TE/TC XC-W300 vs. TE300

[Captain Kirk]

The day after I fired the bullet on a new 2015 TE300, I sold my son's KTM 105SX and dropped it off at the dealer as it was becoming a dealer sponsored racer's bike. Literally walking out the back door, the original owner was dropping off a 2008 300 XC-W that was pristine. So, it came home with me and I didn't have the heart to call the Husky dealer and back out so I ended up with both 300's. Original owner swears he's not modified the XC-W in any way other than a new piston at 80 hours (currently has 160) and a Gold Fatty pipe.

So, I have been fitting a Lectron to the TE 300 and I've just about got it lined out and ready for the trails and a couple of WOT pulls to check the Powerjet setting. Pulled the XCW down from the lift, took it for a quick spin as I have not ever ridden it since I bought it. It's been slated for backup duty to my TE and my Berg 570 and it has sat in the trailer on every trip. Figured I better ride it, be sure it's still running well before I make a change to baseline the bike in case I encounter an issue. I like the Lectron well enough on the TE that I have one to install on the XCW.

I've had 15hours seat time on the TE. When I rode both the 300's down the street after I had just purchased them both, I didn't have enough 2T seat time to really feel any difference in the two. However, today I rode the XCW and it is MUCH stronger off the bottom. I mean its extremely detectable. It just feels like an all around stronger running bike and I can't figure it out. I ran compression on both and both are sitting at 161psi. The TE is clearly running cleaner at idle right now. But even before I did the Lectron install on the TE, it did not feel like the XCW.

I've never played with a power valve but the owner says he has not changed the spring or adjusted it. Could there be that much difference in the two motors in terms of how they breath and the reeds/pipe configuration? Gearing is the same on both. Both running the same fuel/oil ratio and products. I'm stumped.

 

[Husq-a-daygo]

Difference in power could be from a more restricted air box on the husky.

 

[racemx904]

is the screw on the pv adjustment in the same place?

 

[Norman Foley]

They are both wide ratio, but '08 is a 5 speed. Are internal gears the same?

 

[Captain Kirk]

They are both wide ratio, but '08 is a 5 speed. Are internal gears the same?

Hmm. I don't think this is correct. I'll play in the garage a bit to see and come back.

As far as the power valve, what little I know I have read and according to Slaven's Racing (which I consider to be a fairly solid information source), the question on the power valve adjustment is not one that can be answered easily in the context of setting comparisons. I need to do some more reading up on the power valve I guess.


EDIT: Well, I'll be darned. I own a 5-Speed and didn't know it.

 

[robertaccio]

all of the above as well as one of the other obvious and well documented Husaberg/Husky airbox/bodywork issue.
read about and try something like this on the white ktm.

 

[robertaccio]

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/drilling-holes-in-airbox-cover.45245/

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1162943-holey-airbox-cover/#entry12912437

 

[87husky500xc]

Aside from the air box you also mentioned the pipe on the katoom is an fmf fatty vs stock on the husky. What gearing is the Ktm running?

 

[reveille]

Your 08 xc w will be stronger. All the KTM guys talk about it regularly. Nothing too mysterious though. It seems KTM tamed the late models by lowering the compression VIA the head and or gasket configuration. Sounds like they had a bit too many complaints about hole digging low end power so they tried smoothing the power delivery out. You can customize either bike to your liking. That's the beauty of the 300. You have a first hand real time comparison up front so you can either tame the KTM or amp up the Husky, your choice. Enjoy!

 

[shawbagga]

Yep heaps of talk on DBW bout the 14 onwards(I think) head n compression. Get head done for correct squish as they come stock with low compression. Get the 13 head, slavens s3 or recut stocker is the cure I believe.

I don't own one however jus wat I've read

 

[robertaccio]

good call Shawbagga and those "SX" and adjustable combustion chamber heads are low cost to performance ratio items- I love 2 strokes-- easy to tune from mild to wild all while spending minimal cash.

 

[shawbagga]

Copy that!

 

[Tetley]

Well, my 2016 TE300 rides the same as my mates 2016 XC300, ie they seem exactly the same power delivery, and drag race neck and neck. So this shows the air box mod from 2015 onwards is giving the same breathing as the KTM. All other power producing parts are identical.
My mate also has a 2008 300EXC, and this feels about 10BHP down on the new bikes, and has noticeably less bottom end grunt, which is about right, as the 2008 EXC has about 45BHP, and the 2016 54BHP

 

[JBoone]

good call Shawbagga and those "SX" and adjustable combustion chamber heads are low cost to performance ratio items- I love 2 strokes-- easy to tune from mild to wild all while spending minimal cash.

I am an accountant, and I endorse this statement.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Aside from the air box you also mentioned the pipe on the katoom is an fmf fatty vs stock on the husky. What gearing is the Ktm running?

I'm doing the Lectron conversion on the KTM so it is down on the floor and it is running 13/50. The TE is stock but it is on the car lift pointed the wrong direction so I couldn't put eyes on it, but I know I put a 50th Twinring on it, and left the front since it was brand new. So, I believe the TE came with a 13 in front as well. If I am right there, then they are both running the same external gearing.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Well, my 2016 TE300 rides the same as my mates 2016 XC300, ie they seem exactly the same power delivery, and drag race neck and neck. So this shows the air box mod from 2015 onwards is giving the same breathing as the KTM. All other power producing parts are identical.
My mate also has a 2008 300EXC, and this feels about 10BHP down on the new bikes, and has noticeably less bottom end grunt, which is about right, as the 2008 EXC has about 45BHP, and the 2016 54BHP

I'm wondering about a mod that would use the 2016 subframe on my 2015. If I read the threads correctly (heck I can't remember where as I am on too many recently trying to get ready for the season) they opened up the subframe for better breathing on the racing versions of the 2015, not the TE versions. Since I have both a TE300 and FE350 that are 2015 models, think the 2016 subframe would be able to be a bolt in? And as I am typing this, I am thinking that even though they opened up the subframe, they still choked it off with the cover........soooo.........if that is a correct recall of what I read, then maybe I just open the filter panel by drilling the holes and installing the twin air round filters. Thoughts?

 

[racemx904]

look at other threads about drilling holes in the side panel or.... a c/f subframe

 

[ggg]

the difference is the head and a much lesser degree the reed bloc.

swap the heads over

the new hemi heads do not have a squish band like the 13 and back heads, they changed the heads to smooth out the power in 14 and up.

if gearing is the same and both jetted well this is were 90% on difference is.

if you swap out the heads i would also run the same jetting as the XCW also, as the new heads/reed set up run a richer main

 

[ggg]

the airbox to me offer no real gains nothing compared to a a different head set up, i found the 14 head feel stronger down low but smoother, upper mid no where near as much snap, the power going from my 2011 to 2014 felt like what have they done its top end is crap, but after a while i liked the smoother power the 14 and up offer, i trail ride if i was a racer my comments would bedifferent