FIRST RIDE: KTM XC-F & SX-F FOR 2016

KTM presented eight new motorcycles to us for a test ride in Crawfordsville, Indiana this week–and when we say new, we mean really new. The bikes were the four-stroke motocrossers (the 250SX-F, the 350SX-F, the 450SX-F), the four-stroke XC-F bikes (250XC-F, 350XC-F and 450XC-F), plus the 125 and 150 SX two-strokes. All of them were redesigned from scratch for 2016, which represents the biggest year of change for any manufacturer in modern history.

We knew this was coming, of course, because of the limited edition Factory Editions that were released just prior to the Supercross season. This is how KTM gives its latest equipment to its race team without breaking any rules. The company brought in a small number of 250s and 450s and offered them to the public so that they qualified as production bikes. If you missed out on those, no big deal; the 2016 250SXF and 450SX-F are almost the same thing, only less expensive. And they added the 350, which is based on the 250 motor. Those three bikes, in turn, were the basis for the XC-F off-road bikes. It’s been KTM’s habit to make minimal changes to the motocross bikes and offer them up as cross-country racers. They aren’t technically imported as off-road bikes, so they don’t have to pass any emission rules. KTM has another line of bikes (the XC-Ws) to fill that square. Here’s a quick summery of the four-strokes we tried.

KTM 450SX-F & 450XC-F

These two bikes are identical aside from the following: The XC-F is designed for cross-country racing, so it gets a larger fuel tank (2.25 gallons, as opposed to 1.85) and that tank is made of a translucent material. It also gets a kickstand, an 18-inch rear wheel, handguards and different suspension settings. That’s all folks. No changes in the gearbox or anything that has to do with performance. Both bikes were redesigned with weight loss as a very high priority. We weighed the Factory Edition last fall and it was a full 10 pounds lighter than the older 450.  The 2016 450 might be even lighter, because it doesn’t have a few small items like the front disc guard and the holeshot device. There are some other, purely cosmetic differences, such as the frame color, seat and graphics.

The new 450SX-F is every bit as impressive as the Factory Edition. We might even go so far as to say we like it better. The fork, in particular, has a little more testing time on it here in the States, and the U.S. R&D staff came up with some last-minute changes that make it slightly softer in initial movement. The motor is still incredible. It’s wicked fast. There’s a wealth of incredibly deep mid-range power and it still revs out. At least we think it does. The KTM revs higher than most 450s and significantly higher than most riders want. The truth is that the bike handles better when the revs aren’t as high. Engine braking is reduced and throttle control is easier. So keep it in a tall gear and you’ll go faster, easier. But you can scream it when you need to.

With the new chassis, the KTM 450 has a new personality. It’s more responsive to small changes in body English. In some situations, it even seems a little busy. But that adds to the feeling that it’s very, very light. If you’re a Honda rider, you’ll love it. If you’re a KTM die-hard, you’ll learn to love it.

Do the differences between the XC-F and the SX-F make it a different bike? The  only noticeable  differences are that the XC feels and little wider in the tank and the suspension is clearly softer. But the environment makes the bike feel very, very different. When you have the XC on a tight trail, you experience a completely different part of the powerband. The KTM actually has a smooth power delivery down there. On the trail, you typically ride in a low rpm zone that you speed right past on the motocross track. The bike is still responsive and powerful, but less of a handful than you would expect from a 60-horsepower motocross motor. Just remember what’s in there and treat it with respect.

KTM 350SX-F & 350XC-F

We knew what to expect with the 450 because of our experience with the Factory Edition. The 350 is completely new–it wasn’t available as a Factory Edition because the U.S. race team doesn’t race it in Pro motocross. The 2016 350 shares its chassis with the 250 and, in fact, even uses the same engine layout. The 350 has 10mm more bore and 5.5mm more stroke. But that’s enough to make it a completely different motorcycle. It’s definitely not a 450, either. We’ve spent a great deal of time trying to identify exactly what the 350SX-F is in the past four years. It’s enough to say that the 350 is more fun, but that doesn’t necessarily make it more competitive on a motocross course. The same holds true with the new 350, but it’s gone through a big personality change. The new motor is much more willing to pull down low and is more free-revving. There were some people who didn’t like the old 350 because it forced the rider to scream the motor. This one isn’t like that. It still revs higher and higher until it makes power that allows it to run with 450s, but it doesn’t have to be up there all the time. This bike takes away what little ammunition the anti-350 gang had in previous years.

The off-road version of the old 350 didn’t have very many critics. Okay, none. That bike is the bike of choice for Kailub Russell, who is the fastest off-road racer in America right now. The new 350 is better. It’s faster, lighter and more free-revving, just like its motocross twin. In this case, the XC-F has a different transmission than the SX. It’s a six-speed. That’s good, but the truth is that the new 350 has the widest usable powerband of any bike made. It could be a one-speed and still win races. On the bottom, the bike makes more torque than ever before. And on top it revs to infinity and beyond.  The bottom line is that the 350 will continue to be the best -selling off-road bike in the world.

KTM 250SX & 250XC-F

The most important factor in the 250 class is power. But it’s not the only factor. The 2015 KTM 250SX-F was already the fastest 250 four-stroke you could buy, but few people voted it best in class because it had lackluster bottom-end torque and harsh suspension. First things first, the new bike is faster still. It’s now the fastest bike in the class by a massive margin, assuming that the other manufacturers don’t have something earth-shattering. It’s also got more bottom end than the previous KTM. The worst case is that it’s now equal to the other bikes in the class when it comes to torque. Best case, it’s the king of the castle. We really can’t come to a conclusion without having the other bikes on hand for back-to-back comparison. That will come later.

Like the 450, the 250 has quicker steering than it did last year. It’s also lighter–in fact our Factory Edition was in a three-way tie as the lightest bike in the class at 222 pounds without fuel, despite the fact that it’s the only one with electric start. Those factors combine to make the bike feel very

agile. The big question, then, is all about the suspension. Will the fork hold it back? We know that the WP 4CS fork is better than it was last year, but once again, we can’t say if it’s enough. Not yet, anyway.

Off-road, the XC-F has the same motor as the SX-F, but with a six-speed transmission. This bike will probably benefit most of all from the redesign. KTM now has competition in the 250cc off-road racer class. Yamaha moved in last year with the YZ250FX, and that made for a real tight shootout. Click here to read about that. With the increase in power and a snappier, more free-revving motor, that battle will only get hotter. The rematch will be coming soon. Also, stay tuned for a review of the all-new KTM 125SX and 150SX, which we also got a chance to ride this week.