Australasian Dirt Bike — January 2018

232 | JANUARY 2018 http://www.adbmag.com.au

FACTORY RIDE / READER RIDE/ HERITAGE / ACTION / OAS / BUYERS GUIDE

THE BASICS

WHY I BOUGHT IT
Before I had my 250SX-F, I had a
trailbike that I used to get back
into riding. I was really keen to
focus on riding and I also wanted
to start doing a few races. I was
due for an upgrade. I was on the
lookout for a KTM 250 for a
while. When this one came up, I
jumped on it right away. The bike
was set up for racing but it had
low hours. It was a good bike to
train on, but it ended up
becoming my race bike anyway. I
entered the Finke Desert Race
and set the bike up for that race.

WHAT I DID TO IT
There is a lot that goes into
racing Finke, and no one tells
you how much there is until you
have already committed. I
installed new DID DirtStar rims,
Dunlop AT81 tyres and

FINKE FIRST-TIMER WHAT
2014 KTM 250SX-F
WHO?
Bianca Connor
WHERE I GOT IT
Second-hand
HOW MUCH
About $5000

1 The 2017 Finke Desert Race

was her fi rst event.

2 Bianca does modelling and

promotional work and was

previously at the Finke Desert

Race as a grid ambassador.

3 She is from Darwin, NT.

4 That moniker on the Topline

ribbed seatcover is her

nickname, Bankz.

5 She is hoping to return to

Finke in 2018, but will look to

upgrade to a new bike.

5 THINGS

YOU DIDN’T KNOW

ABOUT

BIANCA

1

3

2

ultra-heavy-duty tubes to avoid

fl ats on the rocky sections. I also

put on a Scott steering damper,

a set of Steg Pegz, an Acerbis

11-litre tank, custom Topline

ribbed and more-padded seat

and foam ’grips to prevent arm

pump. Of course I also changed

the gearing for the high speeds

of Finke and added a lighter

chain. And the most important

change was having the

suspension tuned by Finke

legend Stephen Greenfi eld from

GDR Suspension. Zero MX

Graphics did the sticker kit.

HOW DOES IT GO?

The bike is awesome in stock

trim, but after changing the

entire setup, it handles like a

dream. I have Stephen

Greenfi eld and Rodney Black,

from NT Powersports, to thank

for that. NT Powersports gave

the bike a top-end rebuild and a

fi nal test and tune before Finke. I

also have to thank my chief

mechanic, a.k.a. Dad, who puts

the bike back together every

time I break it.

SHOULD I BUY ONE?

I would defi nitely recommend

the KTM 250SX-F. I completed

Finke in the allotted time and the

bike performed like a dream. Out

of the box it is an awesome bike,

but with a few tweaks and

modifi cations, it is the perfect

desert racer.

with Dylan Ruddy

REAR GUARD

RE

ADER

RIDE

2014 KTM

250SX-F

ZERO MX

GRAPHICS

DUNLOP

AT81 TYRE

ACERBIS

11L TANK

STEG

PEGZ

1. No quick-fi ller for this bike


2. Foam ‘grips to ease arm pump


3. The AT81 features two nylon plies