There is no way it will be 4K. 6K would be the bottom is my guess. I do see a market for it. Looks like 10" of travel, maybe low seat, smooth power, e-start, light even compared to CRF230's etc. and should have far better suspension, brakes, handling etc. I see it as a great chick / small dude bike. Lots of people like to simply trail ride not rail and this would be the best bike going for that. KTM has to be about the most nimble company I have ever seen.
I don't believe anyone will think 218lbs is light weight. It seems like KTM is trying for a long ride trials bike but a trials bike is 145lbs. I get that there is a market for CRF230 type trail bike but they are in the $4,500 range and rightfully so since beginners and not so serious riders usually don't drop serious dollars. I think this bike would be a blast to ride if it was a 2t and weighed in around 180lbs otherwise it seems they are trying to reinvent the wheel. BTW GasGas already makes a version of this kind of bike but they don't import them. http://www.gasgasmotos.es/es/trial/365-tx-125-randonne.html
I know many chicks that a CRF230 is not good enough for but they don't want a tall 250 pound machine ether. some buy KX100's, some 125's/200's and lower them. Might fill a gap in that but who knows, might not sell at all and be a flop.
I owned a crf230f - NOT light. At least 250lbs.. The 2005 crf230f swing arm weighed 3x what my Husqvarna swing arm weighs. Though I did like it for what is was well enough.
I like it. If it is a stroked 350 made for torque and long engine life it could be a great trail bike. I like how quiet it is in the video.
If it was a 2t and weighed about 30 less pounds I would be thinking of buying one. The new Ossa enduro has got my attention now.
Not everyone is going to like the new bike but if you do more trailriding than racing then this could be an amazing bike. At that weight it should be very flickable and it should have enough grunt to climb anything. This could be a long term keeper. Less money to buy and less to maintain, sounds good to me. We'll see..... Check out: http://www.freeride350.com
Hummm "IF" it comes in at 4K....sign me up. I want a fun low seat play bike and right now I'm thinking the new Ossa Explorer 280 2-stroke will be in my garage. Anybody know when the KTM will be out?
here is just another innovative bike and a serious contender for where I could spend my money on. http://twostrokemotocross.com/2011/11/ossa-250300-i-the-future-of-enduro/ Robert-Jan
The local Yamadog shop (which quit selling dirt bikes and pit bikes as they don't sell enough) sold 3 XT250's this past year at around $5,000 out the door. I bet some of the folks that bought those would take a look at the KTM. Hodaka Bob
I think that's a brilliant gap filler between enduro and trials, 98kg is respectable and lighter than any enduro bike of similar cc. In the UK I think they will shift plenty of those.
I looked up that model for a 2012 at a discount dealer it is $4614 out the door for an out of state buyer who pays sales tax in their state and motor vehicle fees. I got that by adding freight and dealer prep as the site explained it. Now the ("discouont") price for a wr250r (also a yamaha) is $1800 more. Clearly those folks who bought the xt250 passed on the more expensive more comparable wr250 x or r model. I would look at how much it costs for the dot version of that 350 which is supposed to be available now I think there are three of four variants one of which is supposed to be registerable. What is an out the door price on one of them exclusive of tax title but inclusive of freight, prep and conveyance fee.
