When do they sleep at Reformatting? After the launch of the first KTM Freeride 250R, KTM comes to drive a nail with a declination even easier but not less effective than the easy enduro motorcycle. With its 2-stroke engine, the KTM Freeride 250R may surprise more than one… Here’s why…
Last year (vintage 2013), KTM was a sprain to his famous ‘Ready to Race’ strategy by presenting the Freeride 350. An enduro motorcycle is not intended for competition, but rather for the general public with as credo the ease of grip. A year later, KTM surfing the wave of the success of the ‘Freeride’ in us offers a new Freeride for 2014: 250R.
A strong supporter of ‘cylinder holes’, so it’s a 2-stroke engine block inspired by the KTM 250 EXC that propels the KTM Freeride 250R. But the changes are legions of these two blocks for two different audiences; we particularly note the change of cylinder easier because the exhaust valves disappear, with the key a unique exhaust.
Already halfway between enduro and trial with the 350, this vocation is even stronger with the 250R, a look will be enough to realize, and this will be confirmed is completely during the test of this new Freeride 2014.
Scale test for the KTM Freeride 250R
For skeptics who think that formal submission can not try the bikes, I stop you immediately. Our playground is the day of the mountain of Il Cocci, a heavenly area for hiker’s trail bike. But that’s not all, because, during the day of the test KTM Freeride 250R, we will take a few passages of Hell’s Gate, a race that is one of the most difficult (and mad …) on the planet.
The stage is set; it must now choose a group of testers, between easy, normal, and expert. So you can imagine we did not hesitate one second to throw in the group of upset experts, led by Lars Knock whose profession is nothing but extreme enduro driver Erzberg Rodeo, Romanies, Hell’s Gate and whatnot a hair masochists are his favorite pastimes … Come on, not even scared, let’s see what the KTM Freeride 250R in the belly!
Ready to Race, finally…
This is a motorcycle with much lower than conventional enduro dimensions, very thin, very compact, and mostly much lower than we tend to order. But if its size is reduced, it is not a motorcycle at a discount provided.
The Freeride is certainly not as well with equipment as its big sisters EXC, but it has all the same anodized tees, wave Braking, hand guards, and drives a hydraulic clutch or a motor shoe order. Pressure on the Starter – there’s no kick – and the Freeride starts in a hoarse and muffled noise reminiscent of a motorbike.
Usability ‘light’
Very lenient, the KTM Freeride 250R fits perfectly between the legs; here you can install two feet flat on the ground without worries. He must find a little its place because the ergonomics are all of even different from what we usually find on a motorcycle enduro, but this is not non-eccentric and even the major templates will fit rather well to the Freeride.
But soon a shocking detail, we must put on the 50th to catch the gear selector, the latter being positioned a bit far but also a little high. You can not change its position, failing to abut against the frame damage.
The Ease to Scope of the Handlebar
After a few miles of rolling roads, pins are taken; it is time to get to the heart of the matter. It begins in the narrow paths slalom between the trees where the KTM Freeride 250R is guided with ease.
The handling of the new KTM is one of its strong points, and this is confirmed when the going gets tough. As you say we ate rocks all the sauces in this presentation plates, rolling, rolling, hidden … were probably driven more often on the stone on the ground. Under these conditions, can change trace a wink was rather significant.
This is an opportunity to talk about suspensions, very flexible on this KTM Freeride 250R. A little confusing at first, they absorb wonderfully small and medium roughness of the ground. Their effectiveness is remarkable difficulties and crossings. For example, if you start to lose traction, just put the weight back to regain grip.
This is an opportunity to talk about suspensions, very flexible on this KTM Freeride 250R 2014. A little confusing at first, they absorb wonderfully small and medium roughness of the ground. Their effectiveness is remarkable difficulties and crossings. For example, if you start to lose traction, just put the weight back to regain grip. Tires typed ‘trial’ also show to their advantage, offering an ideal compromise for this kind of use. But it remains to know more spaced knobs (compared to the 350 Freeride 2013) provide a better mud evacuation…
Weapon of crossing
After the back, turn to the front of the KTM Freeride 250R, with a small gripe about gear that will be tended to escape without warning several times at pace. It was observed that the KTM Freeride 250R was a true weapon of crossing enduro as well as trial; some present ex-realists for this submission have not hesitated to send the markets and low walls to confirm.
It is also true that contained the motorcycle weight plays in its favor. The 250 is lighter than the 350 and therefore seems more playful, but also easier to maneuver or meet. We started voluntarily (or not…) in delicate situations to get to the bottom. Some colleagues that we’ll name are gone still further, with ‘you’ of bike finishing in back flips.
Falls in the rather pitched sides of hills and other waterfalls… What allowed proving a quality that will interest beginners first of all: it is a solid KTM Freeride 250R!
Smoothness effectiveness!
The engine of the KTM 250R is a concentrated roundness. In the range of low to medium speeds, the Freeride truly shows the most effective, his reach is more limited than later. Take courage, it is not the KTM then that will make you sore arm due to a too-strong engine, far from it. It is even frustrating at first, as was the sensation of riding a lung when you attack… But when it is necessary to cross, this character becomes this formidable time to swallow obstacles. By connecting up the pod which allows changing of mapping, the motorbike finds more answers, it becomes more nervous.
What proves more reassuring when it tackles a long coastline where you can afford to stop, firstly because the stones are big on the sides and the other hand because everyone looks…? This revival of FIFO allows also some clutch kicks to give more impetus for example. Anyway, the KTM Freeride 250R engine has an exemplary couple, you can go low without holding, the second report of the bike is a real tractor. Starting from scratch in a delicate area becomes almost easy – I did say almost-, a net gas playing with the point of slipping clutch allows the 250 R to resume its progress creamy.
Check KTM Freeride 250R: A fun bike for all Enduro!
At the end of this first try, it appears that the Austrians find another expression of a magical potion! A true toy for adults, the KTM Freeride 250R settles as the golden mean between motorbike of trial bike and enduro, with perhaps a tendency towards a little more asserted trial bike than that of his big sister, 350 4-time. Lighter and a little easier to handle, KTM Freeride 250R is as a bit ‘ put down on the soil ‘ less than 350. Still, this bike is fun to ride, and quiet can become a dangerous weapon for crossing. Its engine that easily manages does not surprise its driver.
Despite its nose wheel sometimes fleeing, the KTM Freeride 250R is a bike that is mostly standing, like a motorbike. So after a day of intense traffic, we would like the cockpit to be a little higher to relieve the necessarily curved backs. Braking, side you will also find the limits quickly enough at the front.
Finally, it is also the price of the KTM Freeride 250R 2014 which should give him a nice success to a broad audience. We are talking about for the time of 6,800 euros; its tariff is not yet definitively fixed for France (to 01/08/ 13). For comparison, the Freeride 350 cost 7,390 euros. In short, his new little sister is moto enduro to advise strongly to take its first laps of wheels in any field or simply to get pleasure, whatever your level.
