Dirt Bike Magazine - September 2014

These are the best brakes in the motocross world—still.

There’s 14,000 rpm in there waiting to come out. The 350 has an outrageous redline.

The 350 corners like a 250. We’ve learned that power and the perception of weight have a complicated relationship.

• Vastly improved suspension

• Less tiring than a 450

• Electric start

• Excellent brakes

• Hydraulic clutch

• High-quality parts
but it feels lighter. The sensation of mass, as it turns out,
is as much about horsepower and the gyroscopic forces
associated with a big crankshaft as it is about weight.

None of that has changed for 2015, but the suspension certainly has. That was the one flaw in the 350 picture. Last year, and every previous year that we can remember, KTM has lagged behind in suspension, at least on the motocross side of the line. A good tuner could make the WP closed-cartridge fork work for specific applications, but virtually no one liked it with KTM’s specs. The most common complaint was that it was harsh on small, sharp impacts.

The 2015 4CS fork isn’t like that at all. It’s actually very cushy on the small stuff, and that gives the whole bike a different feel. Part of the credit might go to the smaller front axle, which allows more give and flex. We actually have a lot of experience with this fork now, as it has shown up on various off-road models going back to the 2013 Husaberg line. We’ve watched it evolve since then, and it’s finally grown up. For this year, we still think most riders will have to fiddle and adjust settings considerably. Faster riders especially will want to stiffen things up to make the

MX TEST

Most of the big changes for 2015 are hidden in the suspension.

That’s where the 350 needed the most work.

KTM 350SX-F

Engine type .........Four-valve, DOHC 4-stroke Displacement.........................................350cc Bore & stroke ................... 88.0mm x 57.5mm Fuel delivery ....................................Keihin EFI Fuel tank capacity .................... 2.0 gal. ( 7. 5 L) Lighting coil ................................................ No Spark arrester............................................. No EPA legal .................................................... No Running weight, no fuel .......................237 lb. Wheelbase............................. 58. 9” (1495mm) Ground clearance.................... 14. 8” (375mm) Seat height .............................. 39.0” (992mm)

Tire size & type: Front......................80/100-21 Dunlop MX52

Rear.....................110/100-19 Dunlop MX52

Suspension/travel: Front................... WP 4CS, adj. reb., comp./

11. 8”(300mm)

Rear..... WP aluminum piggyback, adj. prld., hi & lo comp., reb./13.2” (335mm) Country of origin...................................Austria Suggested retail price ...........................$8799 Distributor/manufacturer .......... www.ktm.com