Australasian Dirt Bike — June 2017

unnyhowfarthe 35 0ccclass

hascome.WhenKTM

introduceditsbreakthrough

offeringin 2011 ,peopleweren’t

surewhetheritwouldtakeoff.

Butthe 350 hasbecomeoneof

themostpopularcapacitiesin

theAustrianempire’srange.

KTMAustraliaknowswhenit’sonagood

thingandhasaddedthecross-country

versiontoitsline-upfor 20 17.TheXC-F

modelhasbeenaroundintheU.S.foryears

andhasbeentricklingintoOzbyspecial

orderbutwewonderedhowitwouldfair

againstthetrustyEXC-F.

So,what’sanXC-F?Basically,it’sanSX-F

motocrosserwiththebigger,8.5Ltankand

18-inchrearwheel.Thesetwoitemsare

crucialforoff-roadracing.Thebiggertank

allowstheridertorunlongerinacross

countryandbeingmadeoftranslucent

plasticmeansyoucanseetheleveland

makeadecisiononwhethertopitorride

anotherlap.The 1 8-inchrearisamuch

betteroptionfortheoff-roadworldasthe

terrainismoreunpredictable.

Nineteen-inchmotocrosstyresdon’thave

a veryhighsidewallsoifthetrackisrocky

thereisnotasmuchgiveandabigger

chanceofflats.Havingthatextrainchgives

theriderbetterfeelovertreerootsand

rocks.Plusmostracersusemoussetubes

andtheyareaboutamilliontimeseasierto

getonandoffthebikethan19-inchtyres.

WHICH ONE OF KATO’S CROSS-COUNTRY

RACING 350’s IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

http://www.adbmag.com.au JUNE 2017 | 69

WORDS

// GEOFF BRAICO

PHOTOS

// MITCH LEES