Australasian Dirt Bike — June 2017

AIR FORK

For this year, the XC-F comes with the

WP AER 48 fork. I was a little sceptical

at first as to how the air would feel

but, after a few laps, I started to enjoy

it. The firmer feel makes you want to

attack the track as soon as you get on it

and it seems to hold up quite well over

the bigger bumps and G-outs.

How they will go in long-distance

races is still a bit of a worry for me but,

as far as the overall feel goes, I

preferred them to the EXC fork.

Another big difference between the

COMPARO I KTM 350 EXC-F V 350 XC-F

It is quite stiff

compared to the

EXC and that is most

noticeable over

sharp tree roots

70 |JUNE 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.au

SWITCHGEAR

New switchblock onthe EXCis neat

but mapless. The XC has two-stage

map switch and traction control but

geriatric starter button.

REAR TYRES

Both have 18 -inch rubber but the

Maxxis Maxx EnduPro on the EXC is

not their finest. The XC-F runs

Dunlop Geomax AT81s

amazed at how fast the thing is. From

right off the bottom through the top

end, the little 350 is no weakling. I’ve

raced 350s over the years and this

motor is probably the fastest 350 I’ve

ridden in the bush.

Thankfully, the XC-F comes

standard with the new KTM map

switch that has EFI settings 1, 2 and

TC (traction control). Number 1 is

animal mode. It’s sooo fast and I

found myself getting out of corners

witha handfulof throttleandthen

having to brake drastically to make

twobikesisthat the XC-F hasa

monoshock linkage. It is quite stiff

compared with the EXC and that is

most noticeable over sharp tree roots,

where it dances around a little bit.

However, it gets great drive out of

corners. Theshockseemsto thrive

under acceleration and gets the power

to theground. It does have a deader

feeling than the EXC damper and feels

more planted. I had a lot of confidence

with this suspension.

Speaking of power, the XC-F has a

super-impressive engine. I was