Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(JjJ[j)@J@1]@~ (}j fi!jJ@@J5(ln@@1]n@fJi]~ Race Tech suspension revalve •••..•••.•.••.•.••909/27~5 Race Tech suspension springs •••••••...•.....••909127~55 Big Gun exhaust spalt arrestor & header · ~7029 Uni Filler air filler · .••••••••••••••••714{535-6933 Factory Elfex graphics kit • •••••••••••••••••800/866.0709 Enduro Engineering tall seat & cover · 517/393·2421 Enduro Engineering rear master cylinder guard · 517/393·2421 Enduro Engineering axle spacer (replaces odo) • •••••••••••••••••5171393-2421 Fastway tIIanlum foot pegs • •••••••••••••••••5031244 8368 Scolls Performance cleanable oillilters .................... 8181~747 Acerbis Blitz headlight • •••••••••••••••••858/679·3912 Acerbis Flag handguards • •••••••••••••••••8581679-3912 Smith hand grips •••.••.•.••.•.•••• 20817~77 Michelin M12lires ..................~ ~ O Michelin Bib Mousse tire inserts ..................8OO~~O a:r----------------------z 8 w w " S '" I was concemed when a busy stint at work forced me to park the KTM for a couple of weeks, so when friend and Smith goggles honch Mark Phares told me he'd be riding Moose's Colorado 300 traiJrjde, I asked him to sub for me in punishing the bike. Phares was happy to take the EXC to Colorado, which is rife with the type of terrain the bike craves· twisty, technical, and oozing with elevation change. By this time, Race Tech had performed its magic on the WP suspension, updating it with my preferred off-road prescription - stiffer springs (so the bike rides high in the stroke) and lighter valving (so bumps are absorbed). Shorter than I, Phares put the stock seat back on, and I replaced the broken handguards with Acerbis' stouter (and flashier) Flag model. We also slipped in a pair of fresh rear-brake pads, along with Scotts Performance's trick, cleanable oil filters (though pricey, they're easier to pull out and won't ever have to be replaced). Predictably, Phares fell in love with the four-honey in Colorado, praising the same traits that made it so good in Idaho. After backing off the fork's compression dials a few clicks. Mark was impressed with the suspension's suppleness through the rocks (there are a couple of them in the state), and like me, he liked using the electric start after the frequent group stops. The bike never missed a beat, and Mark didn't lift a finger in maintenance. This extended So Cal grand prix was one of the first events in which I entered the KTM, and it was almost bone-stock at the time. Rules allow teams to utilize two bikes, but my friend Matt Freeman and I opted to maximize our EXC abuse by spending the entire time on that bike. The course is notoriously rough, and to be honest, the 400 - more a woods weapon than a whoop waller - was a bit out of its element in some places. The motor was fine, hooking up in slippery corners where more macho bikes were slewing from side to side, and the wide-ratio tranny enabled eyewatering speeds without requiring similarly high rpms. But the suspension was way too soft for much of the course, and Matt and I had to slowly roll the many whoops and invent cheater lines around them. Still, the KTM was claw-hammer reliable, quietly putting around the course at a respectable pace and finishing the race in as good a condition as when it started (with the exception of a cracked headlight - a victim of roost). i:; ~ il:: ~tf] !XJ@(Jf][J0 @(J @D@fJi] !XJ@(Jf][l GOING GREEN Because the 2001 KTM 400 EXC sold out long before year's end, you might be thinking this long-term report on that bike is of limited value. After all, what good is a test on a bike that can't be had? Actually. the information on these pages should also apply to the 2002 model, which is largely unchanged for the new year (and that's a good thing). To be honest, there were a few updates to the '02 model, including a switch to a black rear fender and side panels. Much more important, however, is the addition of a simple little sticker. You see, KTM has elected to jump through the necessary hoops to make the 400 EXC green-sticker-Iegal in California, among the most stringent of states when it comes to off-road legality. Said hoops are primarily sound- and emissions-level tests, all of which KTM was able to easily pass with only a few jetting changes. We took a 2002 400 EXC out for a brief spin at Southern California's Glen Helen Raceway, and the bike felt every bit as fast as our non-green-stickerlegal '01 model. In fact, it was better. Why? Two reasons: 1) It can be ridden year-round in California's off-road areas, and 2) It can actually be purchased. The 2002 KTM 400 EXC has a suggested retail price of $7098 - for either the CaIJfornia model or the 49·state model. I saved the best for last, signing the Katoom up for this traditional day-long competition in San Bemardino (without bothering to disclose to my teammates how many miles - and how little maintenance - had been heaped on the bike). I had installed a new Acerbis Blitz headlight by this point, and rather than hassle with full-on Baja lighting, I opted to simply increase the wattage of the halogen bulbs the unit houses. This turned out to be a dumb move, as the bike's battery already sucked so much juice that our illumination was actually worse than it would have been had I left in the stock Acerbis bulbs. Fortunately, we were using helmet lights as well. Of our six-man squad, Kit Palmer was the only rider other than myself with any prior saddle time on the 400, and even that was limited to a brief stint during a trail ride in the hills around Phelan. Still, the entire group adapted quickly to the bike, and every rider invariably retumed from his stint singing the EXC's praises. Again, the suspension was a little overmatched by the whoop sections and jumps, but the tractable power and smooth delivery were invaluable, especially at night in some of the rougher sections. Also Impressive was the bike's versatillty. A couple of our team members hadn't ridden much at all in the preceding months, and they appreciated the KTM's forgiVing nature. On the other hand, our off-road regulars didn't feel held back at all by the bike, and were hard-pressed to think of another model they'd have preferred. As with the six-hour, we eschewed the opportunity to utilize a back-up bike, instead keeping the 400 going the entire 24 hours. The only rewards it got were a single oil change and a handful of fresh air filters, and yet it refused to even stumble a single time. A snapped-off clutch lever was the extent of the damage when we rolled across the finish line. cue' e n_...,s NOVEMBER 14, 2001 33

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