Browsing Tag

behind the build

PROJECT BIKE SPOTLIGHT: 2024 KTM 500EXC

For some riders, it’s all about the thrill of the hunt. The process of building a project dual-sport bike is like going on a safari where you don’t know who’s going to bag whom. Sometimes, the right parts present themselves for an easy…
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PROJECT BIKE SPOTLIGHT: DUNLOP KTM 350

For the Dunlop KTM 350 project, the key word is "simple," as in make a few targeted changes for maximum benefit. The 350cc engine is the most popular size for KTM, but adding some additional performance bolt-on items to make it more…
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GASGAS 500 2-STROKE: PROJECT BIKE SPOTLIGHT

Open-class two-strokes are all but extinct. The Japanese manufacturers stopped making them in the early 2000s, and now the parts for those iconic machines are no longer available. However, the aftermarket community is refusing to let the…
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EVO BIKE SPOTLIGHT: 1995 YAMAHA YZ250

There are two schools of thought in the world of vintage dirt bikes: some people like to look at them, while others want to ride them. We’re not here to pass judgment. Restoring an old bike is hard, expensive work, and it can be…
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PROJECT BRC 500cc YAMAHA: BEHIND THE BUILD

Charles Lytle is the man behind mXrevival, and with a lot of help from key companies in the motorcycle industry, he is able to produce some insane bike builds. The "Anihlatr" YZ500 project was made possible by working close with Riley and…
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PROJECT WHITE KNIGHT: A MODERN KTM 380 TWO-STROKE

Jonny Weisman from The Ride Shop has done it again! Just when we thought we had seen it all, Weisman shows up with a machine that blows our minds. His latest creation for long-time customer Scott Whittington, who has racing in his blood…
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HONDA CRF450X PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

To say the Honda CRF450X has a special place in the history of off-road endurance racing is a tragic understatement. The "X" is a dynasty on wheels. Since its arrival in 2005, the Honda CRF450X has won the SCORE Baja 1000 16 times. It has…
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HONDA CR300 TWO-STROKE PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

Honda officially stopped making two-stroke motorcycles over a decade ago, and we don’t see any signs of that changing in the near future. The Honda two-stroke faithful have started taking matters into their own hands with CR500 250 and 125…
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THROTTLE SYNDICATE KX450 PROJECT

Throttle Syndicate is the company that makes many factory-level race teams look so good with custom-made graphics and seat covers. We teamed up with Ryan Pursley and his son, Brandon, to build the ultimate 2023 Kawasaki KX250 four-stroke…
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KTM 300 TPI PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

By Kevin Olen So, there I was, 62 years old on my brand-new 2022 KTM 300XC-W Erzbergrodeo edition, hammering trails in nearby Idaho. I hadn’t ridden in 10 years, and the bike was beating me up on the trail. I was struggling to hang on,…
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BETA 300 2-STROKE PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

By Mike Webb My first encounter with the Beta 300RR was last year when my brother Tom and I ventured to Nampa, Idaho, to meet up with Beta’s media rep, Rodney Smith. We were there to test a trifecta of new Betas, one being the 300RR. I was…
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NORDEN ADVENTURE PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

The Husqvarna Norden 901 started out as concept machine. It was based around the KTM 890, and its niche lays between the dirt-oriented KTM Adventure R and the street-leaning 890 Adventure. Shown at a European trade show, the public went…
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MIKE BROWN’S KTM 450SX: BEHIND THE BUILD

The staff of Dirt Bike always jumps at the opportunity to work with Mike Brown any way we can. He is always a blast to have around, a very genuine human being and is usually up for just about anything. Our latest project with “Brownie” came…
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KTM 300XC 2-STROKE PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

Shaun Langham is a good friend of the DB editors. He rides weekly with the Webb bros. and has a reputation for not skimping when it comes to building his personal off-road machine. He recently sold his heavily modded 2019 KTM 300XC-W and…
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KAWASAKI KX450X PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

Mark Tilley has two priorities in his life these days. Their names are Jacob and Austin Tilley. But between supporting their young racing aspirations and acting as Managing Editor of Dirt Bike Magazine, Mark found the time to earn two…
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1989 SUZUKI RM125 RESTORATION: BEHIND THE BUILD

Michael Fischer is a long-time moto racer and enthusiast. Living in Nebraska, he is far away from the moto Mecca of SoCal, but he is always searching different buy/sell/trade sites trying to find a deal on something he can make a project…
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BETA DUAL-SPORT PROJECT: BEHIND THE BUILD

By Tom Webb For the last two years I’ve wanted to buy myself a dual-sport machine. Why, you ask, would an editor of a dirt bike publication who gets free bikes to test for a year want to buy something that sells for around $12,000? In my…
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