RIDE REVIEW I BEN KELLEY'S FMF K TM FACTORY RACING GNCC 350 XC-F
P86
just for you. Everything works in
harmony and feels like home. The
same is happening here. But the
architect, contractor and interior
designer is Kelley's mechanic Jose-
angel Cordova and the KTM Factory
behind him.
In the trenches of GNCC, the
magic blend of perfection is all
about delivering traction, speed,
control and durability in the face of
truly brutal conditions. GNCC rac-
ers face rocks, roots, grass, dust,
hardpack, knee-deep mud and very
hard trees, often in a single lap. The
bikes need to not only rip a hole-
shot from a dead-engine start, but
they need to have the legs to stand
on a smashed radiator in a Florida
swamp after three hours on the rev-
limiter dodging palmetto roots in the
sand. They must do all this while en-
couraging and inspiring their pilots
to ignore the urge to barf and quit.
If you think about what we're ask-
ing from these bikes for a second,
it's damn impressive. And while a
stock 350 XC-F Factory Edition
is all I'll ever need, experiencing
the factory advantage difference is
remarkable.
LINE 'EM UP
I think it's obvious everyone would
choose a factory bike over a stock
bike, given the chance. But I've
ridden other people's factory bikes
that just don't work for me/normal
people. And while Ben Kelley's fac-
tory bike is built specifically for him,
I honestly think most normal, mortal
people like me would be absolutely
You will not find
more varied terrain
than around a lap
of a GNCC course.
A factory race bike
needs to handle
them all with
consistency and
speed. The author
holds on the best
he can.
