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/1483620
QUICKSPIN I 2023 KTM 300 XC P90 open fields, and even the tight stuff, this bike handles it all with ease. I'd ride a gear up just to keep my roll speed going, and with the fuel injection, I never once wor- ried about bogging the bike or not having enough grunt. The low-end torque allows it to tractor like a four-stroke in the slow- speed technical sections, but out in the fast stuff, it's crisp and pipey like a two-stroke should be. It's a do-everything machine, and, hands down, the power is my favorite part about the KTM 300 XC. The WP suspension ate up the rest of the course during the two-hour race. Most of the track deteriorated as the thou- sands of riders tore it up, and I can't begin to imagine what it was like during the three-hour Pro race. And this layout has every kind of terrain you could think of. The silt was soft and unpredictable, but the cornfields were hard as concrete. The roots were slippery and ever-changing, while the rocks and logs were mobile and abrupt. The KTM ate them all up and far exceeded my sixth-place riding ability. Forget about my off-the-podium per- formance; the Ironman weekend is one I won't soon forget. The turnout is un- matched, the fans are die-hards, and the competition is no joke. Everyone from the GNCC series puts on a phenomenal Ironman event. You must put it on your list if you still haven't raced it. Another "need" I see in your future is to ride one of these fuel-injected KTM two-stroke beauties, such as the 2023 300 XC. The 300, from my recent GNCC experience, can handle absolutely anything on the track and is one of the most diverse bikes I've ever ridden. But this is just the beginning. We'll have a more in-depth ride review of the all-new KTM 300 XC in a future issue of Cycle News after we get home and can log sig- nificantly more seat time on the bike. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2023 KTM 300 XC ($11,099) ENGINE TYPE 2-stroke, single COOLING SYSTEM Liquid DISPLACEMENT 293.2cc BORE X STROKE 72 x 72mm STARTING SYSTEM Electric, lithium-ion 12.8V 2 Ah FUELING Fuel Injection w/39mm Keihin throttle body LUBRICATION Premix, 60:1 TRANSMISSION 6-speed, w/ hydraulic clutch CLUTCH Wet, multi-disc DDS, Brembo hydraulics FRAME Central double-cradle type, steel SUBFRAME Polyamide, reinforced aluminum HANDLEBAR Neken aluminum FRONT SUSPENSION WP Xact 48mm REAR SUSPENSION WP Xact Monoshock with linkage FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 12.2 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 11.8 in. FRONT WHEEL 21 in. REAR WHEEL 18 in. FRONT TIRE Dunlop Geomax MX-33F REAR TIRE Dunlop Geomax AT81 FRONT BRAKE Brembo 260mm REAR BRAKE Single 220mm, Brembo caliper WHEELBASE 58.7 in. STEERING HEAD ANGLE 26.1° TRIPLE CLAMP Split, anodized orange SEAT HEIGHT 37.5 in. GROUND CLEARANCE 13.9 in. FUEL CAPACITY 2.24 gal. WEIGHT (NO FUEL, CLAIMED) 222.8 lbs.