2008 KTM XC Off Road Lineup

One has to wonder how many bikes KTM can really design, test, manufacture, market and actually sell with profitable margins? At times it seems impossible, but the Austrians continue to refine its ridiculously expansive lineup of off-road machines with the 2008 XC model range. Easily the largest gang on the orange streets, the cross country lineup has 15 different bikes between the XC and wide-ratio XC-W models. The motocross spectrum encompasses three fewer machines which points strongly to KTM's enduro history and continued devotion.

Models range from a 65cc 2-stroke to a thunderous 530 4-stroke (even though it's technically only 510cc). MotoUSA.com spent a day on the National-caliber motocross track of Glen Helen and the surrounding trails of the Glen Helen OHV Park. We didn't get to sample the full spread of orange equipment, but a pair of pre-mixers (105 XC and 300 XC) and thumpers (250 XC-F and 450 XC-F). That's a lot of bikes for a tester to get seat time on in one day, but we wore out the tail of our Troy Lee Designs pants in an attempt to get a feel for these popular off-road weapons. It isn't quite fair to call these enduro bikes, as KTM makes a point not to. Katoom labels its street-legal EXC line as the enduros of the company, and their purpose includes the casual trail riders among us. But, the XC and XC-W machines are geared at closed-course competition like cross country, hare scramble and desert racing applications - and they're geared to win.

It was a hot practice day at Glen Helen, and though they aren't intended to spend full days hucking doubles, scrubbing tabletops and skimming whoops, the notoriously rough track was prepared well enough to give the KTM XC lineup a good test of their racing diversity - something these machines are specifically designed for. With loamy conditions early on, and rutted turns later in the day, the Austrian machines gave us their best impressions of carving lines on a motocross track. While proving their worth for GP and WORCS applications, we were able to hop onto the back trails and rip around the San Bernardino hills to get a taste of their off-road flavor.

2008 KTM 450 XC-F (MSRP: $7698)

The big news for KTM's 450 XC-F is the all-new motor. The new mill is a 449cc, DOHC configuration with a bore/stroke of 97 x 60.8mm. Traction is one of the first words that come to mind in describing the new powerplant. We were impressed with its ability and power to pull the bike and rider through any turn no matter how soft and loamy. Yet it has an electric feel to it that somehow remains fun despite such a bland description. It wasn't snappy at all, but had plenty of power to get around. The ease of use, however, wasn't deceptive and I could feel the difference in speed compared to the other bikes we rode at the intro. There's more of an electric sensation than just power delivery, the 450 XC-F is just like its moto cousin in that it doesn't come with a kickstarter. The 12.5:1 compression ratio is turned over via the magic button.

Like in years past, the steering is light and quick for an off-road 450, but it isn't quite as knifelike as a full moto machine. Though sporting a claimed dry weight of 239 pounds, it began to feel a little heavy as the day/motos wore on, but compared to other 450 enduro or cross country machines, it feels more like a regular motocross bike with its slim ergos, roomy cockpit and thin seat foam. Overall the machine has dropped more than 10 pounds of claimed weight with the disappearance of a headlight. Ditching all the illumination hardware was more than enough weight savings to allow a bit of extra fuel with the new 2.4-gallon tank. KTM has done a fabulous job of hiding that extra fuel because sitting on the bike and riding it around gives no indication of a larger cell, except that you can ride longer and harder without having to stop.

We'll talk about how good the 250 XC-F suspension is in a moment, but compared to the smaller machine, the 450's 48mm WP fork and linkageless shock weren't as satisfying for our test rider. The rear end bucked at first, but we settled things down with a turn out on the spring preload. Up front, the sticks were a little harsh in the upper portion of the stroke and once past it blows through too quickly for our taste until bottoming. Things were better off-road, but time on the motocross track proved the suspension wasn't as much at home on the MX course as the rest of the machine.

We found ourselves shifting frequently between third and fourth gears, but the new tranny shifts really well there and throughout the rest of the 5-cog assembly. All of the gears seemed really close, so for more casual trail riders the XC-W (R) might be better suited. No matter how you ride, the hydraulic clutch is a bonus and the light pull we love so much was matched by its ability to handle all the abuse we dished out during our short ride.

At the end of the day, choosing to ride the 450 XC-F is simple due to the fact that you can get away with nearly anything with the friendly, ample spread of power. You simply don't have to try as hard to have fun on this bike.

2008 KTM 250 XC-F (MSRP: $6998)

This motor is awesome! It has more of a top-end feel to it where staying on the revs and using the clutch generates the biggest reward - what would you expect from a tiddler 4-stroke? Since we spent a lot of time on the motocross track, this motor really got the job done for us. It pulls through corners, up hills, and makes it over jumps with the ease of a real MX quarter-liter. On the trails it is still capable of getting down low in the rpm and working through technical terrain, but it likes to sing a bit.

A willing motor wasn't the only reason this was easily our favorite of the bunch to moto hard. The bike's handling flows very well and makes you feel like a smoother rider than you really are. Terrific balance all around and the bike handles well through rough terrain, braking bumps, big jumps and fast straights. It was actually a little surprising just how well the bike turns. Much of that is due to the linkageless WP suspension. The suspension has a very good setup for motocross which means it is a little too stiff for slower trail riding. However, that isn't what KTM wants people to do with the XC line. These babies are supposed to be raced and ridden hard! The 250 XC-F soaks up big braking bumps and acceleration chop with equal aplomb. The 48mm WP fork does a good job of complementing the light feel up front without any nervous behavior. People who want to turn this bike into a full-time GP racer might set both ends a tad stiffer down in the stroke for those hard hits and big jumps, but for a good pace in the back country this machine shines everywhere.

The brakes are exceptionally strong on the quarter-liter. The front brake especially offers great stopping power when entering a turn on the motocross track. On the trails, the easy modulation, confident feedback and overall strength allows the rider to negotiate downhill terrain with trials-like speed and precision.

The gear spacing was close enough to allow for short shifting if desired, but because of the motor's lack of snap, we short-shifted the new 5-speed transmission less than if it were a motocross version. It's more effective to let the machine lope through the midrange, and while a tall gear was nice for those fast, whooped-out fire roads, the missing sixth gear was never an issue.

Oh, and did we mention that we love that electric start? This one comes with a kickstart lever rather than relying solely on the button.

2008 KTM 300 XC (MSRP: $6798)

You can feel the flywheel working in this motor, lots of low end torque and not much of a hit. The three-hundy has an extremely linear power band. On the motocross track it felt almost like the jetting was off and kept us waiting for that surge of power, but that sensation helps keep this buff motor manageable out in the woods. The meat of the power really turned on during fast, straight sections. Rounding the corners, pointing up the motocross hills and tagging the throttle proved that this has much more to it than a 250cc machine. Off the motocross track and out in the back country, the 300 really impressed us with its climbing prowess. Super-tractability is usually reserved for 4-strokes, but KTM's triple-century is definitely a climber. We scaled hills that didn't seem possible on this bike, and the result was enough confidence to go up any trail encountered. The low-end torque was tremendous and overall it was the bike of choice for our day of trail riding.

As soon as we got used to the motor and handling characteristics of the bike after switching from the 4-strokes, it became increasingly fun to ride on both the motocross track and deeper in the OHV Park. The front fork seemed to be the most off-road oriented of the three big-bikes we tested. They moved through the stroke more readily on the MX track. Like the other White Power components, they were a bit harsh on the top stroke but we're confident that more time with the clicker settings would be sufficient to get the 300 XC really dialed. The rear-end was a little off as well and rode with a slight stink bug effect early in the day. After some photos and photo sessions we were able to get the sag increased to where the bike handled better and felt more neutral. The benefits to the steering were noticeable as well.

2008 KTM 105 XC (MSRP: $4784)

Our time on the 105 was very condensed as it is the least appropriate for our full-sized tester. As you would expect from a small-bore 2-stroke, the motor's power delivery was pipey and the 6-speed transmission had a hard time pulling our larger test rider. The 43mm WP fork was also too soft for our speedy adult, but given the conditions it held up well to the abuse, despite using the 10.8 and 11.8 inches of clearance front and rear too quickly. One of the things that do stand out is the braking power. Unlike its dual-front/single-rear siblings, the 105 uses twin-pot calipers on both ends and the result is some serious manhandling of the binders. Add in the claimed dry weight of a buck-fifty and there is some serious stopping power for Junior to rein things in.

It was a bit frustrating at times to hold back on the throttle, knowing that these aren't truly full-blown motocrossers, but given the fact that we were on an off-road bike with fairly supple suspension, heavier flywheels, 18"rear wheel, bigger gas tank, and gearing changes, the performance factor was highly suitable for the motocross track.

KTM's are true works of art. If we were to choose specific uses among the lineup, we'd take the 300 XC specifically for trails, the 250 XC-F as a WORCS/GP bike and the 450 XC-F for faster, racier off-road competitions such as hare scrambles, hare and hound or desert racing. All three of the machines we tested are completely capable of being ridden and raced right off the showroom floor, and they would be successful in a wide variety of closed-course competitions. We're impressed with the level of competitiveness these three full-size machines represent, but perhaps what's more impressive is that KTM offers a dozen more - and that's only in the XC line!


Let us know what you think about the 2008 KTM XC Off-Road Lineup in the MotoUSA Forum.