I would consider mid range to be in the $2000-$4000 range. When you get to the $5000+ range, I consider this to be high end, since it's starting to get in to bikes with competition ready components. In many ways the RnD and tech that goes in to making a high quality MTB surpasses that of MX. With MX they can get around certain deficiencies simply by overbuilding them since the engine can compensate. With MTB a great deal of research goes in to making parts lighter, stronger and better performing. That's not to say areas of MTB aren't overpriced, especially wheels and suspension, which are getting ridiculous, only that the presence of an engine does not automatically mean better. The other thing is that the market for the really high end MTB stuff is relatively small compared to the MX market. The smaller the market, the more they will charge in order to maintain the desired profit margin.

Either way, my point was that for $1000, one could go to a LBS and something far better than this POS CT fair.

 yet the bike industry is selling bikes at $10,000 dollars which gets you a pretty nice motorcycle......