250-500cc Husky Decision

OK, here is the decision. I am looking at 3 bikes:

1- 2010 KTM 250xc w/ Rekluse and a few other goodies
2-2011 Husqvarna wr300 w/ pro-circuit silencer and exhaust, skidplate, it is stock other than that with +-15 hours, new top-end, still has stock sprockets and chain.
3-Brand New 2012 Husky wr300- new out of the box

All three are priced within a few hundred dollars of each other.
My last bike was a 09 KTM300xc. Great bike, expensive bike, I can do without the estart, what I need to know follows:

My big question is do the wr's handle as good or better than the KTMs in the tight stuff (forgot to mention I ride 80% enduros 20% hare scrambles).
How heavy are they with a full tank of fuel (I know what the sales crap says what's a more accurate number)?
I have read a couple different reviews that people really struggle to get traction with the 300 (too much power for some) I am assuming some of that is gearing, anybody feel like the bike "doesn't hook up"?

Anything else you guys can add would be great. I'm going to look at the 2011 tomorrow anything I should be looking for on a slightly used bike

im 53, 5'6" and a bent up angry midget most of the time. just picked a '12 WR300. never looking back. btw i can lift it onto the stand with a full tank easy enough, dont know the exact tonnage. play different. baroooooop!

oh yeh and while were at it i like being differnt...chains on the wrong side- i love pointing that one out lol, sachs shock? what?, oh youll never start that with that kick starter way up there. oh really? boot, dading-dadingdingding, who's brakes are those wow look at all these cool parts! and just when ya thougt them 300# 9000$ thumper trail bikes couldnt get any cooler? ya pull up on brand new 12 y/o designed smoker, tellu m how much ya paid, shoot the cheese for a sec say last one to the truck buys and screw it on and dance away into the woods tossing yer head back laughing like a madman with the front wheel in the air..baroooooop! cya! fast guys can go fast on anything, esp when its free. but the really cool guys go fast on huskys.

Get the 2012 Husky. To each their own, but every Husky I have owned (no 300 unfortunately) have had killer brakes and have smooth handling. And the 2012 will qualify for Husky Bucks. OCCRA and OHSCS in Oklahoma are both on the contingency program and so is Black Jack.

12! Like he saidhusky bucks if you decide to race. It is an awesome woods/enduro bike. Besides, KTM stands for Kosts Too Much. Take it from a previous KTM owner.

If kicking the bike to start it and the taller seat height doesnt bother you, the Husky is a great bike. If you get the 11' or newer I would suggest getting rid of the thermostat (complete junk), radiators need protection, as well as rivet the radiator shrouds together or chance loosing one on a branch.

KTM stands for Kmart Trail Machine

Hahahahaha

Or Karry Tools, Mate.

I had a 2010 ktm and couldnt get rid of it fast enough . Also had a 200 and same .
Mine overheated several times. It went ok but didnt handle as well as a WR - in fact I didnt like its front end handling at all. They need to be well set up .
Id go for the 11 or 12 300 or a WR 250
300 hooks up better than 250 . 250 revs faster / harder.

I bought an 09 wr 300 three years ago after I sold an 06 Ktm 250 exc and am so glad I changed. I had ridden Ktms for 15 years and just got a great deal on the husky. The 300 had all kinds of power and never had any problems with traction. The set up of the bike was the best I have ever been on. It is very easy and comfortable to ride standing up. The motor was bullet proof and only had to do routine maintenance. The only bad thing that I found was the mikuni carb. I finally broke down and bought a used keihin air striker and it made the bike start easier and a little bit crisper. All that said I would go with the 2012. I just had the same descision to make when I bought a cr150. Everydealer I talked to said to go with the new bike, contingency, lower hours and watching your friends drool.

I appreciate the input, I e-mailed my dealer and he is going give me a quote on a new 2013 as well, figured what the heck lets see what number he can come up with. Did get the price lowered on the 2011 by another 500 bucks so it is still a viable option, but after researching the contingency sounds like a solid program (if I can finish well enough), thinking out loud hopefully if they do the same program next year the 2013 would still be eligible?

From their track record, I would guess yes.

unless they got another one in someones gona have ta fight me fer the 300, i took that one home last tuesday. barooop!

2fity mite still be there though...not for long. words gettin out. fer 4300$ ya simply cannot go wrong for a proven bomb-proof hard enduro 250 and whoever gets it will be laughing all the way to the bank and trailhead with a keeper braaap braaap!

ktm handles better. husky has more power.

get the husky if you like working on bikes.

I bought a new 2011 wr250 a year ago for 5000 out the door. I rode ktm for 10 years and a year old new ktm was 2000 dollars more. Most of the guys I ride with ride ktm and they all have their suspenshion revalved, I told them why not save 2000 dollars you are going to redo your bike anyway. The wr is a good bike and if you ride it a few years it will be worth the same as the KTM in reasale value then.

even with the "new" kyb forks, the ktm still has a better suspension with way more tuning options. the sachs shock is the good part on the husky. there is a harshness we couldnt get tuned out of my forks. they are an old style kyb is the issue. youll get them working really good but still not as good as a new generation kyb/showa/wp fork. i thought the stock fork was very harsh for woods racing. after revalving i felt 20x better after a race.

resale, the husky wont be even close, but you dont have the inital investment either. the big thing on resale is how long youll be sitting on a bike. mine hasnt moved and its listed cheep. where im at there isnt much demand for them. my last ktm moved in 2 weeks and i got asking price for it.

lots of other things to consider, parts avalability, quality control besides resale. im back on ktm after 1/2 season on my wr300 husky and im not looking back.

ive got a long list of things to seriously consider if your looking at the husky.

pm me if youd like for a complete list of things to look for on these bikes.

KTM also stands for KEEPS TAKING MONEY! I had one, so I know.

I worked at a BMW dealer for years. Told customers BMW stood for "Broke My Wallet"