I personally think that the K5 is only outdated in "style". It looks older because it doesnt have a flat slab for a seat and tank profile. I mean, what REALLY matters on a dirtbike? SUSPENSION, and POWER. The K5 is not that far off in suspension... from what I have seen here, a little suspension tuning goes a long way... and nothing makes more power than a 500cc 2-stroke. Granted this is no "Supercross" machine... but it is very capable on outdoor tracks where speed is key, and no, you will never see anyone doing "Freestyle" on a K5 as its weight and rotating mass has negative effects on its flickability. This is still a GREAT bike for the aggressive recreational/ occasional motocross rider. I would love to motocross this bike but there are no local tracks close to where I am now. There was a nice outdoor track back down in Oregon, and although I never got the big 5 on the track, I did get to ride my mid '90s RM 250 there... and I can tell you that I would rather have had this KX at the time. The only plus to the RM was the ease of clutch-pull. What I'm getting at with this is that if you are a hardcore serious racer... you could probably get a slightly better bike for the application.... but the K5 on the trail, logging roads, desert, dunes, hill climbs... pretty much anywhere else... Is the more capable bike. My $.03