VOLUME 58 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 5, 2021 P61
KTM
250 SX-F
I
n years past the Yamaha
has walked away as the
clear victor in the 250
class. The KTM group isn't
satisfied with defeat and
continues to make strides
towards the top spot of
small-bore supremacy. Case
in point, the KTM 250 SX-F
has moved up a spot in the
overall rankings from a year
ago and finds itself as a
close runner up in 2021. As a
matter of fact, the KTM was
the only bike to hinder the
YZF's perfect score as one
rider placed the SX-F as his
number-one pick. Updates
to the power and suspension
have all helped catapult the
KTM into podium position.
Power on the pumpkin is
some of the most usable that
we've found. This bike loves
second and third gears and
can pull through the rpm
range better than the rest. We
found this especially useful
on the steep uphills at Glen
Helen and the rolling hillsides
of Cahuilla Creek. The strong
and linear powerband doesn't
possess a harsh hit like the
Yamaha. In both maps rather,
it comes on strong down
low and carries in a smooth
fashion all the way up to the
red line. Our riders favored
the newly refined map two
for its livelier nature. In this
setting, the rear wheel feels
directly connected to the
throttle cable. The more
you twist the grip the faster
you go. Sounds simple, we
know, but in reality, it's hard
to perfect that feeling without
bits of lag or wheelspin. This
streamlined power adds to
the overall ease of riding the
orange machine. Like the
speed limit in a luxury sports
car, the KTM's speed sneaks
up, and really shows itself
2
ND
Place
