KIWI RIDER 05 2019 VOL.2 | Page 44

The power from the bottom to the top end is smooth but it’s by no means linear. From the soft get-go off the bottom it really picks up through the mid before flattening off a bit as it gets to the top-end RELIABILITY One thing that has had the online forums worked into a frenzy, is that people are worried about the piston not lasting because they think the engine mixture is running too lean. Well, I can put your minds to rest on the matter. While in Romania last year preparing the tracks for the Romaniacs extreme enduro, I had a chance to ride a 2018 model. Before I could ride it I had to straighten the expansion chamber, so while 44 KIWI RIDER the pipe was off I thought I’d have a look up the exhaust port at the piston. I must admit it was very clean, polished and shiny but considering the 250 hours already on the piston I thought it looked in pretty good shape. It was still running pretty good too, believe it or not, but, admittedly, it did go better with a fresh piston. So it looks like the 300’s reliability has not changed with the new fuel injection system.