KTM 300 MXC reviews

I picked up a new '02 KTM 300MXC in mid-2002 as a replacement for a '99 300EXC. With the '02 engine pretty much unchanged from the '99 version, the feel of the power delivery was the same - loads of low-end 'grunt' and more power than I could ever use. The 43mm WP forks were quite a change from the massive 50mm's on the '99 EXC, which sacrificed weight for plushness. The '02 forks were the opposite - much lighter, which made the front end easy to loft over logs, but they were harsh. Some of the rough stuff the '99 EXC would float over was sometimes bone-jarring on the '02 MXC. I ended up buying a do-it-yourself revalve kit that helped the fork action but never got it close to the 50mm WP's. In 2003, KTM finally abandonded the 43mm forks. Reliability was an issue in the first year, as the shift drum bolt backed itself out, thanks to the factory failing to apply thread locking material. That was an expensive, time-consuming fix. I never could get the carb jetting right and had to use race gas to keep the engine from knocking. Eventually I discovered C&M Machine and Clay Wolfe, who figured out that KTM's engine manufacturing tolerences weren't as exact as they should have been. C&M cleaned up the cylinder head and - presto! - no more engine knocking (and no more race gas). The front brake has been spongy from Day 1, despite my many attempts to improve the action. The Brembo front brakes on KTM's are very inconsistent - some are one-finger strong; others (like mine) will just never give you that kind of satisfaction. Other than that, I've generally been happy with the MXC. It's mostly my enduro bike and my first choice whenever I know I'm going to be on the bike for many hours. The low-end power delivery of the 300 engine lets me conserve energy. In 2006 I spent a week in the high mountains of Colorado, and with just a few minor jetting changes the MXC ran perfectly and was a joy to ride. The hydraulic clutch is like butter and the linkage-less PDS shock only has to be serviced about once a year - when the lower heim bearing goes out (no every-other-ride linkage greasing). Best of all, there is a huge aftermarket for all sorts of KTM-unique parts and gadgets, the best of which come from Enduro Engineering and eRider. Show less

I bought this bike brand new and have had to do nothing other than annual maintenance. It always starts within 3 or 4 kicks, even after months of sitting. I have ridden numerous Japanese bikes of the '03 and '04 model years and none can compare with the Austrian machine. Favorite past times of mine are leaving hot-shot CRF 450 and YZF 450 riders in the dust. IMHO, no dedicated dirt machine out performs the KTM, and the 300 has the low-end grunt necessary for back-woods trail riding as well as an earth-shredding powerband that no other MX bike I've found can pace. Show less

Wow! What can I say this bike ripps. It has everything. It is the smoothest most refined monster out their. My dealer hooked me up at a great price and even delivered it to me in the mountains. It you want a bike that will rip in the woods and not leave you hanging for power even at 12,000 feat this is the beast. I ride a Polaris RMK 800 in the Winter if you like that you will love this bike. Show less