Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127570
eRIDING IMPRESSION I emi ~ KTM 400LC4 ElXC • ewel c a en er The anxiously awaited 4OOLC4 FlXC is KlM's latest (and only) entry in the midsized foUMtroke nwket. The bike is nearly identical to the 6OOLC4, though the engine features a shorter stroke. By Chris Jonnum Photos by Donn Maeda hen KTM announced at the end of last year that they would be releasing a midsize four-stroke for 1993, few people were shocked. In fact, some were surprised that the model hadn't been released in earlier years. After all, Suzuki proved with their popular DR and DRS lines that four-stroke lovers don't always insist on big-bore bikes. Encouraged by Suzuki's success, ATK, Husaberg and Husqvarna soon released their versions of mid sized thumpers. Honda actually deserves some of the credit for getting the ball rolling with their highly-rated 1985 XR350, though they soon discontinued the model and concentrated on their excellent XR2S0. Even Yamaha's Tr35O, while far from being the latest in hi-tech, was a fairly decent mount for trail-riding while it lasted. KTM on the other hand, had chosen to rest on the laurels of their popular 600LC4 - until now, that is. Though off-roaders may not have been surprised by the announcement that a midsize Katoom was on the way from the Austrian manufacturer, this does not mean that they weren't excited. The 6OOLC4, while excellent for desert use, is simply a bit too much bike for many situations. The last thing that an Eastern woods rider needs is a motorcycle with W 14 an abrupt burst of torquey power, or a heavy-feeling chassis. On slimy, treelined, root- and rock-infested trails, riding a 6OOLC4 is not an enviable task. To make matters worse, ISDE enthusiasts have gotten an occasional peek at midsized KTM thumpers from across the Atlantic, in the form of a 350. Though the bike is also a new model in Europe, KTM has been testing it for the last two to three years in international enduro competition. Apparently, when Italian hero Fabio Farioli won the 3SOcc Four-stroke class in both the '93 World Championship Enduro Series and the Australian Six Days, KTM decided that the bike was ready for the public. It's new! •.• Or is it? While the 4OOLC4 is the first midsize four-stroke that KTM has ever offered, it is not actually an all-new motorcycle. Basically, what KTM has done is take a 6OOLC4 and shorten the stroke; even the 95mm bore is identical on the two bikes. On the 600, the piston travels 78mm, while the stroke on the 400 is 56.2mm. The fact that both the 400 and the 600 share the same chassis, is no doubt at least partly responsible for the 400 being on the heavy side. Claim.ed dry weight is 255 pounds, just one pound less than that of the 600. For comparison, Suzuki's DR350 - no featherweight itself - has a claimed dry weight of 249 pounds. The 398cc motor features a broad, easy-ta-use Powerband that is perfect for tight trails.