P116
RIDE REVIEW I KTM 250 SX-F VS. HUSQVARNA FC 250 FACTORY EDITIONS
Note that both engines are
unchanged for this model year
aside from meeting the updated
AMA sound regulations.
ON THE TRACK
The differences are small on pa-
per, but what about on the track?
Both engines
are nearly identical
and offer a ton of mid- to top-
end power. That's a strong suit
of the Austrian engines; they
pull much further than you'd
expect and carry gears even
better than some of the Japa-
nese bikes. The green map (the
lower button
on the handlebar
switch) improves torque feel
and gives the bike more pull on
the bottom-end roll-on com
-
pared to the standard map, and
it was our go-to
on both bikes.
I did find that the KTM seems
(Above) On the
track, both bikes
have similar
performance
qualities, but rider
feel is slightly
different. (Right)
The Husqvarna
and KTM share
the same front-
wheel travel; the
KTM has a tick
more in the rear.
to rev up a bit quicker than the
Husqvarna, which could be cred-
ited to the opened-up airbox and
the optional vented side cover.
