650r or 525SX?

[DGA]

I previously owned an '01 XR650R and loved it. I didnt have any problems with it (except for the clutch bushing and countershaft seal). I regretfully sold it back in '02. The uncorked power wasnt bad, but not all I had hoped for. The time has come to buy a bike again. I have always been a die-hard honda fan. I first owned a 2001 XR250r, then a 2001 CR250R, 01 XR650R, 01 CR500R, 02 CRF450 etc, etc. The only bike I was really pleased with the power of was the CR500 2 stroke. My question is how reliable is the 525SX as opposed to the BRP? I have never ridden a KTM. I am used to honda handling. But I really yearn for a lighter big bore. If the BRP weighed the same as the 525 there would be no question. Which bike can you make the most powerful. Power is a big issue but power and weight combined is the #1 issue.

Any thoughts?

[hoptup]

I have a few friends who all agree, there is no replacement for motor size, being from Mo myself I wonder where in the heck besides the street there is too ride these monsters!If you do mostly trail riding I would go with the lighter of the two. Parts could be a issue also. Any place you know of besides St.joes or finger lakes to ride? I know there is a private place in fulton.

[DGA]

I have over 20 acres and plenty of places out here in the country to ride ?

[brrpr]

I was in your shoes just a few months ago...Honda faithfull--looking for power but needed lightweight and a button...raced a CRF250X and it died after 350 miles...researched the KTM's--went into great detail--who supplied the valves, what size steering stem bearings, etc. etc....for sure Orange makes a GREAT bike now. If i was going to buy Orange i would go for the MXC...

BUT--i dug deeper and deeper and kept an open mind to all bikes. The VOR. The Husky 510. The TM 530. The Sherpa, the future 450X, the Husabergs, the last of the KX500's, the KTM 660 and the Service Honda CR500.

After looking at cost, parts availability, components, power, aftermarket, handling, reputation, dealers (that was a big one for me), and the financial strength of the companies involved....i picked the Husky 510.

I gotta tell ya. I am so so so so happy with the bike. It is absolutely amazing. The components are right off a race bike. The engine's power is endless, yet not fatigueing, the handling is perfect. My local dealer knows this bike inside and out and is super cool and supportive. The grin factor is off the chart. Kids come over and oooh and aaah when i park it...its an awesome feeling to know i am riding the best open class bike ever made. Its allowing me to compete at another level--one where the bike is making up for my short comings...

So when you are looking for a new open class bike--check out www.husqvarnausa.com--click on the media section and see what the bike mags are all saying about the 450/510 bikes...

If you absolutley have to stay orange or red--go orange. the red bike is near the end of its run. it does somethings very well. but lets face it--its heavy, under suspended, a money pit (if you want to get it dialed in) and lacking in 21st century stuff like a battery for the gadgets, a button, and a pumper carb for hit. Honda never took care of the rough edges--my buddies footpeg fell off while pre-running just last week!!....at the same time the rough edges on the orange bike have now been smoothed out...its reliable, fast, handles great, and has a thumb starter...get the 6 speed version if you ride fast, the EXC if you want a bit more durability...

but the best open class bike IMHO is the Husky!

[RingKingPin]

my buddies footpeg fell off while pre-running just last week!

I know you've been around long enough to know about this problem. I've been watching you poop on the 650r for the past couple of months. I can't believe that you didn't let your "buddy" know that there is a problem with the right hand foot peg. What's up with that? ?

Geoff

[huntmaster]

If the BRP weighed the same as the 525 there would be no question. Which bike can you make the most powerful. Power is a big issue but power and weight combined is the #1 issue. Any thoughts?

Well, peak power is about the same. Torque? Advantage 650R. Weight? Advantage 525SX. But the 525 SX is a closed course motocross bike while the 650R is a much heavier trail bike more suited to cross country work. Whichever terrain you ride will answer the question!

[DGA]

Both types of terrain. I flew around the track on my 650 pretty good. I was faster than most people on 250 2-strokes.

Well, peak power is about the same. Torque? Advantage 650R. Weight? Advantage 525SX. But the 525 SX is a closed course motocross bike while the 650R is a much heavier trail bike more suited to cross country work. Whichever terrain you ride will answer the question!

[huntmaster]

I flew around the track on my 650 pretty good. I was faster than most people on 250 2-strokes.

I'm not surprised. The 650R is very easy to ride and makes gobs of power over a wide range. Suspension isn't very "moto" oriented though and there are better tools for MX or big air! If I wasn't racing MX or doing that kind of riding I would go for an off-road/enduro bike unless all your riding is within site of your house or truck! I have ridden MX bikes on trails and cross country. Without mods they can extract a lot out of you in those conditions!

[Husky_Forever]

You can tell guys all day "until the sheep come in" about the right footpeg problem. But some guys think it's " the other guys bike with the problem" and not theirs. Until it happens to them! My buds never mentioned the problem (as my dealer didn't either and still claims its an owner problem and not bike problem 2 years later) to me before mine broke, but they had all changed to Grade 8 bolts and knew of it. Said they didn't want to jinx me. LOL! A broken wrist and 10 months off work is what i got for that courtesy. ?

[sportbiker929]

Buy what ever floats your boat. In the end the bike that makes you smile is the one that will stay around no matter what anyone else says!

[cge275]

So there were a few guys faster than you on 250's WHY? Because they have better skills, end of story! You liked the power of the cr500,........YA me too. But I was way faster on a smaller bike. Bust out a stop watch, then tell me you need a cr500.

[Miker]

Well, peak power is about the same. Torque? Advantage 650R. Weight? Advantage 525SX. But the 525 SX is a closed course motocross bike while the 650R is a much heavier trail bike more suited to cross country work. Whichever terrain you ride will answer the question!

Peak power is about the same? Have you ridden both of these bikes? I have both and I love my Honda but their is no way that it makes the same HP as a 525SX. It makes more torque, not the same HP. Where the Honda says enough is enough the KTM keeps pulling like a 250 2 stroke. It likes to rev but it is plenty happy to plonk around just off idle. Honda is missing the boat not making a big bore 4 stroke that is competitive in the woods. Also both my KTMs have been bullet proof as well. All that said I still love my Honda! If I could only have 1 bike that would be an XR650R. Reason is my go as fast as you an days are way behind me. My 650R is dual sported. I would never do that to a KTM RFS. I no lots of guys do but it seems like firing up the Ferrari to go get a gallon of milk... ?

[huntmaster]

Peak power is about the same? Have you ridden both of these bikes? I have both and I love my Honda but their is no way that it makes the same HP as a 525SX. It makes more torque, not the same HP.

Yes. They are both around 50-51 hp at the rear wheel. What number from the KTM owners club newsletter are you using for the 525? Of couse, as a motocross bike the 525 is lighter, and is actually a race bike! As mentioned earlier, these bikes really don't compete with each other. The CRF450 is Honda's open class MX bike.

What's the next poll...what's better, CR125 or Gold Wing?

[Miker]

Okay so the same rear wheel horse power with the Honda weighing 50 lbs or 20% more so the honda would need to make about 63 or so horse power to feel the same. That is what I meant. Oh and yeah the goldwing will smoke the 125 in the tripples> ?

[qadsan]

They just went through a similar topic on another discussion board. A long time xr650r poster bought a brand new 2005 ktm525 and boasted to everyone in the group how his bike would smoke his xr650r and that the xr650r wasn't even close in a drag race or in the woods, etc. Another xr650r rider from that same group came down to ride with the new ktm owner and they drag raced each other several times on a straight hard packed dirt road doing roll-on starts from 2nd gear. The ktm owner weighed 210 and the xr650r rider weighed 230. The xr650r was also a couple years old and had plenty of use, but it also had an Edelbrock carb and a cam. They reported back to the group that their drag races were dead even up to about 75 - 80 MPH and then the xr650r would start to pull ahead. Here's a quote from the new ktm owner when they went riding on tight trails to see how each bike compared to each other "Now, when you change to tight trails, then it's a completely different story. Then Geoff waxed my butt good". By the way, Geoff is the XR650R rider that went out to ride with the new ktm525 owner.