Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ New rides for 1'85: KTM . . The '84 495MX has become a water-cooled 500. Forks are inverted and the rear shock (like the forks) is made by White Power. The 125MX weighs 190 Ibs. dry. has an aluminum silencer. inverted forks. a 36mm Dell 'Orto carburetor and a longer safety seat. i I i I The 125MX and MXC are very similar. The only differences are ratios. weight. and a headlight mounted on the MXC. Both the 250MXC (above) and the MX (below) have new 247cc engines with a shorter stroke and larger bore than in '84. The engineering staff at the KTM factory in Mattighofen, Austria, has been quite busy over the past 12 months. For 1985, their assembly lines will be churning out a total of eight models, three of which are new: the 500MX and 500MXC are liq uid-cooled, and . replace the air-cooled 495cc 24_ models in last year's 'line; and the 350MXc, an Open class enduro mount with an engine based on the 250cc MX. With the exception of the .600MXc four-stroke, all machines in the line are water-cooled. Most of the major refinements for '85 have been incorporated across the board, with the most obvious addition being the installation of the KTM/White Power 4054 inverted front fork on all models. Basically Lhe same unit which was fitLed to Lhe 1984 KTM 495MX and 420MXC, the fork offers 11.8 inches of travel and is equipped with plasLic guards to pro· teet the exposed lower fbrk tubes, which are 40mm diameter. The SLa· Lionary upper tubes are 54mm. Also new is the addi Lion of a front disc brake on all models, replacing the double le-ading shoe drum brake. The disc iLself is 9.4 inches in diameter, and has been given the "Swiss cheese" treaLment. The caliper, mounted at the bottom of the lower fork leg, is equipped wiLh dual pistons while the reservoir is mounted on the handlebars. The Pro-Lever rear su pension has also been modified, and yields slighLly less travel than last year, with move· ment now set at 12.6 inches on all models as opposed to the 13.0 offered in '84. The shock is a White Power Super AdjusLer, with an attached reservoir. The shock linkage is now equipped with needle bearings and aJI joints have grease fittings. The engines in the 500cc models have a bore of 89mm with a stroke of 78mm, which translates into a bit over 485cc. Both the MX and MXc models have a 40mm Bing carburetor and slightly longer wheelbases than the rest of the line, 59.25 inches, accomplished through a lengthened aluminum swingarm. Dry weight on the MX model is 219.8 pounds, while the MXc, with the addition of a larger fuel tank and lighting equipmem, tips the scales at two pounds more. The engine in the 350M XC is a hybrid, utilizing the longer stroke and connecting rod of .the '84 250cc engine along with the larger bore of' Lhe new 250cc mill for a bore and sLroke of 71 by 69m m and a displacement of 273cc. As on all of the MXc O1.o.del Lh.e_..15..Q. corn.e w i..t.lL.a...3..4- gallon tank, rea'r grab bar over the fender and lights up front. Dry weight is 219 pounds. The 250MX and MXc models weigh in at 212 and 217 pounds, respectively, and have the new 247cc engine with the ·shorter stroke and larger bore than the '84 motor. Both are equipped with 38mm Bing car· buretors. The seat height is 37.4 inches. which holds true on all models. KTM still offers the rider a choice of two 125s, the MX and MXC. Both feature a slimmed down design. six· speed transmissions and Oellorto 36mm carburetors. The MX model weighs 190.2 pounds dry, with the MXc at 192.2. As on all.KTMs, the plastic all around has' been slightly reshaped, with the fuel tanks short· ened to accommodate a longer safety seat. AI uminum si lencers are also fit· ted to all models. • 125MX Engine Type ..... Liquid-cooled,. reed-valve two-stroke Bore x Stroke 54x54mm Displacement 123.7cc Carburetion 36mm Dell'Orto Horsepower _ _.. 33.5 bhp Gear Ratios Primary 3.050 Final 3.875 6th 1.050 5th 1.190 4th 1.36~ 3rd 1.647 2nd 2.066 1st 2.750 Front Suspension Type .. KTM/ White power 40'54 (inverted) Front Wheel Travel 11.8 in. Rear Suspension Type Single shock swingarm I

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