Its a custom built 300sx. Started as a 250 sx, and we turned it into a fire breathing monster of a 300. Custom porting and head work, exhaust, v force 4 reed, tightened up the compression, steering dampner, and revalved/resprung the suspension.

Cyril Despres is now holding 1st overall in the DAKAR! Still thousands of miles left to race, he can do it!

They have a steeper head tube and shorter wheelbase to make them more responsive to slow technical riding

Single track man I ride both, and each in its own way is as exhausting as the other. There is just more upper body on the moto. As far as the trail goes motos dont do that much more damage compared to bicycles. At least if were talking down hill bikes, XC to moto is a little bit different. I spent 5 years as a professional trail contractor, I have helped train the first IMBA trail crews, built in the US, Canada, and Philippines. In my experience the worst destruction comes form ATV's and Horses, we never had to warranty a trail surface from bicycles or motos. Horses are the hardest to build for because they create pock marks in the soil which then collects water instead of shedding it. Once that contained water soaks in it softens a hard packed tread and creates mud, once you have mud the trail falls apart. I ride a trail on my mtn bike and the other mtn bikers love me, all smiles and cheer, then I go out the next week on the moto and its all rude comments and attitude like im a different person. With the exception of down hill, due to safety reasons, I refuse to build a trail thats not for multi user groups. Everyone has a right to enjoy nature in their own way.

Harrison you after my own heart

they are lighter by 20 lbs over the standard 350 enduro, I just pulled that from KTM's website.

2nd half as pb said my first was too long... From a technical parts standpoint, at least in 2008 when I bought my last bike, KTM had many (aftermarket) parts equipped factory that you would have to purchase separately to upgrade your other manufactures bikes such as a Hydraulic clutch, pro taper bars, and excel rims. They are also one of the only manufacturers still building a 2 stroke bike. I am also related to a bike and snomobile dealer who carries Yamaha, Kawasaki, and KTM. From a warranty standpoint he sees the yamahas, and Kawis more than the KTM. There is a video floating around where he did a side by side break down of a 2010 KTM 450 and Kawi 450. Some of the things that particularly stood out for me were in the choice of small parts, the rear brake lever on the kawi was an aluminum pedal with a bolt stuffed through a hole, the KTM ran a small bearing. The rear axle of the Kawi was a big bolt with a castle nut on the end fixed with a keeper wire, the KTM had an aluminum forged axle with a dedicated aluminum cap nut. Its the small details that attract me to them. So all in all if your into motorcross and going around in circles hitting jumps, go with one of the japanese bikes designed to do just that. If your into desert racing, and enduros get the bike thats designed for that. Check out the Dakar which starts in a few days, 9000 km race through argentina into peru. KTM has dominated that scene since they first came in. This new 350 is a trials enduro hybrid, its motor is tamed down to (i believe) 25 hp compared to their standard enduro 350 with about 45 hp. The new 350 freeride is also shorter, with a seat height of 895mm unloaded compared to the standard enduro at 970mm. I recommend checking out the Julian Dupont video of the KTM 350 freeride if you liked this. Here is one of my videos so you guys do know I ride one before the neg props pore in. http://www.pinkbike.com/video/231670/

There are a lot of misconceptions here going on between KTM and the others. Take this with a grain of salt as I am a KTM loyal fan, I got my first one in 95 back before they were considered anything, and have since had 6 of them over the years. I have always been impressed with the austrian eye for detail on them. My current bike is a custom built 300sx thats been tuned considerably up for more power and has been running for 2 years without a single hiccup. I compete in hillclimbing and run my motor regularly pisswound for extended periods. A big hill will build enough heat to boil my engine ice coolant. As far as the frames braking, I have never seen one in colorado. Being built and catered towards enduro racing more than motorcross it would not surprise me if you jump an enduro bike high enough you will brake it. I do not believe the chromoly to be inferior in any way to aluminum. KTM states that they use it to allow for impact absorption due to the flexible nature of chromoly. Same principal behind many of the steel hardtails being built by transition and chromag.