Imp-ression: KTM 250 MX
Austrian acrobatic device
By Tom Kolnowski
The proven formula for a competitive 250cc
motocross bike in the mid-80s is a mindboggling one. Engineers generally have to
follow an accepted group of precedents: the
engine must most certainly be
liquid-cooled and offer excel,
.
lent low-end, mId-range and
top-end performance; suspen-
38
sion at both ends must be the most
technically advanced systems available, and offer a minimum of 12
inches of supple travel; braking systerns must SLOp the bike on the proverbial dime, yet require a minimum
of effon from the rider; and the entire
package should weigh in at under
100 kilograms (220 pounds). Wirh
the 1984 250 MX, KTM has fully met
all of those standards and possibly
even created more of its own.
Refinement is the name of the game
for the middle class mOLOcrosser in
the KTM line. The liquid-cooled \'ersion of the machine was introduced
in '83 and was greeted by mostly
excellent reviews. which resulted in
bike disappearing from _howrooms
in quick order - KT:'vI was not able
_JO meet all of the requests for the bike.
Kronrief Trunkenpolz Mallighofen.
named for the founders of the company and their location - Malli~hofen, Austria - instructed theil"
engineers and technicians to take
another lrlp around the machine to
keep the fll11 hed product at the forefront of the class. And with the range
of small improvements the bike is
likely to be in shon supply again.
The engine has been carried over
from last year's model intact. and it
follows the accepted practice for a
state-of-the-art 250cc mill. In addition to water-cooling, it has reed
valve induction and cases shrunk LO
the extreme-it's a very compact package. KTM doesn't apply paintLO the
cases or cylinder, and with the coarse
finish on the finless cylinder and
head you get works machinery appearance.
KTM has also followed the trend
LOward fewel transmission speeds on
250cc bikes. There was a time wh n a
machine without six speeds was considered unw,ual. but the standard is
now five. In KT;\i!,s case, transmissions have alway been a strong point,
and with fewer cogs there is room for
beefier gears. Expect a trouble-free
performance here.
Jelling specifications inside the
'Sing e
