Looking for a new bike and I've narrowed it down to a 300. I go back and forth between the XCW and XC. It will be a dual purpose bike and in the summer I pretty much only ride tight single track so the w would shine. But then for winter I think the XC would shine. So which one does both better. My last bike was a 450 xcf and it did fine in the dirt but a little lower first would have been nice plus I had to add a light, bigger stator, heavy flywheel, rad fan and of course the recluse to make it enjoyable.
300 XC vs XCW
- Thread starter philsummers21
- Start date
xc all the way. only time i would like an xcw would be desert riding. but even then just change sprockets if your doing that
Xc would be better at desert not the w I'd think. Isnt it a lot of high speed mogul type
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XC also has a much better front fork.
Isn't the xc the air fork?
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I did a kit last season on a 300 XC-W. I would not do it again unless no other option. Tranny is way to spaced out. It meant taking multiple passes at several hills to get to the top. 2nd was too wound out to build enough momentum and it wouldn't pull 3rd.
Stock xcw or did you have any work done like the head,porting etc?
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Keep a few things in mind
When they switched to the 6 speed gear boxes in 2011 the ONLY gears that are different are 1st and 2nd. 1 and 2 are lower in the W. 3-6 are identical. For dirt I run the gearing super low (12/52) since 6th is crazy tall.
IMO neither one is great for snow biking. I thought my 2011 XC felt gappy
SX 5 speed would be better other then the top speed would be like 30 Mph
I didn't have any success getting my 300 to run consistently in the snow. Works great in the summer. Get a Lectron carb.
If you get a 17 XC the air forks do not work at all in the snow. Seals blow and the forks stick down.
The open forks will need super stiff springs though.
IMO, pick up a set of 16 4CS forks for snow and get the 17 XC.
When they switched to the 6 speed gear boxes in 2011 the ONLY gears that are different are 1st and 2nd. 1 and 2 are lower in the W. 3-6 are identical. For dirt I run the gearing super low (12/52) since 6th is crazy tall.
IMO neither one is great for snow biking. I thought my 2011 XC felt gappy
SX 5 speed would be better other then the top speed would be like 30 Mph
I didn't have any success getting my 300 to run consistently in the snow. Works great in the summer. Get a Lectron carb.
If you get a 17 XC the air forks do not work at all in the snow. Seals blow and the forks stick down.
The open forks will need super stiff springs though.
IMO, pick up a set of 16 4CS forks for snow and get the 17 XC.
The 18 300's are fuel injected but it looks like only the xcw for the US market.
http://racerxonline.com/2017/03/15/fuel-injected-ktm-two-strokes-coming-in-2018
M5
http://racerxonline.com/2017/03/15/fuel-injected-ktm-two-strokes-coming-in-2018
M5
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Pedec
Member
A 250 sx make great snowbike even stock. Just add lectron carb and carb heater,pod air filter system. 5 speed trans is spaced really close and bike is light. 250sx has about same power as 350xc. I ride with a guy that has a 350 on a UFO kit and we are close in power but increase to 300sx and it would hang with 450 no problem I am sure. A lot of guys that say you need heated grips and lights. I disagree and half the time that extra electrical stuff cause problems or does not work. Just bring hand muffs and a battery operated light. Starting is super easy no mater temperature its a 2 stroke. Reliability is the big reason I went with 2 strokes because the motor get abused hard and 2 strokes like it and cheap to repair if needed. Mine has has close to 40 hours of snowbike use and another 60 hours of mx use. I have just done one top end at 85 hours and it still looked good other than rings where getting out of spec but compression was still like new 210psi. Get heavier fork springs.
I'm or debating the 2 smokers are good bikes. I've already chosen that. My biggest dilemma is the xcw vs xc. And as of right now I'm leaning towards the xcw. Sadly they are hard to find relatively close to me. So if I can't find one to ride for dirt this summer pretty soon guess I'll just make sure an 18 is coming my way this fall
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capulin overdrive
Well-known member
Seems like between all the deferent KTM or Husky bikes there will be at least one thing that needs addressed to get what you.
If you get the motor and gears you want, then it will have air forks. Want lights and stator, then it's the gears. Etc. etc. etc.
This is just guessing from running a 2017 300XC, but thinking the W might be a better choice, as my bike doesn't tractor as good as a 4 stroke in 1st and 2nd and that's where I use the clutch more. All other gears I shift more, but total non issue for those gears and speeds.
Forks are darned sure a better choice on the W! Might still want valving if you're really picky, but good chance you could just do a spring swap between winter and summer, and be good to go.
Lectron is a tight fit with stock air box by itself, add carb heat on top of that, and it's almost impossible to get it to work and keep the side panel on the airbox.
So guess, figuring out what to do between summer and winter with carb and heat would be the only thing that would require some thought.
If you get the motor and gears you want, then it will have air forks. Want lights and stator, then it's the gears. Etc. etc. etc.
This is just guessing from running a 2017 300XC, but thinking the W might be a better choice, as my bike doesn't tractor as good as a 4 stroke in 1st and 2nd and that's where I use the clutch more. All other gears I shift more, but total non issue for those gears and speeds.
Forks are darned sure a better choice on the W! Might still want valving if you're really picky, but good chance you could just do a spring swap between winter and summer, and be good to go.
Lectron is a tight fit with stock air box by itself, add carb heat on top of that, and it's almost impossible to get it to work and keep the side panel on the airbox.
So guess, figuring out what to do between summer and winter with carb and heat would be the only thing that would require some thought.
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Good points overdrive. As far as the lectron not fitting, is the smartcarb any smaller? I haven't been around either but I was thinking the smartcarb.
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I have no real world experience but I've been lurking on topics like this one for quite a while as I have a 250 XC-W that I wanted to turn into a snowbike.
From what I've read the Lectron has been deemed the better choice as few people have been able to get the SmartCarb to work well in the winter.
Like I said, no real world experience, just what I've read.
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capulin overdrive
Well-known member
Lectron runs great, but between it and the carbheat, I've literally got baling wire pulling on my airbox to get it back in shape enough to seal the stock air fliter with snow screen.
Was supposed to run the Yeti pod, but didn't really like their tube (seems like it's more designed for 4 stroke), and being late getting kit mounted, I just stuck with stock box.
2018 EFI sounds super promising, but hear North America is only going to get the 250 EFI.
So a person could study up on turning the 250 EFI into a snowbike, maybe even doing the 300 kit.
Or possibly buying just the EFI stuff to turn a 2017 300 into EFI. As motors are supposed to be the same. Then no carb heat, or fit issues with airbox.
Was supposed to run the Yeti pod, but didn't really like their tube (seems like it's more designed for 4 stroke), and being late getting kit mounted, I just stuck with stock box.
2018 EFI sounds super promising, but hear North America is only going to get the 250 EFI.
So a person could study up on turning the 250 EFI into a snowbike, maybe even doing the 300 kit.
Or possibly buying just the EFI stuff to turn a 2017 300 into EFI. As motors are supposed to be the same. Then no carb heat, or fit issues with airbox.
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simbatheking
Well-known member
It's really not needed to run a Lectron. I just ran coolant/fuel hose from my tstat bypass to the carb and wrapped it around the carb. I use a long tube intake and have had zero issues in all conditions since doing that. Before that I had a pre filter like the yeti setup straight on the carb with no coolant lines going to it and it would run good for about 10 min and then I had all kinds of issues. Mind u I had a foam filter under the outerwear as well then so that might have been an issue w that plugging. Honestly u don't need to spend lots to make it work really well. My stock carb works flawless in all elevation and temps. Took this pic yesterday. Filter never plugs
