VOLUME 59 ISSUE 49 DECEMBER 6, 2022 P87
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Second place goes to the
KTM 250 SX-F. Despite
being all-new, the KTM finds
itself in the bridesmaid
position for the third year in a
row. It does take top honors
for the fleet of Austrian bikes
but falls just a few points
short of the Yamaha.
KTM's Ready To Race
mantra lives true for the
SX-F. This is the second all-
new machine in this year's
lineup and arguably the most
noticeable. The updated
engine in the KTM gives you
the best of both worlds. Our
novice riders felt the bike's
liveliness, while the faster
guys praised its overall
rideability in all conditions.
Even in the more-aggressive
map two, it might be slightly
down on raw power from
the Yamaha or even the
Kawasaki, but its smooth
delivery gets you up to speed
in a hurry. Wearing a blindfold,
it can be hard to tell the
Husky from the KTM based
on their engines alone, but
the SX-F does have a touch
more pep than the FC. As
we said with the Husqvarna,
the traction control and
quickshift are nice options
but not absolute necessities
in our book.
The KTM's chassis has
always been a favorite, and
this year is no different. The
new steel frame, without the
"backbone" shock mount,
favored the faster tracks
while still maintaining agility
in some of the tighter turns.
The bike still feels light
despite gaining weight from
last year. That lightweight
feeling we've come to know
from the KTM is still there,
but the "extra" weight makes
the bike feel more planted to
the ground. It's amazing how
different the ride experience
is from the Husky to the
KTM with that 10mm change
resulting in about three-
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250 SX-F
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