Opinions on best all-round 4 season bike platform.

Misha Subo · May 22, 2018

Looking for some opinions and input on what would be the best bike to ride the following type of dirt/snow conditions combined with a Camso conversion:

Dirt: tight trails and occasional Eastern enduros with the ability to road plate and insure (only needed for access from trail to trail section).

Snow: similar to tight dirt riding style. No real mountains out here in Ontario, Canada but lots of hilly country around the Muskoka area. Don't enjoy wide open fields. Trees, trees...trees.

My son and I currently have two 300 XCWs with 2018 Camsos. They have worked flawlessly last winter. No complaints in the power department but now the second boy is fully grown so we're thinking of passing one of the 300s to him and getting me a 4T that can also be road plated with another Camso.

Heard about the Beta 500 and 430s being great DTS bikes. Betas seem like quality machines and my Beta trials 250 2T is really well built. I do favour the KTMs though as I know them well by now and do not want a bike that will not be comfortable in the really tight extreme fall riding that we do the most.

Looking for the lightest possible solution for both summer and winter as I loose more muscle mass.

Ben 500RR-S · May 22, 2018

My BIL just got a KTM 300, not a new one, I don't know the year yet but he needs a battery for it and wants me to get it going for him, maybe this weekend and his plan is to get a track kit for it. Not sure which one yet but we both have the DTS 129 already.

You know I have the 500 RR-S and love it. I had only considered either the KTM and the Husqvarna 500 dual sports and chose the Beta and if I had to do it again, I'd get the Beta again. The BYOB is a good deal and the discount on the parts I chose was great as I would have changed them out anyway, folding levers, different gearshifter, xTrig preload adjuster . . .

Jaynelson · May 22, 2018

350 or 500 exc are pretty tough to beat for all around bikes.

KTM pro bend or center reach handguards, TMD skid plate, de smog, FMF muffler, pipe/euro map....done. Maybe heated grips.

eric82930 · May 22, 2018

anything bigger than a 350 would be too much for Eastern dirt work the 350 xcf-w or e x c with the SX cams would be the ultimate everything bike. The new pds is awesome. If you worry about the offset strut you could get the xcf but I personally don't like the suspension and lack of fly wheel.

Fwd55 · May 24, 2018

Husqvarna just annonce the TE 300 I is going to be available in Canada for 2019

Injected 300 2stroke , that sound to me like a very capable winter/summer bike !?

gsled04 · May 28, 2018

For a year round 4 season setup you just gotta luv the 300 2t. I eventually had to go with the dedicated 4T snowbike for the kind of power I like, but thats just me. I don't think you can beat the 300 for an all around performer.

Grr · May 30, 2018

If you need to plate it and are stuck on a 4t I like my 16 WR450. For tighter work you can gear it down some and the low 1st and OD still work out well. Plus it’s a freakin tractor in the snow

If I was spending someone else’s money it would be a EFI 300 for sure when they are available

Misha Subo · May 30, 2018

Grr said:
If you need to plate it and are stuck on a 4t I like my 16 WR450. For tighter work you can gear it down some and the low 1st and OD still work out well. Plus it’s a freakin tractor in the snow

If I was spending someone else’s money it would be a EFI 300 for sure when they are available

I've come off the 4T tic now. I want to plate my next bike but not sure how I can get the 2Ts plated in Ontario, Canada. Perhaps the EFIs will be eligible? We'll see.

I've only had one 4T in the past, a 2005 CRF 250X. Loved the ride but I was not impressed with the yearly $1K rebuild so there's no way I'm going back to the valve issues 4Ts have. I know they've improved somewhat but I still like too many things about the 2Ts. I'm simple so I like simple things.

It's looking more and more like a 300 XCW. Kyle Brotherson's Dirt Bike Channel has an apt video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrN8wxIXIu4

Jaynelson · May 30, 2018

Misha Subo said:
I've only had one 4T in the past, a 2005 CRF 250X. Loved the ride but I was not impressed with the yearly $1K rebuild so there's no way I'm going back to the valve issues 4Ts have. I know they've improved somewhat but I still like too many things about the 2Ts.

A CRF 250 R or X of that vintage is probably the worst example of a 4 stroke for valve issues...I can't remember a "valve issue" on a modern KTM

CATSLEDMAN1 · Jun 1, 2018

500 xcw

KTM 500xcw, mellow on the trails, yes a heavy 4 stroke but kind and forgiving in the really nasty rocky montana washed out single track, forgiving and capable in deep azz snow, I rode mine on a 1200 mile 20mph back county dual sport ride for 8 days 65mpg, its a 13, I installed a new piston last winter for maintanance, stock piston still within spec, valves changed one shim size in 4 years, my2 stroke snow bikes just always weak, KtM 200 in the summer, 500 when it snows, I have since built a more appropriate overlanding bike. My 2 cents worth.

capulin overdrive · Jun 1, 2018

CATSLEDMAN1 said:
KTM 500xcw, mellow on the trails, yes a heavy 4 stroke but kind and forgiving in the really nasty rocky montana washed out single track, forgiving and capable in deep azz snow, I rode mine on a 1200 mile 20mph back county dual sport ride for 8 days 65mpg, its a 13, I installed a new piston last winter for maintanance, stock piston still within spec, valves changed one shim size in 4 years, my2 stroke snow bikes just always weak, KtM 200 in the summer, 500 when it snows, I have since built a more appropriate overlanding bike. My 2 cents worth.

About my exact same thoughts.

I've got a 300 snowbike only, just cause because.

But also 500 on the snow, and plated 500 for summer. 500 tractor is fine with me in tight dirt, low end torque and little clutch seems like less flames outs than the high revving 350.

Orange guy here, but Beta is doing some pretty cool stuff, and there's darn sure legitimate arguments that some of their features are better.

zen141141 · Jul 4, 2018

Husky 501 fe, Awesome bike year round. Streetable. I ride tight western canada woods trails with it all summer and its awesome, and then when you get to winter it is an incredible snowbike.

Jaynelson · Jul 4, 2018

Agreed I've been riding my 500 EXC 3 times this week and the bike is just flat impressive...everything from nasty single track to fast flowy FSR's, and even a little highway. And it works great as a snowbike. All around bike for a trail rider (as opposed to MX rider) I just don't think you can beat a 500 or 501.

Teth-Air · Jul 4, 2018

Jaynelson said:
Agreed I've been riding my 500 EXC 3 times this week and the bike is just flat impressive...everything from nasty single track to fast flowy FSR's, and even a little highway. And it works great as a snowbike. All around bike for a trail rider (as opposed to MX rider) I just don't think you can beat a 500 or 501.

We really should ride sometime as I have a place in Nelson, at the base of Sitkum/Alpine road and I too have a EXC500 that I love.

Chris

Jaynelson · Jul 4, 2018

Teth-Air said:
We really should ride sometime as I have a place in Nelson, at the base of Sitkum/Alpine road and I too have a EXC500 that I love.

Chris

Right on that would be great! I work at the powersports dealer in town here (Main Jet Motorsports)....we do an open invite Dual Sport/Adv ride every Tuesday after work, and a singletrack dirtbike ride Thursdays....so that's often an easy way to link up. Get in touch when you're in town and we'll set something up! Cheers,

Jason

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Opinions on best all-round 4 season bike platform.

Misha Subo

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Ben 500RR-S

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Jaynelson

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eric82930

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Fwd55

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gsled04

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Grr

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Misha Subo

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Jaynelson

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CATSLEDMAN1

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capulin overdrive

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zen141141

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Jaynelson

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Teth-Air

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Jaynelson

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