Ktm Enters Mini-Wars

KTM ENTERS MINI-WARS

KTM IS OUT TO GRAB more of the Pee-Wee racing market, which has belonged almost exclusively to Yamaha's PW50 in recent years.

KTM has put its name and look on two bikes, the SX-3 and the SX, which are produced by LEM, an Italian company.

The SX is competition legal in most racing organizations and carries a suggested retail of $1048. The SX-3, with larger wheels, isn’t legal under some sanctioning bodies’ rules. It has longer travel suspension and a taller seat height. It retails for $ 1298. Both bikes are powered by a 47cc engine with automatic transmission and centrifugal clutch. The claimed dry weight

is 61 pounds for the SX and 96 pounds for the SX-3.

The first batch is sold out to dealers and more are on the way. Demand is there, says Roger Ansel, American Motorcyclist Association amateur competition manager, because the kids are seeing more motocross on television, and with baby boomers getting older and starting families, there are more kids in the 4 to 8 age range than there were about 10 years ago.

Jimmy Lewis