2017 KTM 250, 350 AND 500 EXC-F
FIRST RIDE
P112
Another thing you can
do to improve comfort is
to balance the wheels.
It 100-percent changes
the character—all for the
good—of the bike above
40 mph on the street and in the
dirt. We balanced the wheels on
the 500 EXC-F after one day of 100
miles and couldn't believe we were
riding the same bike the next day.
The chassis was more settled and
the engine felt like it had less vibra-
tion. Even if you change out the
TKC 80 tires, balance the wheels!
We comfortably cruised down the
freeway at 70 mph on the 500
EXC-F with the balanced wheels,
even running 90 mph for extended
periods.
At 258 pounds with a full fuel
tank, emissions equipment, turn
signals and a license plate, the 500
EXC is still lighter than any of the
450cc four-stroke off-road bikes
from Japan. It ranges from 6-15
pounds lighter than the CRF450RX,
YZ450FX, WR450, CRF450X and
RMX450Z.
The bottom line is quite clear; the
KTM 500 EXC-F, even with all its
street-legal equipment and emis-
sions restrictions, is lighter
and better-performing than
any other green sticker
450cc off-road bike on the
market. (You can read our
Green Sticker shootout
here ) Had it been included, the
500 EXC-F most likely would have
been top dog. And, afterward, we
could have ridden it home!
350 EXC-F
Among the three EXC-F models we
tested, the 350 EXC-F was a favor-
ite, and for good reason. It provides
plenty of power, and the smaller
piston, combined with less torque,
makes the bike feel quite a bit
lighter and more manageable than
the 500 EXC-F, proving that engine
power alone has a huge affect on
how a bike handles. The 350 EXC-
F tips the scales just four pounds
less than the 500 EXC-F, weighing
in at 254 pounds (with a full tank of
gas, and keep in mind that all three
bikes have the same fuel tank), but
when in motion, the 350 feels way
lighter.
Like the motocross version,
the dual overhead cam 350 EXC-
F engine is happy to be ridden
There isn't much
not to like about
the 350 EXC-F. It
offers a little bit of
everything for just
about everyone.
