Just sayin.. I am so impressed in the deep sand with this bike now.. its frckn crazy

 

its the lightness, get this bike above 3rd gear in the sand and your cruising. GREAT desert bike.

 

LA-Barstow-Vegas ride had a LONG section of deep sandy whoops. I was leaving everyone in my group for that 30 minute section: 4th gear mostly WOT. It's no KTM, but, it sure gets the job done.

 

Just got back from a morning ride with 300 KTM 2-stroke, Husaberg 570 and new KTM 350EXC. I've got a 300cc kit and full aftermarket exhaust.

I agree, these bikes go really well on soft beach, ONCE you get them going. But I don't think i is weight as compared to most 250's and 450 enduro style bikes the KLX is a far heavier bike.

One area that I really had trouble keep up was the fast rocky sections. The suspension, or lack of, just really showed up. The guy's in front just moved through so fast while I was deflected here and there at scary speed.

Talking about soft sand I use my bike weekly to get 10km along the beach to a fairly remote surf spot. I normally leave a surfboard out there in the bushes and just carry a wetsuit. Anyway this week a mate had his car on the beach and could go no further as the high tide and large swell was causing waves to smash into the base of the dunes. Anyway we got his car up high and I had him on the back with a surfboard for about 6km of REALLY soft and slopped beach. First gear was really hard but once I got it in second we were away.

I still get blown away at what these bikes can do. I had that thing screaming at 8k rpm second gear, with 200kg of weight

 

Yes, that's a good description of the stock front end. POOR compression response to a hard hit up front. If you'll take the front end apart and obverve the stock valving, you'll see why. The front will never step over obstacles like you want it to without a revalve. The rear shock isn't great, but, it's ridable compared to the really bad front valving.

I did front and rear for less than 700.00 by a local guy that revalved with Pro-Action stuff. There are several others, some of which may be better. I believe Motion Pro is highly recommended for these bikes...if I recall correctly, I talked to a fellow there named John...really knows his stuff. You ship your forks to him, he ships them back.

The more hard-hits you have in your riding, the more you'll appreciate a suspension upgrade. You'll never have KTM-like suspension travel out of our KLX forks, but, you can have the KLX act like it should during the limits our suspension travel provides.

 

Yea I can say even a 1990's mx bike has better suspension, but what I am talking about is GRUUUUNNNNTTTTT and raw power that this bike did not have stock.. woooohooooo weeeeeeeeeeee its badas now on the beaches. It seems like all it needed was that extra 7-10 HP to get over the hump and make it sandworthy.

 

I agree. Mr Blue's Big Bore wakes the beast up very nicely! Pulls like a tractor compared to stock.