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KTM 250XCF-W: Master of versatility

Story by James Holter, photos by Mark Kariya and KTM

It's not every day that you rail a perfect berm on some of the best-known real estate in motocross, climb toward a beautiful northwestern sky and then dip back down into a corner of black dirt that leads into a lush green forest of four-foot-wide trails and swooping turns.

And it's not every day that you're riding a bike that can handle all that.

This is one of those days, however. I'm riding KTM's 2007 250XCF-W at the Washougal MX Park in Washougal, Washington, which will host the eighth round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Nationals in July. The 250XCF-W is the wide-ratio version of the cross-country version of KTM's 250cc four-stroke motocross bike.

It's just one model in KTM's stacked XC line. Featuring 200cc, 250cc and 300cc two-strokes, and 250cc and 450cc four-strokes with both close- and wide-ratio transmission versions, not to mention the wide-ratio-only 400XC-W and 525XC-W, the KTM XC line has something for everyone.

Fitted with more compliant suspension, an 18-inch rear wheel, a larger fuel tank, a CDI box with a smoother ignition curve setting, an off-road-tuned exhaust and a high-output stator (70 watts of lighting power), the XCs are excellent woods bikes. With their motocross roots, however, they're still quite capable on the Washougal track, which features deep rutted berms, large whoops and natural-terrain jumps.

The 250XCF-W that I'm riding, like the other wide-ratio versions, adds even more off-road-oriented features beyond the wide-ratio transmission, such as even more supple suspension, an odometer, and cast triple clamps and a tapered steering stem for more flex. (The bigger-bore four-stroke wide-ratio versions also come with a spark arrestor exhaust, but not the 250XCF-W.)

One of the best features of all the four-stroke XCs is something that off-road riders have been enjoying in increasing numbers in recent years: electric start. The little magic button is just that—magic. The additional weight (about six pounds) that the starter and battery add is irrelevant, particularly if you've just stalled out in the bottom of a creek bed an hour and 40 minutes into a two-hour harescramble.

The kickstarter is still there, but except for the dead-engine start specialists who can still light it up faster than the button, it's relegated to back-up status. The electric start works so well, however, that it might not be long before kickstarters begin to disappear, particularly on motocross bikes where dead-engine starts and the risks of getting stranded 50 miles from your pits are non-existent.

With a mix of off-road goodies on the core motocross models, the XCs are built to be do-it-all bikes. While versatility without compromise is a tough target to hit, for the most part, KTM's aim is dead on.

One reason the 250XCF-W works so well in many places is the excellent engine. It's no secret that KTM's 250cc four-stroke churns out serious small-bore power, which goes a long way toward maintaining the bike's track capabilities.

With instant off-idle power and the ability to lug through tight corners in third gear (the XCF-Ws have lower first, second and third gears, along with a taller sixth, than the close-ratio bikes), it's also a joy in the woods.

That ability to rely on the motor to pull the higher gears also is handy when you consider that KTM's 250F engine has a bit more engine braking than its Japanese counterparts. When I would make the mistake of being in too low a gear for a corner, letting off the throttle would result in a bit too much deceleration. Once I realized the roll-on power capabilities (keeping in mind the electric start that nearly negated the risks of a stall), getting through the tight stuff was a lot less tiring.

Of course, KTM's excellent hydraulic clutch helps with cornering manners. With an exceptionally easy and consistent pull, it effectively eliminates the problem of race-time clutch fade and reduces left hand stress.

Speaking of stress, of all the updates, the XC suspension is the most significant change over the motocross models. It's plush enough not to punish you on choppy trails but the bottoming resistance is still top-notch, even coming up short at fairly high speeds. There is compromise, of course, but while the suspension might not be best suited for more serious sections of a motocross track, the benefits on the small stuff more than make up for any shortcomings.

The neutral handling characteristics of the 250XCF-W are another exercise in compromise. It won't carve the tightest line, but go ahead and keep that throttle pinned down the next straight. The little four-stroke will track steady down the gnarliest, whooped-out bomb runs you can imagine.

Other features on the XCs include large-diameter handlebars, black Excel rims, and new wave brake rotors with an enhanced wave design.

There are certainly exceptions—dedicated motocrossers, exclusive enduro guys—but they're the exceptions who prove the rule that most of us enjoy multiple forms of off-road riding. For us, having one bike that can rip around a motocross track one weekend and comfortably challenge the trails another is an appealing concept.

The XCs aren't motocrossers, harescramblers, enduro bikes or trail bikes. They are race-ready dirtbikes. If you consider yourself a dirt biker, especially if you're infected with the 250F bug, then the 2007 KTM 250XCF, or XCF-W, is the only bike you need.

2007 KTM 250XCF-W
Engine	DOHC, 4-valve, four-stroke single
Displacement	249.5cc
Bore x stroke	76mm x 55mm
Final drive	13/48
Carburetion	Keihin FCR-MX 39mm
Transmission	6-speed
Front suspension	48mm WP-USD with 11.8 inches of travel
Rear suspension	WP-PDS with 13.2 inches of travel
Front tire	80/100-21
Rear tires	100/100-18
Front brake	260mm disc, Brembo dual-piston caliper
Rear brakes	220mm disc, Brembo single-piston caliper
Fuel capacity	2.64 gallons
Seat height	36.4 inches
Wheelbase	57.4 inches
Ground clearance	15 inches
Dry weight (claimed)	216 pounds
MSRP	$6,798