THE NEW KTM 250 SX-F HAS
ALREADY MADE AN IMPACT
By THE
CYCLE NEWS
STAFF
PHOTOS BY BLAKE CONNER AND BRENDAN LUTES
ven though the KTM 250 SX-F is an all-new bike
and the Austrian company's first entry into the
250cc four-stroke wars, it already has quite an
impressive racing resume.
In 2004, Ben Townley won his first World
Motocross Championship aboard a potent factory-tuned
version of the 250 SX-F, racking up a total of seven wins
over the 16-round MX2 season. Then this year, everyone
in the United States watched as factory riders Josh
Hansen and Nathan Ramsey took the 250 SX-F to a combined five I25cc regional Supercross victories - Ramsey
won three, Hansen two. Hansen tied for the East Coast
title, while Ramsey finished second in the West. Like we
said, an impressive racing resume already.
Meanwhile, however, motocross fans were left watch-
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ing and wondering when the bike would be released to the
general public. Well, that time is now, and let us assure you
that the wait was worth it.
A few weeks ago, we finally got our hands on the bike
that we have been watching win races for so long. Now
that we have swung a leg over it, what do we think? Let's
just say we're impressed. KTM outdid itself with this one.
The distinctive new 250 SX-F is fast, light and looks good.
UNDER THE HOOD
For the 250 SX-F, KTM decided to do things slightly different when designing the powerplant. Instead of the popular
shim-under-bucket design, where the cams actuate the
valves by contacting the top of the valves more directly,
the new KTM utilizes a double overhead cam configuration
that actuates the valves by finger follower levers. It is the
same type of system that can be found in some street
bikes. The finger follower levers allow for a higher valve \
stroke than most 250cc four-strokes, giving the KTM more
airflow and better combustion. The entire system also,
helps to cut down overall weight.
While this sounds complex, valve maintenance is easy.
The entire cam housing can be removed, including the finger follower levers, exposing the tops of the valves. This
allows shims to be added, or removed, as needed. As for
the cam chain, it requires no maintenance. A hydraulic
chain tensioner resets the chain tension automatically
and will not over-tension the chain, allowing for more
consistent valve timing at all rpm.
