adjusters for both compression
and rebound are another much-
approved feature.
Enduro riders will also wel-
come a 300 percent brighter LED
headlight and a new Off-Road
Control Unit (OCU). The OCU sits
under the seat and replaces all
the fuses and relays in a conve-
nient package with red or green
lights that indicate the status of
each output.
TAKE IT FOR A SPIN
KTM invited Cycle News to Ohio
to sample all the 2024 W models
on the same course as the John
Penton GNCC held a few days
before our arrival. For now, we
will focus on just one model, the
300 XC-W two-stroke. I've been
riding several 300cc two-strokes
lately, so I figured this would be
a good place to start.
Right away, the 300 feels com
-
fortable. I've spent a lot of time
I
managed to throw a leg
over all the Ws during my
short visit to Ohio, but I
am impressed with them all.
The 150 is like lightning in a
bottle. It's a small package
with a big punch. I never think
of a 150 as the ultimate
woods bike, but it's terrific
in the woods and climbs just
about anything. It weighs 15
pounds less than the 300
and still packs an impressive
torquey punch that will make
you smile.
The XC-W 250 is some-
times hard to distinguish
from the 300. They are very
similar, but the 300 does get
the upper hand in low-end
torque and mid-to-top-end
pull. Otherwise, the 250 is
just as much fun to ride.
Finally, the 450 XCF-W. The
only four-stroke in the XCF-W
lineup is one I could've rid-
den all day. The tamer 450cc
engine rolled on like a smooth
cup of coffee and felt ultra-
controllable in every condition
I encountered. Yes, it feels
heavier after climbing off the
two-strokes (KTM says it's
approximately seven pounds
heftier than the 300), but the
plush suspension and velvety
smooth engine inspire confi-
dence on the trail.
New for 2024 is a closed-
cartridge WP Xact fork.
SAMPLER
PLATE
QUICKSPIN I 2024 KTM 300 XC-W
P108
