KIWI RIDER DECEMBER 2021 VOL2 | Page 36

to see if they were a new fork upgrade for this year – and that ’ s when the penny dropped . After a few kilometres to get my head around the power , I decided it ’ s an engine of two halves . Firstly , the fuelling feels clean throughout the rev range and throttle response is great everywhere . However , that doesn ’ t quite tell the whole story . Working from the top-end power down ; the high rpm power is solid , but nothing to write home about . From about one third throttle to three quarters , the power is strong , highly responsive , almost aggressive as revs rise and certainly potent . Engine inertia feels comparatively light adding to the fast and business-like response . Shortshifting gears seems the most appropriate way to use this power . This power is great for quick , open riding , but not as forgiving or flexible as the much wider power range on a comparable four-stroke . The jewel in the KTM ’ s power delivery is the bottom-end . It ’ s strong , flexible and manageable , in essence a tractor from idle . Also , it ’ s amazingly good for technical stuff making extreme obstacles less challenging for all levels of rider , although it is still quite lively . That said , I feel getting traction in super slick conditions is a little tricky , for example the very hard packed wet clay of the Wellington Akatarawa Enduro would prove to be a challenge . But , then , it ’ s fair to say that about 90 percent of engines ( and I remember a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth that a 400cc two stroke won that event ), would struggle in those conditions . So , as always , it comes down to the person twisting the throttle . Needless to say , Tom is more than happy with the 300 TPI engine . The rest of the bike is what we ’ ve come to expect from KTM . That is , great ergo ’ s , excellent steering precision , a decent chassis , top shelf brakes for power and feel and a very solid build quality . The WP shock for me was set-up on the soft side , definitely plush and not hard to bottom , but then I hate to think how many kilograms heavier I am than Tom . Overall , the 300EXC is an excellent enduro bike . JOCK MCLAUCHLAN

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