Ktm 200
KTM 200
CYCLE WORLD TEST
RETURN OF THE JACKPINER
PENTON SPORTCYCLING, LIMITED ONLY by your imagination," reads the brochure for the 1972 Penton 175 Jackpiner. But could John A. Penton himself ever have imagined a liquid-cooled, powervalve-equipped, hydraulic-clutch, disc-brake, single-shock Jackpiner like the new anniversary-edition KTM 200 E/XC LE?
“No, none of that, except maybe the single shock-that was something we tried,” laughs Penton, the one-time U.S. KTM importer who badge-labeled the Austrian-built r . machines as Pentons through the 1970s. “Heck, we were back in the rimfire days-put it on and go!”
“The Penton sportcycle was designed and
\ built to do
one thing...win...enduros, trials, scrambles, motocross and hare scrambles,” the dated brochure boasts. “The Penton is a true out-ofthe-crate competition sportcycle that needs no mechanical genius, machine shop or hundreds of dollars worth of goodies to make it win.” Well, that may have been true a quarter-century ago, but the old brochure begs the question: Does the new Jackpiner fit the mold set by its namesake? We intended to find out. So, following a day-long photo shoot in the Southern California hills, we loaded up the Jackpiner and headed to Carlsbad Raceway for the weekly Saturday-morning motocross races.
Now, riding an enduro bike in an MX race may not be the hot ticket, but the KTM performed admirably nonetheless. (We’re claiming a win in the first muddy practice session.) The Jackpiner is the first bike we’ve sampled with KTM’s new linkageless rear suspension, in which the swingarm is mated directly to a fjjl. ^ single Öhlins
> shock with a ^ progressively wound spring. This design, which removes the linkage’s weight and maintenance requirements, is similar to that seen on ATKs, but sets the shock in a posi-
tion allowing longer shaft travel.
How does the setup work? Excellent. Handling and suspension were remarkable; after adjusting the shock spring preload so that the suspension sagged 30mm under the bike’s own weight, a couple clicks less rebound damping on the 45mm Marzocchi fork was all it took to tame the rough Carlsbad course.
Engine-wise, the 200 ran as fast as modi-
fied 125s in the Pro class, its headlight and taillight glowing all the while. Right off the bottom, the ’Piner pulls like a 250, it just doesn’t continue to pull that hard for long.
Reading a little farther in the old brochure, “The versatility of the Penton allows the sportsman rider the choice of riding a scramble one day and an enduro the next without any major changes, and to be the most competitive machine in both events.”
Well, in this age of specialization, there’s no way that the Jackpiner could be considered the most competitive bike at Carlsbad. But then again, none of the other bikes on the starting gate were enduro-ready. Standard equipment on the Jackpiner includes the aforementioned lights, an odometer, a spark arrestor and a sidestand.
Perusing the Cycle News event calendar showed that
enduros during the hot California summer are about as
scarce as legal riding areas, so we opted for a day of hard-core trail riding instead. Starting in the high desert, we rode into the mountains on a loop that included everything from whooped-out sandwashes to technical goat trails at 8000 feet.
Right from the get-go, the Jackpiner proved to possess everything you could ever need in a lightweight trailbike. It flat blows away a Kawasaki KDX200 or 220 in stock trim. First, the KTM’s motor runs like a KDX with $700 worth of performance modifications. But
more important is the weight; physically the same size as a KDX (which is to say, a bit smaller than a 250), the KTM weighs just 218 pounds dry, and boasts an ultra-thin profile that makes the 234-pound Kawasaki seem bulky and slow-handling. The KTM’s shorter chassis makes for a nimble, wheelie-happy ride, though taller riders over about 5-foot-10 will feel a bit cramped. Both factors prompted us to pivot the handlebar forward. The only serious comfort demerit goes to the seat foam, which may very well be made from jackpine. Yes, it’s that hard.
As for the motor, it is all-new, sharing cases with the ’98 I25s. The six-speed, slightly wide-ratio transmission has an ultra-low first gear that’s good for climbing over boulders and
fallen trees, as well as a sixth gear that gives the bike adequate top speed for desert work. Also noteworthy is the hydraulically actuated clutch-a first for KTM. And, like most other modem dirtbikes, the Jackpiner has its kickstarter on the right and output shaft on the left; no more left-side kickstarter!
While the I93cc engine felt a little weak on top at the motocross track, it fared much better during our off-road ride. The little 200 boasts all the torque you’d expect from a 250, and flat refuses to load-up when lugged. And should the racer in you come out of hiding, there’s plenty of revability. The only glitch, which could be toned down via the adjustable powervalve, is the overly strong midrange hit;
in sticky trail situations, the heavy flywheel combined with the powervalve’s sudden opening seemed to let all the ponies out of the corral at once. Yee-ha!
Another factor in extracting maximum performance from the Jackpiner is the 39mm Keihin carburetor’s sensitivity to jetting. Starting with an N1EF needle and a #180 main jet, we went one step leaner to
we one step an N1EG needle and a #178 main jet. At the highest elevations, we raised the needle clip to the second position, and went to a #175 main. A tad inconvenient, but a small price to pay for crisp throttle response.
“The Penton is easy to maintain and is an excellent mount not only for the expert but also the beginner due to its wide powerband which allows for cow-trailing and its ease of handling in slow, medium and fast speeds,” the long-winded 1972 brochure continues.
A two-pronged boast, which the new KTM has no problem living up to. Indeed, the E/XC’s air filter is simple and foolproof, as well as being quite water-resistant. And the carburetor, sparkplug and suspension adjusters all are easy to reach, too.
Furthermore, after a few days in the Jackpiner’s saddle, our Expert and Novice riders alike agreed that there wasn’t another bike worth considering in the 200cc enduro class; in fact, we preferred the 200 to many 250s. True, less-skilled riders initially may find a KDX a better-and certainly cheaper-bike, but there is unlimited growth potential with the Jackpiner.
The old brochure again: “The Penton is not a motorcycle to carry you down the trail, but a highly scientific tool that when in competent hands will perform to the highest standards obtainable today.”
Science has obviously taken a big step forward since 1972, but today’s Jackpiner is riding the wave of technology.
And as far as carrying you down the trail, comparisons between the 200 and the 250 E/XC (CJT’s 1997 Enduro Bike of the Year) are justified; the most significant difference is that the 200 is lighter and more maneuverable, at the expense of having less power.
Though the 200cc class is not the most popular as far as racing classes go, neither was a 400cc four-stroke prior to the KTM 400 LC4’s debut in 1993. What makes the 200 E/XC stand out is its versatility, and the enjoyment its owner will derive from riding it.
That enjoyment will no doubt be enhanced by the Jackpiner’s exclusivity, because the “LE” following the 200 E/XC’s numeric designation stands for “Limited Edition.” KTM reports that fewer than 200 of the $6800 Jackpiners will be produced, each accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a special Jackpiner customer kit.
We’ll let the old brochure have the final say: “The Penton is an accumulation of over 25 years of motorcycle sporting knowledge and technology.”
True then, but today, the KTM is the product of 50 years’ combined experience. Time, we’d say, well spent. □
KTM
200 JACKPINER
$6797
