thats why i love the kx500 ;)

[martinfan30]

Its funny... I've dragged my buddies on their xr650r's on dry lakes and it's pretty close to the end. I get em off the line and pull a two bike lead until about 80-85. Then they slowly creep up and pass.... 

That is amazing.
I own two XR650R's and two KX5 (Back up's are nice).
None are stock, yet none are modified to the hilt.
Both K5's pull the XR's out of the hole and up to the high 90's.
Beyond that I could not tell you.
I wonder if your K5 it properly jetted and geared as it can make a world of difference?
If not there may be other issues, then again I could just be special 

what kind of gearing do you run on the K5's?

[sandblaster]

The gearing on both K5's is 15 - 47.
The amount of bike lengths depends on how long you go for.
In a rough 1/4 mile drag 15-20 bike lengths between to K5 and the XR650R.
Yes, you can make the XR's scream but mine are only doing 57-59 HP.
Like I said, they are only mildly modified because I like mine to last a while.
Case and point, I'm parting out one of my 01 XR's and it looks like brand new on the inside with very little wear.
On the KTM 300, they are very fast and should keep up nicely with a 250 in a straight line drag.
There again the biggest difference people may see is in the condition of the engine, the tuning and the gearing.
Just because a bike starts and runs and feels fine, it may be bleeding HP.
If I missed a question, feel free to let me know.
Just a thought..........

[martinfan30]

The gearing on both K5's is 15 - 47.
The amount of bike lengths depends on how long you go for.
In a rough 1/4 mile drag 15-20 bike lengths between to K5 and the XR650R.
Yes, you can make the XR's scream but mine are only doing 57-59 HP.
Like I said, they are only mildly modified because I like mine to last a while.
Case and point, I'm parting out one of my 01 XR's and it looks like brand new on the inside with very little wear.
On the KTM 300, they are very fast and should keep up nicely with a 250 in a straight line drag.
There again the biggest difference people may see is in the condition of the engine, the tuning and the gearing.
Just because a bike starts and runs and feels fine, it may be bleeding HP.
If I missed a question, feel free to let me know.
Just a thought..........

Can I ask your jetting and elevation?

[SweetTea]

Hi Sandblaster

Are the 500's pulling the 650's by a couple of bike lengths or more and are the 450's really that close in a drag?
 I want to believe that the old 500 is still the animal it used to be but looks like things are catching up.  I asked a couple of questions a while ago regarding a ktm300 keeping up with the 500.  My mate kept up with me on my 500 which really p@#$ed me off.  A few people said that with the right conditions it should be able to.  Anyway, I have been thinking about getting a 300 myself.  Test rode an as new 2010 ktm300 last night.  Really nice bike but it just does not feel like it can go anywhere near as hard as the 500 yet running them against each other shows that they can.  Maybe the noise and vibration from the 500 makes it feel a lot faster/quicker than it really is.

Something is definitely wrong with your K5.  The KTM 300 is one of the most gutless bikes I have ever ridden.  My YZ250 runs circles around them, and my K5?  Not even close, like bus lengths.  No joke.  Another buddy I ride with has a KTM 380, and that too is bus lengths behind me when we drag race.  Your bike has issues if you can?t crush a KTM 300?..

Sounds like something was wrong with those KTM's you rode, they are far from gutless.

[RM_Rider14]

Sounds like something was wrong with those KTM's you rode, they are far from gutless.

  Some low end grunt, but nothing after that.  My one buddies is an '09, the other an '08.  Both jetted for our altitude (9k-14k feet).  Same as my K5.

[sandblaster]

Can I ask your jetting and elevation?
[/quote]

Elevation varies depending on where I'm riding.
In the desert it is 4-5K
At the coast 1-500 feet
I'd have to check my jetting the next time I have my carb out.
I had to play with it for a while at both elevations before I got a winning combination.
Sorry I can't be more specific right now.

[martinfan30]

Can I ask your jetting and elevation?

Elevation varies depending on where I'm riding.
In the desert it is 4-5K
At the coast 1-500 feet
I'd have to check my jetting the next time I have my carb out.
I had to play with it for a while at both elevations before I got a winning combination.
Sorry I can't be more specific right now.
[/quote]

I ride desert and mountainous single track here in nor nevada at 4-5K feet too. Im going off the jetting chart from this site using 165/58. Needle is a N82R.

[SweetTea]

Sounds like something was wrong with those KTM's you rode, they are far from gutless.

  Some low end grunt, but nothing after that.  My one buddies is an '09, the other an '08.  Both jetted for our altitude (9k-14k feet).  Same as my K5.

Okay, so I haven't ridden the K5 yet, a couple more weeks, and I'll finally get to throw a leg over my newest edition.  But I can tell you I've ridden, KX250's, YZ250's, CR250's, RM250s, and the KTM 300 gives them a dang good run for the money, and it should.  I've also ridden the KTM380 SX and it was unlike ANY 250 i've ridden, it would blow them out of the water.  I can only imagine the K5 will be like the 380 but even stronger!  I can't wait to ride my K5, but I will never hate on a KTM, having owned 3 KTMs, they can scream, and its no wonder you see them at the top of GNCC's and motocross.  KTM's rock, period.

[sandblaster]

I agree with you.
I have owned several hundred dirt bikes and if you do a 0-70 drag race in the dirt most of the MX bikes are very close to the same.
It's when you go 70+ or in the sand that you will have a very hard time matching a K5.
After all there is very little substitution for CC's 

[kwakman]

What you have to consider is that the 300 and such like havent been without development since 1990.In order to take advantage of the latest tuning on a 5 you have to finance it yourself.And lets face it, 55-60 bhp is hardly taxing it any, plenty of room for improvement.hp per $? Unbeatable.