+ It ’ s a two stroke ; light and fast and easy to ride
– Mixing gas ; still a kick-start ( do young people even know it ’ s a thing ?)
SECOND OPINION
Ever since KTM moved to the TPI technology on the EXC range there has always been the memory of how good a two-stroke with a carburettor was . Was this just nostalgia , remembering all the good times and none of the bad ? Perhaps , but , nevertheless , I was eager to twist the throttle on the new 250SX ! Damon Nield ( the bike ’ s owner ) has thrown the aftermarket parts catalogue at this bike , but one part that caught my eye was the Two Stroke Performance high compression head . The first thing I should ’ ve done after seeing this mod was tighten up my belt a couple of clicks because , paired with the JW seat cover , it had you looking like you ’ d borrowed MC Hammer ’ s pants . The FMF powercore silencer gives it a raspy , crisp sound that just made me want to rev it . However , the TSP head meant that with the increase in power I could also run a taller gear to take full advantage of the low end power ; smoothing out the power hit . The engine is surprisingly torquey ; making getting traction and drive easy . Being a motocross bike it has very little flywheel effect , meaning it ’ s easy to stall , which then just makes me realise how spoiled I ’ ve become on enduro bikes with electric start . The suspension package that comes stock feels pretty good – with decent big bump absorption , which is great on open farmland riding . Having spent such a long time on KTMs I know exactly what the Brembo front brakes feel like , and hopping on this bike I noticed something was a bit different . This turned out to be the 270mm Moto Master front brake disc , which is bigger than standard . The difference is noticeable , with stronger braking power , but almost bordering on grabby compared to the stock brake , which are quite progressive , but require a lot more input . That said , a bike with this much acceleration needs good anchors . The 250SX is the complete package I think , with plenty of power , good cornering and handling straight out the box as well as its lightweight feel ; making it hard to beat . It also leads to it being a very versatile bike as Damon has shown by using it on the MX track , as well as in the bush . And , yes , for XC-style riding I still think the carb is the way to go , especially one set up as crisp as this bike . TOM BUXTON
KIWI RIDER 55