in the early midrange. Having said that, as
the engine’s power delivery stands there
is definitely something for all levels of
rider and is perhaps why it’s so. Maybe the
best way to put it is that it feels like a very
strong 250 rather than a detuned 450.
CHASSIS
As the XC-F runs the same chassis as the
SX-F the handling is very similar. It is more
confidence-inspiring through faster turns
and more stable than the EXC but not as
planted with front wheel grip in the tight
and slow turns. What this means is that,
in deep sand it is less likely to tuck, it rails
quick turns with aplomb, but is a whisker
vague in slower going. In a nutshell,
it is well-suited to open cross-country
conditions and even pretty handy on the
MX track. So, you have to say that KTM has
its design parameters pretty right between
the cross-country and enduro models
given the terrain they’re designed to excel
on. The new ergonomics are great, it’s
excellent to move around on and, yes, an
improvement on last year.
The brakes are Brembo again this year
after an interlude with Magura and are top
drawer kit. There’s stopping power and
feel aplenty. KTM celebrates 20 years of
hydraulic clutches this year… which is quite
a milestone given that the Japanese still
don’t go there and they are the best in the
business.
WP suspension is featured at both
ends, the forks are air sprung and fully
adjustable too, while the rear is the normal
linkage/fully adjustable shock setup. The
springy bits work beautifully but the bike
was set up for Liam, so a little on the soft
side for me – he’s something like 20kg or
more lighter. Actually, the fork seemed
fine and I only really noticed the shock
riding low and being light on rebound,
otherwise not bad. Certainly, the standard
suspension can be set to work very well for
40 KIWI RIDER