of VPR to the 5 gallons of T2. I've had really good luck with this ratio on that engine...with this fuel. Bikes run amazing, engines last forever and the plugs look perfect.
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2F4A
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2F4A 7/19/2020 12:10pm
7/19/2020 12:10pm
Just look at the stacked EMX 125 result sheets of the last 5 years and you know what the best platform is. Husky or KTM.
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GeorgiePorgie 7/19/2020 12:14pm
7/19/2020 12:14pm
I wish my yz144 would stop like my ktm..., it’s a toss up theyre both great bikes.
MotoChris
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MotoChris 7/19/2020 12:57pm
7/19/2020 12:57pm
Races are not won on a dyno. With proper set up either bike can be competitive at a national level. You can see all the post before this that there are varying opinions. It would probably benefit you to ride each bike for the “feel” of the chassis and ergos and be confident that which ever bike you chose based on those characteristics would be the best for YOU knowing that the power or suspension deficit with either bike could be overcome to a reasonable standard.
Donkey Kong
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Donkey Kong 7/19/2020 3:01pm
7/19/2020 3:01pm
BobPA wrote:
Keefer also worked for Yamaha for a large number of years. I have ridden both, the KTM engine is much better out of the box. It...
Keefer also worked for Yamaha for a large number of years.

I have ridden both, the KTM engine is much better out of the box. It is also better after you throw money at it.

You guys must be awfully fussy to hate your suspension that much. My '17 450 is bone stock and handles excellent. 80% of my friends are still on stock suspenders as well...some of them can get around a track pretty well too.

Chassis is a matter of opinion. I hate the two stroke YZ's. They feel like I am riding something from the early 2000's. The modern KTM chassis does everything better IMO.

But, it is all rider preference...see what YOU like, not a bunch of bros on the internet. But, if it were my money, why would you spend top dollar on a bike that saw its last revision 14 or so years ago.
Only people who don't ride rough tracks say that WP suspension stock is the same or just as good as KYB on a Yamaha.
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