How does your 300 compare with your friend's CR 500 with regards to power and ride? I have my Mountain Horse on a 2011 KTM 300 and it does quite well, but if the power difference between the 300 and 500 equates to increased capability then I might be tempted to look that way.
I have only been on three rides with the CR500 and the one time I rode it I was very impressed with the power difference from my 300. The 500 is capable of producing a lot more track speed than the 300. There have been some issue with the 500 so I don't feel like it has ran as good as it can yet. The jetting has been difficult for him to figure out because he has a mikuni carb on it and then he added a power jet and then the last time I went out with him he jetted it to lean and burned it down about 2 miles from the pickup. The other issue has been that it feels really heavy in the front much like my KTM 525 did so he put a shorter strut rod in it and thinks that solved the problem. I think once the little issues are sorted out the CR500 is going to be tough to beat. The 500 now has a new top end, the jetting dialed in and the shortened strut rod so I am expecting it to work very well, we are riding on Monday so I will report back.
I don't see jetting to be a big issue on these two strokes, I haven't touched my jetting on my 300 and it rips. I think if we can get these big two strokes dialed in and start putting the 450 race bikes to shame that their will be more of a demand for them.
