Australasian Dirt Bike – June 2019

KTMisinthesameboatasHusqvarna,
withitsnew300EXCTPInowbeing
itsonlybikeforthisclass.Onthe
track,myfirstimpressionswerenot
thatgreat,asitfeltflatinbottom-end
power,liketheHusqvarnadidatfirst.
TheissuewiththeKatowasthatit
doesn’tcomestandardwithamap
switchsoIcouldn’tcrankitup.
GlennKearneywaslookingafter
theKTMandmadesomechangesto
theexhaustpowervalve,whichdid
improvethebottom-to-midrange,but
nottotheleveloftheHusqvarna.
KTMwastheonlybikeinthe
shootoutwithanon-linkage,PDS
shockandthatgivesaverysoft,
forgiving,slightlyactiveride.
It’salsohandyhavingnolinkageto
getsnaggedonbiglogsorextreme
sections.I’mnotoverlytallsoIdid
noticethetallerseatheightof
960mm,it’suptherewiththe

HusqvarnaandGasGas.TheKTM

hasthesmallestfueltankat9.0litres

but,withaclaimed2.87L/100kmfuel

consumptionthatshouldn’tbean

issue.TheKTMisatthehighendof

thepriceshereat$14,495butitdoes

havealotofnicelittlefeatures.

ODILock-Ongripsarekindonthe

handsbutsosimpletochange,the

non-cloggingfootpegsworkverywell

inharshconditions,andKTM’sair

filteraccessandreplacementsystem

isarguablythesimplestonthemarket

andoneoftheeasiesttoaccess.

TheKatomightnothaveallthe

bellsandwhistlesoftheHusqvarna,

butisstilloneveryversatileenduro

machine.

Thesuper-friendlynatureoftheTPI

enginemakesitaverycapablebikein

extremeconditions,whilealso

offeringaforgiving,friendlyridefor

youraverageJoe.

How long before the kickstarter disappears? NomapswitchontheKatounlessyoubuyone

KTM 300EXC TPI

http://www.adbmag.com JUNE 2019 | 45