I Love that KTM is taking 2 strokes to the next level. I think it’s awesome for a lot of people. But for me I prefer simplicity of the yz125 and yz250

God bless KTM and their continued development of the two stroke❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏

I have a 2018 300xc with over 200 hours, I have never used the kick starter. Still has the orginal battery and starter. You could bump start a 125 so easy anyways.

I definitely appreciate companies pushing new technology in bikes but I’m a basic guy and love both my yz125 and yz250

The more knowledgeable I get about bikes, the more I like carb's and kickstarts. I started riding the newest bikes, 4T w/ EFI and now Im on a 20 year old KDX and happier and learned a lot more just doing simple maintenance. Not being able to service your own bike do to new tech would piss me off.

I agree 100% on your thoughts on the need to have different mapping between the XC and the SX, believe that this is an advantage Yamaha has with the YZ and YZX.

I have a deposit on one, should be here in a few weeks. I'm old and don't want to to deal with kick starting a bike or jetting a carb anymore, I just want to throw my leg over the bike and ride

At one time Suzuki sold a on off road bike with 18 rear wheel that was 50 CC for adults. In the 1960s they had classes for really small bikes in Europe. My first off road race I raced on an RM 125 in 77.

Never could ride my 450 Kawasaki as fast as my little 125s.

This is an older post but in May of 23 I was able to get a new 23 125xc for 6k a full 1000 less the YZ. I was looking for the Yamaha, as of the first 1.5 hrs on the bike my son is loving the KTM. I’ll follow up if it takes a turn 😅

I think the price point on 250/300 SX TC will be popular offroad builds for certain riders, that is where e-start comes in.

I have a ktm 125 xc 2023 and I bought it out of the box and it already came with a mixture from the ktm factory and I turned it on and ran it, then I turned it on and the spark that you recommend me blew

I'm sure the flywheel is slightly heavier. If its got that much bottom no need to change the characteristics. Sxf and xcf are basically the same bike with an extra gear and a different rear wheel.

First, it’s great that one company either 2 stroke or 4 stroke that is continuing the development of technology the board esp 2 strokes, for KTM group it makes sense, it’s why they took over dirtbike sales world wide from the 2000s onwards, they sell as many if nkt more 2 strokes than most brands sell 4 strokes combined. However I also like that Yamaha has kept the YZ simple, it gives the market choice. As for XC vs SXF, it’s simple Rado it’s cost, cyclically I don’t think they didn’t make the changes you want to save us money but it would have added cost, XCs EXCs are more expensive than SXFs. also 125 off road market eg XC type riders will mod those bikes anyway to suit them selves, if the foundation is good let the customer owner personalise it. 2 stroke appeal is for simplicity, even if it is TBI, TPI. Agree if not for KTM group the 2 stroke would have been dead pre 2010, people forget that, Honda, Kawi, Suzuki wanted the 2stroke dead, don’t ever forget that. that’s fact exp Honda, while I’ll never ever buy a new Honda ever again. Props to KTM i’d ride one if I was younger, but for me the YZ is simple fun and that’s why I ride, I’m not competitive racing at pro level so I don’t need the latest tech, just tech that is dialled for me, but motocross esp has always been about pushing development why I hate the 4 stroke era with these 4-5 year model cycles, the 80s every year something was new. Anyway a fan of the new bikes would def love to try one for a ride, any of the TBI models 125-300 frankly be sick to see what it’s like.

For 2023 Beta has completely rethought their 125. KTM (and by default, Gas Gas) have obviously paid attention/followed suit to hold onto their portion of the 125cc two stroke market share! Kudos to the entire industry for keeping 2Ts alive and thriving...Braapp‼️ 😃😌

I always was a Suzuki man ..but I picked up a ktm 250 sx and wow 👌 👏 ktm rips !!°

My hot take: we need a 150XC not a 125 XC. Yeah, I know you can put a big bore kit on it but I really feel like a 150 powerplant is superior in every way possible in the woods. (yeah, I know, it's designed for XC3 at gncc, that's such a niche class, pretty much everywhere else is either A. open engine racing. Or B. Allows up to 153cc...at least anywhere I've ever raced)

I’m picking up a 23 125xc for my wife. I’ll make sure to have Spencer and Jay ride it to see what they think. Should arrive in the next few weeks. Thanks Rado

If you want a 2023 carbureted kick start KTM two stroke just buy the Gas Gas MC125. I have a feeling KTM might keep the Gas Gas MC 2T bikes carb to keep the price down and satisfy that market. As far as the 2023 SX and XC 125's being the same I think the softer map on the map switch is all you need for more technical riding. Plus they offer the 150 XC-W TPI bike for people looking for a woods weapon.

I wish they counterbalanced these bikes ( all of them) but left them carbureted. The great thing about a 2 stroke is how simple and reliable they are. I don’t want an electric powervalve. I want mechanical powervalve and a carburetor BUT good suspension and a counterbalance shaft.

I like the fact that Yamaha updated the 125. The price point for me is why I like the 2 stroke. Also the ease of working on it. I would just go 250F otherwise. However I think it is cool they offer it and push the technology. It’s really cool. I will stick with my simple ‘22 yz 125 and a big fat smile under my helmet. Thanks Rado

I just bought one today! Then couldn't take delivery of it because it was missing the foot pegs. "Due to safety I can't take it home". Was told it could take up to 8 weeks to get the pegs from KTM. Of course they didn't tell me this until I paid and was walking out the door.

I would actually agree with KTM's approach for a race bike. I'm a dedicated 125 woods racer, and the only thing that I notice about the YZ125X over my woods converted regular YZ125s is that the X is slower when you a riding at race pace. For riders with at least intermediate level 125 skills, the KTM approach is better, as low-end power is largely irrelevant on a 125, even in the woods.

YZ-125 is bulletproof, one of the best parts is how simple it is and how easy it is for the average Joe with some mechanic skills to do every job outside of rebuilding the bottom end. Have a 2006 YZ-125 I’m the original owner of and have never once had a issue with it I couldn’t fix myself

I have a 125 Sherco and love the 125 bikes... Might pick up one of these 125 XC's

I don’t think deleting the kickstarter would save more than like an 1/8 of a pound if that. I wish companies would just leave them for back up. Electronics aren’t fool proof

De-tune a 125?? No one wants that. Just gear it down externally for the tight trails. All the factory installed differences u listed are all u need for off-road. WELL DONE KTM!

I have the 2021 XC125, it has electric start. Also with the carburetor there is a different chart for slower riding. Now they developed this bike as a GNCC race bike so it’s still not intended as a slow woods bike.

The reason why is "Standardisation". The more all the bike share from 125 to 500 the cheaper and easier. The Japanese bikes started it with the 250 and 450 sharing the same chassis. Now it's KTM's turn to do the same with the entire lineup where possible.

I like Yamahas yzs because they do nothing wrong and alot right .. especially the suspension and .durabilty. and good power and handling..and they are very very stable at speed which makes them so versatile.

I don’t know how I feel about electric power valve.. still like the ability to put the red spring/demon spring in and feel the hit naturally

I think the YZ125X would be the choice for me. Upgrade to a smartcarb or lectron for less than the difference and you're probably 90+% of the way to the KTM in terms of power with way more simplicity and with money left over for more mods to make it even better than the KTM.

at least yz 125 dont have nothing of this new thinks, 2 strokes is the simple motor, no cables and more crazy stuff...

I have a buddie that’s pretty much semi pro for off-road racing and everybody buys the normal motor cross 2 strokes and 4 strokes and they build them to be off-road bikes. They love the power delivery of the motocross bikes. Nobody really buys the off-road versions. So in Ktms mind I think they just did everything a off road racer would do to the race bike and call it a off road bike.

Are they reliable ? Why did they get rid of the oil injection ? Yamaha has had oil injection on their DT range of enduro 2 strokes since about 1968. They use the same oil pump today and it works perfectly. With all their development the KTM is not a patch on the Yamaha YZ125.

Simplicity wins unless you like being dependent on your dealer, shit happens and things break.

about the e power valve i think its alr but when its gona break...

I’m tore between this and the yz125x love the simplicity of it but also hate dealing with carbs for the slightest change in the environment.

I think you answered all your questions

I'm glad a few companies still make 2 strokes bigger than 80cc I wish Suzuki made a modern rm250 feels like the 2 stroke is dying and don't get me wrong I freaking love 4 strokes got 2 of them but grew up on a 2 stroke and wanna buy another one!! Good video

For the price point, yz is the one. More simple, because when you ride a 125 you only want is fun.. But if some technologies in ktm began to fail.. You will no longer have fun... If you want some power changes, you can do that in yz by changing some part like head and carburetor from the price difference of $1200.

Is the bean counters influence to standardize among models.

Blu crew all the way, if its not broke why fix it, YZ125X best ,most fun bike ever and super reliable, same with the one I own 21 yz250x 💪🏾😎

Eventually we will all run with the new technology of injected two strokes but for now, I wonder if KTM would consider selling the same model with a carby and with injection. Would cost them a little more but hey, its an idea to keep as many two strokers happy! I'm sure the idea would of been tossed around the board room, but at the end of the day, i respect what the KTM brand is doing!

Ktm does still in fact offer a nice, simple, and advanced bike with a kick start and carb. Buy a gas gas mc two stroke. I think they should keep offering slightly different bikes across platforms like that and see where sales go. I get the feeling that a big part of the push to efi everything is emissions based as well. I prefer mechanical simplicity with my performance as much as possible.

I am glad more people are aware of KTM keep developing two strokes. They keep em alive:)

$500 more for a kick stand, crappy hand guards, cheap skid plate, slightly bigger tank and an 18" wheel? Ehhhh....I'd just get the SX, put some Acerbis wrap around guards and a real skid plate and call it a day. Save a few hundred in the process.

Simple YZ for me

I have ordered for my daughter 1. she can compete in both mx and enduro on a 125, she can't do that on a 150 in Sweden. 2. it should be a little lighter than 150. hope it will be good

I have a few 2019-2022 KTM two strokes but my newest units are Beta. I want the simplicity of carburetion and the option of kick starting

Ya guy, that's why KTM has 3 models each of each displacement. The XC model has always be the SX modded for minimum woods type bike. The XCW and its likes are the official woods bike. Always has been always will be. Nothing to be disappointed about. Usually the XC ecu is slightly different than the SX and XCW

if a 125 or 250, I would go with the yz 2 stroke. However, you can not beat the 300 2 strokes of Husky/KTM for an all around off road/practice MX bike.

Yamaha, Lectron, skid plate, hand guards, done.

I've been in a lot of situations where drift starting my bike is simply impossible. So, now your battery is dead. Lmao. You better have a buddy with you and have rope or chain to pull you and your bike home.

Flywheel weight. And transmission used to be the biggest difference. Along with the electric start.

The electronics won’t give you an edge for bottom end it would come down to changing rotational mass compression porting and pipe more so than anything else involved gearing would help ride ability but honestly ride the xc back to back to the beta 125rr and you’ll probably never worry about a Kim again

My YZ250X seems very reliable, Zero failures at 130 hrs. I would assume YZ125X would follow suit. I just participated in Yamaha demo day Holiday Mountian MX . Had a chance to ripp YZ125X . It is the most fun machine to ride.

You should know that TM Racing already have the electric powervalve and fuel injection on the 125. Sad that you don’t talk about that too..

So buy the XC and put a 19" wheel on it for mx use. You'll get the bigger tank, hand guards and a skid plate.

I would take the 125yzx I am 63 and have had all of them yz lighter and easy to move around . Not fond of the auto power valve .Have one on my sherco feels a lot different.

I was the first 1 in the netherlands that ride on the 125 beta

Best in class torque and top end what would you change?

I’m 240lbs, will a 125 be ok for me? Slow C class rider. Of course I will need to spring it straight away.

You cant beat the YZ125 and they are solid reliable

Are you sure they have the same transmission? I thought all the XCs had a semi close gearing

I'm with you Rado. It does not surprise me that they are heavy on unreliable tech. I'm pretty much done with the KTM. While I loved my 300, it was a money pit. A Yamaha YZ with the right rider on board can do anything the KTM can. BTW, congratulations with your channel!! It is really growing. You are pushing 200K subscribers. Good on you my man!!!

I'm really liking the throttle body injection. I have not rode one yet but it looks like this is what KTM has been wanting to do since 2010 or sooner? Glad KTM has the TBI.

It never took a lot to turn a 125 mx bike into a xc/woods bike. Put an 18 inch wheel on it, maybe a flywheel, maybe a gearing change in the rear, maybe a different pipe (spark arrestor for sure), hand guards, skid plate. So it doesn't surprise me any that there is very little difference between the 125 xc/sx for KTM.

try the ktm on dyno its the only truth. nice video.

Hey Rado! Good questions here hey? Honestly, I don't know either why they wouldn't make more of a difference in the two bikes in regards to the engine, and transmission. Transmission especially, as we know how much different they are in the bigger models. So as you say, all they are really doing is adding the upgrades that people have already been doing for years to SX bikes, to make them more trail worthy...I ride with a couple guys up here in MI that have SX, and YZ, and they are both race bikes, but they have just added the things needed to be trail/enduro bikes. One of them went as far as to swap transmissions on the YZ with WR to get that wider ratio like the enduro bikes have, but honestly, I think it's kind of silly...why go through all that hassle when you can just buy and enduro bike LOL....but...different strokes for different folks I guess. As for this 125 KTM....I look forward to seeing a review of the two once they are available. Are you thinking you'll get one to try out and review? As always, great videos, keep em coming! God bless! -Steve

So no more oil injection on the 2 strokes?

theres no difference in gearing, power delivery or porting ect because Ktm don't care about their customers or their opinions. we're used for r&d and they just want us to hand over money and shut up. its more profitable for them to produce bikes with loads of common failures that we point out for them, while also having to pay loads for parts direct from ktm to put right. win win for ktm.

Yamaha all day for me

No kickstarter on a trail bike for a back up contingency plan is not smart

I feel that a 125 at my age (52) is a toy bike, so I would prefer my "TOYS" to be as simple as possible so i would pick the YZ hands down. Of course that is only an opinion since I have never twisted the throttle on the KTM, it might be the best thing since sliced bread

Only so much you can do with 125cc. All the electronic doodads should give it the most bottom and top physically possible. I do wish they would spread out the gears for a little more top speed

The specs are the same because now you have More control over the electronics in the Software to make your engine More Motocross (more extreme) or more Off-road ... more smooth ... that may be the reason that KTM did not offer an Mechanically different package on the different models ... you can literally Tune your bike for different scenarios on your Software that control the motorbike engine microcontroller.

I think Ktm just raised the market on old used kick/carb bikes😅

Yz all day

the thing is gas gas 125 still puts out the most power out of every single 125 out rn but i still prefer the yz125x over anything

I have to admit Rado I’m glad I have the oil injection I’m kind of enjoying not mixing oil and gas I have the 2023 KTM 300 XCW

The reason that the 125 SX and 125 XC have the same motor and trans is the same as why KTM quit making a 200- they're nuts and enjoy pissing off serious enduro/XC people. 150? Yea KTM, make a bike that's 50 CC's down on the class that it has to compete in. That's a really good idea...

I’ll take my beta 300RR race edition over a KTM any day, carburetor, adjustable mechanical power valve, mapping switch- all the best with no excessive tech mess

i want comparison of ktm and sherco 125

i feel like the average faster rider will choose the yz125 not even because of money

Did KTM ever get there replacement parts under control? If not I’d never touch one. Period. I’ve seen guys with less than 5 year old bikes that can’t get anything for them. I can get anything I need quickly with my YZ259!!!7

6 speed for xc 5 speed for sx ?

Does the fuel injections replace the need for jetting or do you still need to jet?

As someone who works in a workshop continuously dealing with electronics in engines, I am drawn to the yz's simplicity so my weekends can be spent riding not fixing.

Yz all the way

Funny how he’s saying the most advanced 2 stroke out their.. Has anyone ever seen or rode a TM? They’ve had electric start, fuel injection and electronic power valve with a map switch for years. Just because some guy on KZfaq says, The most advanced 2 stroke ever don’t believe it

Sounds fun to me

the kickstart is the base of ktm

I went for the YZ125X. Just a few enduro-focused tweaks to an already fantastic, reliable, supremely suspended bike at a good price. I'm actually quite suprised any Euro manufacturer would put R&D into a 125. I just don't think the market is large enough to justify it as most enduro riders want the torque of a 250 or 300.

Put kickstarters back on every dirt bike

Yeah I have been hearing about the TPIs. Some say they are good but they can wear out really quickly. I have seen that with fuel injected bikes if one sensor goes then your dead in the water. You can’t get it running on the trails. The electric power valve seems like it would wear out quickly as well. I mean, if they already have electrical problems why add to the problems? Also they should keep the kickstarters. Your not always going to have a charged battery. Though it’s rare if it is dead. But they should still have it. But maybe they should focus on putting linkage on all bikes. Instead of a select few.

cant forget that you can still push start it!

Tanks

YZ125X no doubt!!!

Japanese manufacturers great bikes . Research where your favorite brand parts are manufactured. Many are made in China .