Quick Ride
Quick Ride
KTM 250SX Overlooked orange underdog
TALK ABOUT SURPRISES. With all the changes the aluminum-framed Honda CR250 got for 1997, you'd think it was the most improved bike of this season. Well, think again, and think orange. Not only is the '97 KTM 250SX much more attractive than its predecessor with its new graphics, it also got a big boost in performance.
First off, the engine: Hiding inside cases that are identical to those used last year is a perfor mance monster. Revised cylinder porting, tighter powervalve tol erances and a brand-new Koku san electronic ignition (just like the one used on Suzuki's RM250) give a broader spread of power to an already mighty motor. The KTM's power delivery feels very much like that of an older Yamaha YZ250, building from tighter cartridge tolerances and hard anodizing to limit wear. Connecting the fork to the frame is a new gull-wing triple-clamp that allows a bit more flex than before. The result is a ride that is right on par with the classleading `97 Honda CR250. Out back, the KTM's Ohlins shock features revised valving, and is levered by an all-new aluminum swingarm that is fatter and taller than the one it replaced. The bridgework has also been changed in what is rumored to be the first step toward KTM's planned move to a linkageless rear suspension for 1998. If this is true, we hope the Austrian factory gets the setup as good as it did on the current bike, because our testers found little fault with the SX's suspension. It's balanced and plush, with ample bottoming resistance, and it keeps the bike riding high through long bump sections. On a negative note, the 235pound KTM is slightly heavy and slow-handling, though the tradeoff for that is improved stability, making the SX the best berm-surfer in a long time. Other niceties include KTM's standard aluminum handlebar; strong, tight footpegs, shift and brake levers; softer seat foam; new Excel rims with shouldered spokes; and a top-quality set of Pirelli MT18 knobbies. Plus, the stick-on graphics are thick and long-lasting, the plastic is tough as nails, and the chain and sprockets wear like iron. Even the pipe has the nickel-plated af termarket look. Best of all, the 250SX is priced at just $5648, meaning it's also competitive against Japanese motocrossers on the sales floor.
low rpm with seamless grunt, good flywheel effect and plenty of overrev capability. It isn't what you'd call "snappy," but it i~ responsive, putting power direct ly to the ground. The `97's frame is the same as the `96's, but everything con nected to it has been improved. Up front, the fork is a new, right side-up 50mm Marzocchi with
l3eing awarded Most Im proved" honors is sometimes a bit of a backhanded compliment. Not so here. In earning that title, the 1997 KTM 250SX has leapfrogged the majority of its competition, making it a bonafide contender for victory in the 250cc MX wars.
Jimmy Lewis
