ok... so how bad is a 2 stroke going to be for a main ride?

[backcountryislife]

Thinking about picking up a MH this year, and I'm WAY anti 4 stroke, just not at all a fan, but if I NEED to pick up a 4 to run a snowbike setup effectively, then I'll make the switch...


Issue for me, I'll buy a brand new bike for this, but I don't want to ride a 4 in the summer (I'm in spot where we ride nasty rocky crap all day, the 300 just is a better bike for it) so I would really prefer to pick up a new 300, and have something I enjoy for both seasons.

So... how big of a difference is it really? (I ride 9k-13k btw)

 

[wwillf01]

Thinking about picking up a MH this year, and I'm WAY anti 4 stroke, just not at all a fan, but if I NEED to pick up a 4 to run a snowbike setup effectively, then I'll make the switch...


Issue for me, I'll buy a brand new bike for this, but I don't want to ride a 4 in the summer (I'm in spot where we ride nasty rocky crap all day, the 300 just is a better bike for it) so I would really prefer to pick up a new 300, and have something I enjoy for both seasons.

So... how big of a difference is it really? (I ride 9k-13k btw)

I personally ride the same type of stuff.... I was going to run my 300 because I tune it like a snowbike for the summer... I like it set up with lots of power on tap... That being said if you like riding the desert or take trips to ride on wheels during the summer its a pain... I just decided to get a cheap 500 for the winter... I love the 2 stoke myself once dialed in...


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[backcountryislife]

I live at 9k, but I also ride Moab here & there. I already ride my 300 at 12k+ and down in Moab, but I know the demands for snowbike will be more significant.

Never used smart carbs... not sure how much messing around that is, just wish they made an EFI 300

 

[wwillf01]

I live at 9k, but I also ride Moab here & there. I already ride my 300 at 12k+ and down in Moab, but I know the demands for snowbike will be more significant.

Never used smart carbs... not sure how much messing around that is, just wish they made an EFI 300

I think with the 300 the smart carb is a lot more straight forward.... I personally like them... On my 500 it was much more of a pain in the arse.... That being said it looks like I have it figured out... I think the majority of my tuning woes were because of how mine was ported and I ended up with the q5 rod which works really well.. For other people not so much... If you go either route I would go with a machine you can run a fan on to help with the heat if you are going to run it in summer and winter... If you get a winter only machine I would run a tunnel cooler.... Right now at your altitude a turbo will be the best option and currently they are only on the 4 bangers... I am a firm believer in having a summer and a winter bike but I ride a lot during the winter... I know three people that have started with 300s and one with a 450 and they all end up with a 500 of some sort... We ride from 8000 to 11000..... The altitude robs a lot of power....


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[tomk]

two stroke is life! 4 strokes=

 

[Corban_White]

I ride mostly 9-11k on my 2012 ktm300 lt. It runs great. Every time I go out I am more impressed with what it can do. Everyone always says the bikes won't pull the same hills as a sled but I came off a 600 and my bike will pull the same hills in the same conditions as my sled would, and it is amazing in the trees. I am running the stock carb, slightly leaned out from my summer settings-especially in the mid range. I did need to add the carb heater. My dad is running a 70 degree berg 450 and while he likes the torque and forgiveness of the 4t we both agree that mine is more fun and climbs better than his. Just lots of shifting and wringing the throttle, which I love to do!

 

[TillTheEnd]

I think if your going to switch back and forth it depends how mechanically inclined you are. To make a 300 work well for me I have to run different head, ignition, jetting(or Metering rod in a SC), carb warmer, thermostat, air intake, fork springs, battery(EStart) all to make a 300 run on the snow. Next year I'm adding a millenium 330 cylinder that goes on just for winter, unless they make a change for 2016 cylinders than it'll have to wait till I can get my new bike in.
I'd like to hear some seat of the pants ride reviews between a dialed 300 vs 500 even vs 450 4S. It seems on the snow its magnified the differences between a 450 and 300 you pay for your shifting mistakes with a 300 where a 450 will just keep tractoring. On dirt its evident more in laptimes than digging out time....

 

[M5-]

I personally don't get the logic of taking a brand new 300 spending a whole bunch more money on it so that you can get it over 60hp at sea level then revving the crap out of it for 8 hours a day. They are the best woods weapon out there no question about it but you can spend a third on a 500 build and it will absolutely destroy the 300 without needing to wind the crap out of it. With a brand new KTM built for the dirt you are paying as much for the dirt manners as the motor but on snow you don't really get a ton of the benefits like you will on the dirt because 1/2 of the suspension wheels and brake system components are sitting in your garage all winter. IMO if you are going to ride a lot of days, ride deep snow and you want a 2 stroke don't waste your time on a 300 go straight to a 500 with an LT. You don't see a lot of V6s in top fuel racing, there truly is no substitute for cubic inches.

M5

 

[DenverSnowBike]

ahh come on...I ride all the CO trails...Breck/Rampart area/Rand/etc...man up and rip a 450

 

[mxracer299]

If you build your 300 right it will outrun pretty much any 4 stroke made and it can still be ridden on dirt and be pretty managable, especially if you change ignitions and PV springs back to stock. You can give me a ring at 406-590-0300 and I can help point you in the right direction if you decide to build one up or if you're riding in Moab anytime in the the next week give me a ring and we can meet up and you can take it for a spin, I still have the full mod motor in it.

 

[wwillf01]

If you build your 300 right it will outrun pretty much any 4 stroke made and it can still be ridden on dirt and be pretty managable, especially if you change ignitions and PV springs back to stock. You can give me a ring at 406-590-0300 and I can help point you in the right direction if you decide to build one up or if you're riding in Moab anytime in the the next week give me a ring and we can meet up and you can take it for a spin, I still have the full mod motor in it.

I would agree with this.. I find the mod motor gives you more power but the advantage on dirt is a wider usable rpm...

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[TillTheEnd]

I would agree with this.. I find the mod motor gives you more power but the advantage on dirt is a wider usable rpm...

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What kind of mod motor are you guys talking about? A big bore, porting or just head and ign?

 

[wwillf01]

What kind of mod motor are you guys talking about? A big bore, porting or just head and ign?

I have everything down up to mo better porting red spring smart carb sx ignition 38mm smart carb.. this made it an agree 300... I have an extra cylinder so I was going to try the big bore this year...I just don't want to loose the quick rev... I tried the head and ignition first but the full port gets way better results.

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[mtn-doo]

I have an extra cylinder so I was going to try the big bore this year...I just don't want to loose the quick rev...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N915A using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

The 330 is instant and explosive. It is an overbore only,"the bore diameter is greater than the stroke". It is not stroked. That makes it super aggressive. Stroking would lead to that slow rev you are not wanting. You will love it, especially with the Scalvini pipe and silencer. That combo on the 330 is nuts.

 

[GlennRMK]

Buy a used four stroke for the snow bike and keep a 300 for woods/summer riding. That is the only rational solution IMO.

Rather then spend $8000 on a new bike, I would rather have a used $4k snow bike and a used $4k woods bike.

I have a 300 2 stroke that you couldn't pry out of my hands for technical mountain single track.

I picked up an 09 CRF450R that I want to run the snowbike on. I've been riding it on dirt in the easier/faster terrain. May ride a little track with it too. The 300 is a far superior bike in the rocky nasty technical stuff without a doubt.

I am also a 2 stroke guy but the 4 stroke just seems to work easier/better for snow biking.

I thought about an old 500 2 stroke but every one I've talked to said the vibration is brutal. Even the 300 vibes get old.

Dealing with the carb is just a hassle. I like to ride and not wrench.

Any of the injected 4 stroke bikes work great for snow bikes. Even the carbed four strokes don't have many issues from what I've seen.

 

[Ausm7499]

I would agree get a low hour used jap 450 for the snobike setup and keep you 300 for the dirt. I have used my 300 for snow and a CR500 for snow and a 450 race bike is the better for snobiking. I ride my 300 in the dirt and have a kawi for snow.

 

[backcountryislife]

I think if your going to switch back and forth it depends how mechanically inclined you are. To make a 300 work well for me I have to run different head, ignition, jetting(or Metering rod in a SC), carb warmer, thermostat, air intake, fork springs, battery(EStart) all to make a 300 run on the snow. Next year I'm adding a millenium 330 cylinder that goes on just for winter, unless they make a change for 2016 cylinders than it'll have to wait till I can get my new bike in.
I'd like to hear some seat of the pants ride reviews between a dialed 300 vs 500 even vs 450 4S. It seems on the snow its magnified the differences between a 450 and 300 you pay for your shifting mistakes with a 300 where a 450 will just keep tractoring. On dirt its evident more in laptimes than digging out time....

Just curious, what alt do you ride at in summer?

I live at about 9k, and only ride high alt aside from an occasional trip to Moab. I ride the same alt in summer & winter... my lunch dirt rides get me to 12k in about 15 min from the driveway, and we ride well into snow season, only difference for winter for me is the track kit.

I'm ok with some mods, probably do a RKT head & a gnarly at least

 

[backcountryislife]

ahh come on...I ride all the CO trails...Breck/Rampart area/Rand/etc...man up and rip a 450

I've ridden (and owned) plenty of 4's, and I just can't stand them... only way I'd go 4 is a brand new one, and then I've got some POS brand new 4 in my shed that I don't want to ride in summer, I'm just not a fan.

Every buddy of mine on a 450 has converted to a 300... there's a reason for that

 

[M5-]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind.

M5

 

[more snow]

You may have to take the blinders off regarding the whole 2st vs 4st thinking. It really helps to have an open minded approach to finding the best combination in a solution.