and as you said, the rider.

I've seen good riders taking our KLX's big fat pig of a cousin, the KLR650, through some gnarly stuff. More than I could ever think of tackling on the KLX. It will do it. But if you're a racer with money, why would you ride the KLX?

Put your money into gas, more gas, and suspension upgrades if you're out-riding the suspension. And if you have a lot of left over money and the KLX isn't doing it for you, go orange?

 

I completely agree it's mostly about rider skill. Although...

I consider myself pretty decent on my MTB (15 years of riding 3 times a week) and as I found one winter's evening, I can outride less capable riders on vastly superior bikes - in one case I was on a 15 YO fully rigid £200 35lb Diamond Back with a semi slick back tyre versus a Trek EX9. However, it was downright unpleasant riding it, every bump hurt my wrists and it was just a wresting match.

Anyway, the point of this is that it was nigh on impossible to get any feeling of "flow" on the crap bike. When I ride my usual MTB I'm in the zone pretty much all the time I have the leg power to keep it moving at a decent rate. As I said in the 1st post, I rarely get this feeling on the KLX.

Based on everyone's replies, I am coming to the sad conclusion that I am the KLX equivalent of the EX9 rider.

 

Time in the saddle will help with feeling the "flow".
And practicing things like balance and slow manuevers will help just like in biking.
I run through some drills before every dirt ride, helps warm me up and connect with the bike.
Eventually you go from working hard and having fun to having fun workin' it.
Riding with better riders helps improve your skills too.

 

Hey!! That's me in the first rock climb video!!

The KLX is a great bike. Mine was an 07. It will climb like a mountain goat as long as you commit and don't hesitate or back off.. But the same can be said for any off-road bike really!

I never had any problems getting to where I needed to go on my KLX. Even more so when I put the 351 kit in it.

I have since sold the bike cheap to a good friend. We still ride together! I have a KTM 200 EXC now. That thing is a crazy mountain goat that likes to smoke crack all day.

 

@ CousinLarry - I've been learning to ride a unicycle in preparation for the one wheeled antics my 200 seems to be capable of...rode it out on the road to really whack it open for the first time with some traction (only ridden it in snow since I got it) and HOLY CRAP! I wheelied in 1st, immediately , then shifted and wheelied in 2nd, just as fast , by the time I whacked it into 3rd...

As to clearing ledges going up, like TNC said the attitude of the bike on the steep stuff makes it easy to loft the wheel. I rode the KLX up a closed ski mountain and one section was rock slab with ledges about 1/2 mile long. It was so steep I had to go easy on the throttle so I wouldn't loop out! The front wheel was tapping the ground, I was hugging the tank and laying on the bars trying to keep the wheel down...I made it, just tractored my way up.

And CousinLarry used some good body english to set the bike up for that climb in the first video. Text book stuff.

 

MP how are you doing on the unicycle? I bought a used one last spring and can ride it a few hundred feet. I havent gotten too good at turning and cant idle at all. It is fun though.

My KLX always hung with the three guys on KTM"s that I rode with. I was usually #2 or #3 dog in line, out of the four of us.

 

Several years ago, we saw three unicyclists up at Redfish Lake. One was on a wooden wheel with pedals, no seat. He was good! Wish I'd taken photos.

 

Search YouTube for some unicycle stuff. Some guys have 36" wheels and they have to get a running start to get up on them, other guys do some pretty extreme off roading or almost trials riding on them.

 

Yeah, I'm not so good on the unicycle yet...goal is to be a full blown circus freak and be able to juggle while unicycling...I can go for a ways but can't turn(on purpose) or idle yet.

 

MP - yes, I am loving the 200! It will wheely in 1st-4th no problem. I love it. It's so easy to ride after you get used to it. It's a great bike. The 215lbs really shines on the trails!

Currently undergoing some Winter maint! Doing fork seals, new tires, hooking up thermometer to vapor unit, need to re-do my tail light wiring, and probably a few other things here and there.. Can't wait till it warms up! Supposed to get 14" of fresh snow on Monday!