2018 KTM 250 XC-W TPI
FIRST TEST
P118
I
t's best to believe the hype! The critics
have spoken and the dust has settled
since the introduction and first ride on
the fuel-injected off-road two-stroke from
KTM.
The Austrian manufacturer has officially
become the first to produce and sell a
fuel-injected two-stroke dirt bike and we
spent a full day riding (and loving it) at
Erzberg, the location of the famous hard
enduro in Austria, where KTM chose to
host its world media launch of the bike.
With more than 10 years of development
and testing, the 250 XC-W TPI is ready for
public consumption worldwide. Technical-
ly, we rode a 250 EXC TPI, which is the
European version of the 250 XC-W TPI
that we will be getting. They are essen-
tially the same motorcycle, except that the
American version will be fitted with Dunlop
tires and the Euro version Maxxis. That's
it. We also got a chance to ride the KTM
300 EXC TPI. Unfortunately, we won't be
getting the 300 until probably next year as
a 2019 model.
We only had a day on the bikes but it
was very full day, and we were provided
with plenty of testing opportunities, giving
us an excellent feel for what fuel injection
can offer on a two-stroke.
THE
FUTURE
HAS
ARRIVED
WE TRAVEL TO ERZBERG TO RIDE
THE REVOLUTIONARY KTM
250 (& 300) XC-W TPI
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM BOOTH
