2022 KTM Enduro Motorcycles
KTM recently held a global press event to unveil the 2022 EXC Enduro series of motorcycles. The event took place in a picturesque area in Europe, where mountain serpentines coexist with excellent parks, designed by nature itself for testing enduro motorcycles.
Our test rider has extensive experience in off-road competitions of various styles: starting with trials, he then moved to motocross, after which he came to enduro a couple of decades ago, and remained there, competing in enduro disciplines at the national and international level.
As luck would have it, he now owns a Beta 300 two-stroke and is relatively new to KTM's TPI-equipped two-strokes (TPI - KTM's patented technology for injecting mixture into the cylinder purge port of a two-stroke engine), making him the perfect tester for an unbiased review of the seven models in the series EXC 2020. The following text is from his words and in the first person.
Enduro motorcycle KTM 500 EXC-F
Enduro motorcycle KTM 500 EXC-F 2020
Jumping into a big 500 first thing in the morning may seem a bit presumptuous, but for me it's a way to get to know the track without having to worry too much about riding technique. Having warmed up in a 30-minute ride, I was ready for a detailed acquaintance with other models.
The first impression of the motorcycle seemed very pleasant. I immediately felt the quality of the non-slip seat upholstery and the softness of its foam filling, felt how well thought out the body kit was and what a great feeling of the motorcycle it gives in the rack, appreciated the work of the box, and generally formed an impression of the new models.
KTM 500 EXC-F 2020
This impression stayed with me all day, even when I gave up the 500 and drove the track again and again in each of the other 7 models. And although the motorcycles in the series are quite different, from the 150 TPI to the big 500, they are all similar in many ways and form a series not only by name, but also by the sensations of riding them. By the way, I still haven’t gotten used to their height of the footpegs and the length of the gearbox foot - if I bought one of them, the first thing I would do is change it.
The KTM 500 EXC-F has a deceptively mean look, but I didn't find it all that scary. Just a good fun bike that pulls and pulls until it hits the speed limit. And you don't have to drive at maximum speed to have fun - you can just stick it in third gear and ride it all day, letting it purr quietly at the bottom and burst out when you open the gas.
Enduro motorcycle KTM 300 EXC TPI
KTM 300 EXC TPI 2020
The first thing I want to note about the best-selling enduro model, the KTM 300 EXC TPI, is that I have virtually no knowledge of fuel-injected motorcycles. My personal 300 is a carb, and I've been racing carbs for almost my entire career, so I was curious as hell.
The first thing I noticed was how fast the gas works. In every sense: firstly, the throttle handle moves very easily, and secondly, how well the engine responds to the handle.
On my carburetor motorcycle, the gas works with a delay: the throttle is opened by a cable, the carburetor reacts to the changed patency, the petal valves open, and all this takes time. TPI does not require all this and works instantly.
KTM 300 EXC TPI 2020
It took some getting used to, but once I got used to it, I realized it was great. That is, you see a bump or a hole and want to lift the wheel over it - and on my carb motorcycle this requires some effort, but the 300 with TPI responds to the handle more clearly and willingly lifts the wheel over obstacles. At first I overdid the throttle a few times, but then, as I said, I got used to it and really enjoyed the suppleness.
KTM says the 2022 models have improved fuel delivery, traction smoothness and throttle precision thanks to an additional air pressure sensor, as well as a new throttle body that, in simple terms, is positioned as close to the engine as possible and operates more precisely.
I’ll also note that their new seats are something! The most non-slip seats I've ever sat on. Another nice feature is the new tail, which fits comfortably between your legs when going down steep slopes.
There is also a disadvantage to the tail: when I put my right hand under the rear fender, I did not find any handles there for dragging the rear of the motorcycle. Although it was before.
I had a nice ride on the KTM 300 EXC TPI, trying different surfaces and different things: fast stuff, extreme stuff and forest riding. And the suspension on the 300, it seemed to me, was weaker than on the 500, although quite decent.
The more I rode it, the more I thought about the future of off-road motorcycles. If the injector gives such a response, why do we need carbs?
Motor electronics are the “brains” of the engine
The engine electronics, located under the seat, are an extremely complex system that determines spark timing and fuel quantity based on information it receives from the gauge, throttle position and oil and coolant temperatures. Thus, the driver does not require adjustment, only the old one remains. cold start button . Depending on the engine load, the electronics constantly determine the mixture ratio, which in practice means that oil consumption is reduced by half and fuel consumption by even 30 percent. During the day, when we usually stopped for photos and lunch, the KTM EXC 300 and 250 TPI consumed less than 9 liters of gasoline.
Enduro motorcycle KTM 450 EXC-F
Enduro motorcycle KTM 450 EXC-F 2020
If the KTM 500 EXC-F is deceptively intimidating, the KTM 450 EXC-F is a more honest model. It's a little lighter, a little sportier and a little more provocative. It gets to top speed with the same ease as the 500cc model, and you can also take your time with it, staying in one gear and getting great traction at any time.
KTM 450 EXC-F 2020
What's also good about it is how the new chassis works. Big bikes like this were once heavy, but that's not the case here. This is a light, maneuverable motorcycle with excellent brakes that will show themselves exactly at the moment when it is necessary (for example, in sharp turns, when you urgently need to curb all the inertia of a large motorcycle - and the brakes will do this with ease, and the front suspension will perfectly handle this braking). The even larger 2022 four-stroke models come with a cooling fan, which is good: it was hot on the test ride and they would turn on periodically.
Erzberg, our test site for the KTM EXC 300 TPI and EXC 250 TPI
KTM currently reigns supreme in the off-road motorcycle world and they have no intention of relinquishing their supremacy. So they worked hard and discarded at least three misconceptions that didn't show up on the field (who knows how much they hid from us), but they are now very proud of what they have prepared. Fair!
