Beta xtrainer vs KTM Freeride 250

[shank]

So here I am looking at new bikes and came across these two, which seem pretty comparable.

While I'm not a novice rider by any means. These two bikes peeked my interest as a 2nd bike while keeping my 450 as my primary bike.

Anybody have any experience/knowledge with these two models they'd care to share.

I guess I could of posted this else where, but I'm looking for real PNW opinions. Thanks in advance

Shank

Edited January 15, 2017 by shank

[Wonderspoon]

You might PM Itlksez. He got a xtrainer for his wife but seemed to really like it. I sat in his garage and drooled at it a bit but have no personal experience.

[motovita]

 Not really all that comparable. The Beta is a slightly scaled down competition bike like your 450, The KTM is a purpose built technical bike with a short wheelbase and steep steering angle. Both are fun, just pick whichever appeals to you.

[campdirt]

rode a 250cc  2 stroke version of the ktm freeride. you dont want to go fast on it for sure.frt. forks are like a minibike.

[jblob]

Check out "cross training enduro on youtube he did a pretty extensive review on the beta and i think one of the freeride

Edited January 16, 2017 by jblob

[ITLKSEZ]

[highmarker]

Freeride has the sketchy old style estart with no kicker

[Ud_Luz]

rode a 250cc  2 stroke version of the ktm freeride. you dont want to go fast on it for sure.frt. forks are like a minibike.

We have two xTrainers. You don't want to go fast on them either. One fork is compression, one rebound with a single spring.

 

That being said, the xT is brilliant in the tight stuff. It's the same engine as the 300 enduro but tuned for bottom end torque. Also the chassis is a bit smaller than the enduro. 

 

Good bike.  ?

 

The Freeride has weird gear spacing and isn't nearly as good if you want to pick up the pace. It too is very good on tight technical trails, better than the xT.

[shank]

Well after watching videos, and looking into it more. I'm liking the xtrainer more and more. Being a 300 and slightly less is a selling point going to try and make some time to go look at one soon

[oldgrunt]

Well after watching videos, and looking into it more. I'm liking the xtrainer more and more. Being a 300 and slightly less is a selling point going to try and make some time to go look at one soon

 

I bought the first X-Trainer that came into the state and found it to be the very best enduro bike I have owned in my 60 years of motorcycling.  If it were not for my age and arthritis I would still be riding it.  (930 months. But who's counting?)  The bike would do everything I wanted it to do except stand itself back up when I dropped it.  I just don't have the strength I had when I was only 780 months.  So I traded it back in for a Beta Sport trials bike with 2.1 gallon gas capacity which is 50 pounds lighter wet than the XT is dry.

[ITLKSEZ]

His wife got a xtrainer for him to lust over...

Fixt that for ya.

It really is a magical bike. She still owes about $500 on it (until I'm officially "allowed" to ride it), so I don't have any true trail miles on it, but I do have several solid hours on it around our 6 acre training ground. I can say that I've taken it places without even thinking where I'd never even considered taking any of our other bikes.

My only concern is the fuel range. The tank is small, and the only aftermarket tank available is still under 3 gallons. That's sort of a deal breaker for me. Other than that, it's a dream. At first, we were worried about it not having a kick starter, but it seems like it will crank forever with no fade. The other day I tried to start it for longer than I care to admit before I realized I forgot to turn the gas on.

My wife is one happy camper. Happy wife, happy life.

[highmarker]

Some guys i know with the xtrainer might have been better with a std 300 with lowered susp because they still try to push the pace and really bought it for the low seat.

[Slackkinhard]

I rode a guys freeride at Russ' Naches event. It was a fun, easy, little bike to ride. Reminded a lot of the Gas Gas Pampera in capability, but different chassis. I pretty much know what would happen to it if I started to romp...it would end up just like the Pampera...getting welded up ?

[shank]

I swung by Frank's in Bellevue this afternoon. For a duel sport set up, bark busters, pipe guard, FMF sparky, and skid plate, tax and all the good stuff it will be around 9200.

Sitting on it, it felt nice, didn't ride it around at all.

So I'm thinking closer to spring time I'll pull the trigger since I know what I'm looking at