I have been riding and racing motocross for the past 30+ years. I only ride the vintage bikes I had as a kid.... Maico 490, Husky 420 and so on. I just bought my first modern bike. A new 2006 KTM 525... WoW! This bike is outstanding!!! I checked out all the 450´s on the market and found the KTM 525 smokes them all! I am very happy with this bike.... It is very strong and a blast to ride... Not as fast as a Maico 490 but it doesn´t beat you up as much either. My friends told me KTM´s are hard to find parts for and have a lot of problems..... Parts are everywhere, when you need them! This bike is built like a tank...I LOVE IT!!! I am buying a new KTM for my son the Kawasaki freak... We´ll see how he likes it! Gerald