300 2 Stroke vs 350 4 Stroke 

Best review of these two bikes anywhere on the internet - thanks and well done!

Awesome review / comparison. You covered it and included the standout differences!

Great presentation and so interesting, thank you very much. Your experience and the well conveyed specifics of each bike make an impressive coherent whole.

Thank you for the thoughtful content. So helpful as I debate a move from 4 stroke to 2.

One of the better comparisons I have seen, good job Adam.

Excellent video. Thanks.

Love my 2016 KTM 300 with auto-clutch red spring on the power valve, plenty of power can pull front wheel up in any gear! Great video!

Good comprehensive report.

I have an exc 300 ktm bought in 2001, I would not change it for anything in the world, an incomparable compromise and reliability, even now that I am 56 years old, I enjoy myself as a child;)

"Old" dude from Italy here...AWESOME channel and content. I subscribed as fast as I could! Here (Italy) we have the opposite problem: you CANNOT ride an unplated bike ANYWHERE near a public road/land unless is a closed track. Track that has to be homologated and registered and authorized by the city administration. No "let me have some fun in my back yard" private property motocross track here.😢 As far as 2 vs 4 I'll go for a 300 2T. Mostly single trail "hard enduro" style here...the stuff Graham Jarvis likes to ride.😂 I'm almost 60 and have been riding all sorts of motorcycles in my life, but dirt bikes are my foundations and what I grew up with. And those I enjoyed the most...even entered a few amateur races with them with satisfactory results. Unfortunately, I stop dirt riding many years ago, due to the continuous shutting down of tracks and mostly EVERY trail/dirt road around here. Despite the big motocross and enduro heritage and tradition here in Italy, noise complaints, terror-ambientalists, and the rising popularity of "weekend fitness warriors" mountain bikes so much liked by the "greens" left the scene of the off-road motorcycle pretty sad. Many, like myself, gave up tired of gambling with the L.E. officers and local park/forest rangers. Not worthed anymore. Lately, I've got the "spark" back, especially after following you guys and this awesome channel. So I set my hope high: could I go back to a mellow trail riding despite the "age"? NOPE, perhaps here where I live. I dig in and prompted local authorities & forest administrations and guess what: NOTHING can be legally ridden on ANY dirt roads. Not even E-bicycles. But oh boy, I'll surely miss that 2 stroke bark and the smell of burning bardahl oil.😜 Sadly not here. Sorry for the rant...but after seeing the places you guys ride...I'm EXTREMELY jelous😜

Thanks for the content. Cheers from OZ

Excellent thoughtful review. I have a KTM 300 X CW two stroke with a recluse clutch and a steering stabilizer and trail bar risers Enduro Engineering pipes blah blah blah. I really appreciate your description of why these add-ons make the bike so much better. Especially since I bought the bike with all these add-ons already. I came from a DRZ 400 to this bike and it was literally night and day being 100 pounds lighter and much more powerful.

Rekluse is just so good. I have two WR 450’s, one with a Rekluse and one without. It’s night and day compared to the cable clutch, no gorilla arms required. You described it perfectly as a traction control device. I’m not a big “Orange” fan but now that GASGAS is under the KTM umbrella I think I can make a concession and pick up a new EC300 and install a Rekluse, then I’ll have the best of both worlds! Cheers from North Eastern Ontario! Excellent impartial review.

Great review!

Excellent analysis

Excellent breakdown

Man, great review first of all! Just bought a used Fe350 and i feel like i messed up when you talk about the 2 strokes. Its my first bike too! YIKES!

thanks adam , thats very useful,

Great comparison!

Solid video mate. I’ve been tossing up between these exact bikes for a while, and in Australia enduro 2 strokes can be plated. So I think you’ve just help me make my mind up

Love the final comments dont be mad, I have owned many 2 strokes and a couple of 4s, Like you I prefer the 2s for all the reasons you covered well done.

great comparison , some really good points , i have a ktm 250exc 2 banger which is lic as well as a ktm 500 exc , lic too . so im hearing you on a lot of your points . so its what you like to do and ride .. main thing is get out there and ride !!! cheers steve/Australia

Good video. I’ve owned both and love both. the one piece of advice I would give to a new rider is to think about what type of terrain you will ride most days and try to match the bike to that, don’t overthink it too much after that. Get good on one and there will always be time to switch it up later if you need to.

Cool to see how this turned out, sure was a fun day.

Nice honest review, I love them both as well but give a little nudge to the 2t for single track and for MX I give the nudge to the 4t.. to bad I can have only one and for that I choose the 300 2-STk

Different strokes for different folks. I like both! Where I’m from, there’s mostly flat terrain with plenty of jumps and leaps to go, long trips to cool places to ride, so really it comes down to preference. I like a 2 stroke better just because I started riding on 2 strokes and the braap too :) But a 4 stroke would def be better for wide open, fast terrain with absolute need for speed! I learned tricks and control on a 2 stroke, I could probably do It on a 4 stroke too. Again, different strokes for different folks! Great vid!

Great review between four stroke and two stroke you nailed it! Me personally I ride a KTM 300 XC TPI and love it! I used to ride 450s what a joke for trail riding! I've never tried a purpose built four stroke for trail riding.

I've been wanting to see a video like this for quite some time now. I'm planning on entering some giveaways like this in the future from other channels, so there's definitely some things I need to be aware of if I win either a two-stroke or a four-stroke

I live in CA and there are plenty of NF to ride 2 strokes year around. The verdict is in...Gotta own both and ride anywhere, anytime.

Another option if you are in state that allows 2T's plated is they probably allow any dirt bike to be plated, which opens up options for XC-F/FX 350s/450s if you need that plate. No weight penalty on those bikes, I think they may be coming in under the 300i's now in weight.

Very good explanation of the feel difference between the 2t vs 4t. New tpi are 2t are like a new type of machine I call them 3t. I ride 450 4t and for the type of riding I do they are very good. I want to do more slow single track now and a 250-300 2t is better for that. My 450 is great until I stall it...so I avoid going to slow. I could put a rekluse in it but it is like putting a band aid on an open wound, it is a patch not a solution. Stay safe ride within your limit and ride another day.

give us a video on how well the Rekluse works in the te300i. Show us how low you can go in say 3rd gear before it starts to slip and some very slow technical stuff also. I have a te300i so that would really be interesting.

Best advise yet

I preferred the 300 3smoke, but ended up getting the 500 as I do more cross country than slow technical. One day I will have both.

In my state I can put a plate on a 2 stroke. And I also put a Recluse and a stabilizer. I run a trials tire with the Tubless system on back and a ultra heavy duty tube in front. So I’m a 2 stroke guy myself. I had a 450 KTM and I never did get use to the weight in the woods.

I own both. Love both. Depending on the situation and feeling I pick one over the other. I like to think of it as my two favorite foods. Can't go wrong

As for tires I’m sold on the tusk recons I’ve ran about 3 rears and 1 front now and absolutely love them they have great wear and a very durable sidewall with a nice soft knob that really bites on the roots and wet rocks

Just followed. So glad I ran into this account.

Hey Adam Booth, greetings from your hometown of Santa Fe’!

I didn't see in the comments or missed it. Can you give me a general area that you where riding? That looks amazing. Thanks for video as well. I have a 2021 ktm 300 xc and a 2017 ktm 350 xcf. You nailed it on the head

Been riding 2 strokes for years and now a 4 stroke WR450F. Can’t go wrong with either one. 4 stroke has more torque at part throttle and easy fuel fill ups direct from the gas station. For 2 stroke to keep up with 4 stroke, you have to rev it high all time.

100% correct. Shinko gummies and alpinestars tech 7 enduros literally changed everything. My confidence skyrocketed, I love riding more than ever after 4 years in. Along with my Flo foot pegs, I’m planted on my FE350 which translates right to the ground. Who-Hoo!!!

Have the perfect stable TE501 & TE 150....Depends on the mode I’m in !

Great video, but the rekluse clutch really changes the comparison

I got a 2019 350 exc bone stock other than bars and a skidplate (and ofcourse a tailight because the stock one is shit and I spent a day looking for my lisence plate after the taillight got ripped off doing 70 down a dirt road after I put knobby tires on), and I love the thing, im still running stock suspension even, I've played with the clickers in the rear and have the front all the way stiff and its still a bit to soft but riding technical rocky stuff its good and I've learned to still smash through the big inconsistent desert whoops on it during a race. I just take the headlight off for racing and put a standard number plate and I still get the speedometer and it even works with a handlebar pad (I've decided to run that since last year my dad broke his jaw in three places from hitting the handlebars with a large aftermarket speedometer and no pad of any kind), the near thing and kinda strange is when I take the front lights and blinkers off but flip the switch for the blinkers they flash, so its kinda cool I can turn them on in a race because its super dusty and sometimes you can't see the bike infront of you, or the buch you are about to hit, I was once at a road crossing during a race (dirt road crossing) and I was just entering the road way and couldn't even see the road, we haven't gotten rain since last winter though and it was going into the sun about an hour before sunset so it was close to worst possible condition.

So we need one of each. Thanks

I have a 1995 yezdi roadking and it has autoclutch. Its a blast to have autoclutch in a 2stroke.

Getting my first bike, only ridden a couple times before and these are my 2 options (but both husky’s). I really want the 300 but worry it’s gonna be a lot harder to ride. Mostly doing single track with fire trails in between. Will I wish I went with a 350 as a first bike you think or should I take the leap and go 300? Great review by the way!

As you said, it’s a matter of preference, and also of terrain. The singletrack in this vid is pretty fast stuff, where a 350 would probably shine better. If I were not into the fun of 2 strokes, the 350 would be my first choice.

Recluse clutch suits the 4 stroke more. For the 150xc-w or the TE150i do not get the auto clutch putt flywheel weight on them. The auto clutch doesn’t add any weight thus doesn’t add any grunt for hill climbs

I want both!

what you taking if you're riding midwest hare scrambles?

Switching between bikes it the worst, I have a 350 exc, and my dad has the 350 xc, same engine, slightly different frame(linkage vs pds), the air fork on the xc, and it is set up super stiff and the engine while it is the same has no emissions crap choking it down and also a lighter flywheel, so more top end power but doesn't seem to tractor up hills quite as well. One year apart but because the exc is about a year behind they are basically the same model year but we got one sooner and I was racing the xc for a year, then I got my exc and spent alot of time riding it, then I rode my dads xc and also his older exc 500 to see if I wanted to stiffen up the suspension a bit but on the test trail I hit on all of them wich covered a variety of what I normally ride I decided I felt most comfortable on my bike and didn't want to change something and risk messing up my riding.

You forgot to mention the blinkers on the 350!😁

I have a KTM 450 XC-W with a plate and a KTM 300 XC with a plate. I live in Washington where we have tons of great dual sport fire roads that go for miles in the Cascades and that is where the 450 is king. We also have hundreds of miles of tough steep technical single track and that is where the 300 cannot be beat. Just get one of each and you will be happy no matter what ride you are on :-)

I have the 350 and it seems to stall easily on slow rocky uphill shelfs and slow speed type stuff. I am a beginner so I Know it is mostly my lack of clutch skills, but I was wondering if there is something about the bike that makes it more prone to stalling than other bikes? it has become a frustration for me so I am considering an auto clutch.

Back in the day everyone was a 2 stroke guy. Everything worth having was 2 stroke except my Honda Trail 70(ct70). Some 3 wheelers were 4 stroke but not much more until you went to a larger displacement. Most were fours were Honda Xr or XLs

had a recluse radius auto clutch on my 19 crf450 ill never ride another bike without one! well worth upgrade.

East Coast rider which means mainly tight Woods, I really want a 4 stroke (I have a 2 stroke) but that 300 really works well in the Woods.

have a 300cc 2 stroke.. wowzers!! best decision ever.. love it

you should have used the xcf instead of the exc would have liked to see the comparison with the same transmission as the 300

Watching vids on the Kalib Russel 350xcf it def has bottom and appears to run hard as hell in the wider upper range of the RPM and gear ratio's. Def a bike for a fast kid looking to go faster. Though, I really doubt there is MORE bottom grunt than the 300. In-fact, bolt-on TSP high compression head and ECU map the 300 would produce upwards of 7 ft lbs more and earlier in the revs. Overall I would choose the 300 due to my riding style; missouri woods single track not open to high speed. Torquey blimps over creeks and logs, going off trail chugging up slick leafy ridges, tight wooded areas educing stalls ect

Can you recommend some steering stabilizers to look into, please?

I used to ride 2 strokes all the time as a kid, as I’ve grown older I’ve just been stuck to four strokes in trail.

So... Rekluse clutch vs. standard clutch?

You mention riding 100 miles of single track in a day. That brings up another difference on these two bikes, how far they can go on a tank of gas. The two stroke will go about 60 miles on a tank of gas vs 100+ miles for the four stroke. I've got the KTM version of both these bikes. On trails, I think the two stroke is generally more fun to ride.

These two bike types were on my radar and I went with a KTM 250XCtpi. I'm in Az and can plate this bike easy. Rode the KTM and Husky 350s, They are nice but the 250 and 300 t strokes are better for sure in the trails. The 350s seem kinda Corked up stock. Can't go wrong with either but I prefer the 2 strokes by a considerable margin.

Is it safe to run the two-stroke down the back roads at 60 miles an hour? When you let off the gas and are coasting are you still getting oil injected into the crank case for lubrication?

Good detailed review! vs "ya I like it"

How good is the 2T without the rekluse? also I personally recommend Tubliss over mousses

My 20 Husky 350 has all the mods and a Recluse. Its incredibly easy to ride. Doesn't spin the tire and chugs up everything. ..

What head unit did you install on the 300 ?

I have a 2009 ktm 200xcw and my brother has a 2019 fe350 and my bike hits harder in the bottom end and hits harder in all rpms, is easier to ride through technical stuff but it doesn’t have as much pull on wide open sandy climbs as the 350, plus the 350 feels a bit heavy.

Did I miss the part where they raced?

So I have a 2021 350xcf. I was on the fence between the 300 and and 350. I rode the 300 and thought it was amazing but I've been a 4 stroke guy for almost 20 years. so I decided to go with the 350. I was kind of disappointed. The flame outs is my main issue. The 300 even without a Rekluse didn't seem to want to stall. we ride allot of tight single track with steep up hills (north East Ohio). The 350 is a battle, allot of it might be rider error but it just gets frustrating. Do you think a Rekluse would solve allot of this or do I need to Map the ECU differently?

Can you share what trails you road in Idaho? and your favorite Idaho trails for an expert to pro-level riders?

TPI 2 stroke from KTM is AWESOME!!!

I was interested till you mentioned one was modified, for me a comparison should be stock bikes. These bikes a fantastic stock and the expense of buying them is enough for me.

Using a exc 350 f 2018 at the moment can't fault it , loves the bk wheel, I'm bored of 2stroke now , nice video tho

I went with a 2021 kx250x with a Rekluse because i like to down shift for braking, then stabbing the throttle. Spent the $700.00 on Moose and gummy tires.

Just wondering if the 350 ever feels like you need more power? I'm on the fence about getting either a 500 or a 350.

What tire pressure were you running in these conditions?

Any ECU remapping or changing on the 350 EXC? It seemed underpowered with stock ECU.

You won’t find many 4T bikes on the podium at any of the top Hard Enduro events. That said, the 4T bikes are more versatile and have a broader performance envelope. The differences between 2T and 4T bikes have really narrowed in the last 10 years. Of course it is best to own one of each.

What steering stabilizer do you recommend?

300 2 stroke especially fuel enjected will crawl without the rekluse kinda the point

Im in California and i ride my plated 2 stroke everywhere.

The 350 4T is more stall/flameout prone, why not give it a recluse for a fair comparison?

2-stroke guy my whole life “50yrs.old “ had a 2018 350 exc-f did it all up Vortex pipe blah blah just bought my second one 2021 350 exc-f about to do it all up! Live in New York and like Cali it’s hard to register something but these bikes are super fast and fun they keep up or beat any bike depending on the magician 🎩 90% of the guys I ride with are 2-strokes but they know the excf is a real machine!!!! Just My .02

Interesting. Both bikes modified. Recluse on the 2 stroke. The 4 stroke would benefit more from The recluse than the two stroke. You can take the 300 down to almost when it’s gonna die and get back on the gas band it won’t die. The 350 will unles you ride the clutch. Two different bikes. Two different set ups. The two stroke 300 has more power than the 350. The 4 stroke just hooks harder. My stock 300 will bark hard! Stock! The 350 needs to be receding more. Like both bikes though.

Nice dirt stache

Tires make such a huge difference! Change them and you'll think its a different bike! Also "we spent all day, switching back and forth, comparing these bikes, with much different tires..."

To me and I'm an old school person. If I'm going ride to the trails 4 stroke is the only way to go. It handle the road better. But if your out there to tare up the trails the 2 stroke. But you need a car that can carry them or a trailer. I believe the 2 stroke climbs better on steeper hills. I watched an enduro in Arizona and the 2 stroke were climbing the steep hills better. We had thumpers in my day but most people chose 2 strokes. Just my opinion.

Will a 300 or 250 two stroke enduro such as a ktm have any issue with driving at a steady speed down a fire road or back road between trails?

Two stroke for the cool kids, 4s for the video game dweebs

I live in SoCal so sadly, 4 stroke it is for me.

you do not compare 300 vs 350 but rekluse vs manual clutch

I think if you can only have one bike and you ride alot of different terrain and trails I would go the 4 banger but if you are a single trail enduro rider 2 banger

But which one is the big dog? A 300 2 stroke should be if you do 2stroke/4stroke math. But is it?

So that right answer is one of each!