For the second year in row, Austrian bike manufacturer KTM captured two out of three Motocross world championship class Titles.
New Zealand’s Ben Townley not- surprisingly dominated the MX2 class aboard the all new prototype fourstroke SX250F. Following in the footsteps of Belgian Steve Ramon, who won the class in 2003 on his KTM SX125.

French GP veteran Yves Demaria took the MX3 Title this year, succeeding the title from Belgian 5 time champion Joel Smets.

With two more World Championships under their belt, KTM again invited a handful of journalists to a rented track with the offer of riding the KTM Factory race bikes of Townley, Ramon, and Tyla Rattray. The test was held at one of the most demanding Dutch sand tracks in Holland, an ex-GP track near Berghem.

All bench racing aside, we don’t openly admit to having half the speed of Steve Ramon or Ben Townley, let alone on a tough sand track like Berghem, so we asked Germany’s Marcus Schiffer to help us evaluate the bikes. Seventeen year old Schiffer was Team Germany’s MX2 entry for this years Motocross des Nations held the previous day, and still had the sore muscles to prove it.
Since he will be riding a KTM next year for the Kosak Team, he was anxious to sample the best bikes the KTM Factory has to offer.

To complete KTM’s Factory line up, the SX125 twostroke was on hand as well. Still a major contender, it would be interesting for us to get a side by side comparison of Tyla Rattray’s Factory SX125 twostroke and Ben Townley’s Factory 250 fourstroke. After all, Rattray did ride this 125 to a second place finish in this years MX2 World Championship, beating out all other fourstroke contenders.

With all the hype surrounding KTM’s 250 fourstroke, it’s easy to forget about the SX450. Ridden by Steve Ramon this year, the bike was good enough for some podium finishes and fourth place in this year’s MX2 class competing against the Yamaha Works bike of Everts and Pichon’s very trick Honda CRF450.

A close look
All of the bikes were equipped with Renthal 997 Twin Wall handlebars. We’re not sure if this was meant to give all the bikes an equal feel or just because everyone on the Team likes the 997 bend. The Renthal 997 feels good to us. The WP factory fork damping is provided by a Showa-like cartridge system housed in massive 52mm diameter lower tubes. KTM’s uses front axles that have to be the biggest we’ve ever seen. You could probably connect the wing of a Boeing 747 with this thing, it’s huge and light at the same time. The radial mounted factory Brembo front brakes use a 260mm disk and are as powerful as they look.

The rear WP shock features a titanium spring and factory internals. Subframe, footpegs and most of the fasteners are made of titanium to save weight. Maybe it’s just us, but once we lifted each of these bikes up off the workstands, we couldn’t help but notice how incredibly light these bikes are, a sure sign of super expensive Factory hardware.

All of the bars are mounted comparatively high to support a standing riding style we were told. This out of the seat riding style obviously compliments the Factory KTM seat foam, because when you sit on these Works KTM seats the word soft and comfortable never came to mind. Clutch action is controlled by a Magura hydraulic lever, which offers smooth and frictionless operation.

The KTM team uses Michelin tires, most of the time with moose tubes. Wheels are made by Talon in England. The bikes all have much longer and wider radiators than the stock bikes which offer extra cooling during the 40 minute GP heats.

On the track
Townley’s KTM Factory SX250F
Without a doubt KTM’s World Championship winning SX250F attracted a lot of attention this year. And while a production version of this bike will not be mass produced for 2005, a limited number must be produced and made available if KTM hopes to meet the homologation requirements which would allow them to race the bike in the US AMA Pro Motocross Series next year. KTM plans to have the stock bike as a 2006 model available during the summer of 2005.

After giving a thorough introduction of the bike, Chief Engineer Harry Nolte was on-hand to make sure the bike performed flawlessly for the duration of the test session in the deep sand of Berghem. If you’ve ever had the chance to watch Ben Townley in action this year, it’s easy to see how he can go so fast and making things look easy on this bike. Where the fourstrokes normally feel like they have a lot of weight over the front wheel, this bike has a light feeling in the front and this results in quick easy flickable steering. The 250F is very compact and reminds you more on a 125 than a full sized bike. The Suspension is comfortable but able to handle big impacts with no problem.

Although this was a deep sand track, and the bike was set up for one of the fastest riders in the world, the suspension worked unbelievably good once we got up to race speed. The bike stayed straight and in control even when we were probably riding over our abilities. The key to going fast was to over jump everything and not worry about it. Due to the massive fork and front wheel axle diameters there wasn’t the slightest sign of flex in any situation.
For a fourstroke, this engine revs very fast. It very much has the characteristics of a twostroke engine, if that’s possible. The icing on the cake is that it makes usable power everywhere. Where other 250F’s are topend or mid range motors, this thing makes power everywhere. However, as expected, the big power comes when you rev it high. We can only hope that the Production bike runs this good.

Clutch, throttle and brake action are easy and smooth, letting the rider can just concentrate on going fast.

Our volunteer test rider Marcus was impressed with the power and the quick steering:
“Compared to my Yamaha, this bike is so much faster it’s not even funny. When jumping and landing in the deep sand, the engine still stays up in the power and there was no sign of slowing down or losing momentum. In the sand, that is what kills your lap times. And shifting is reduced to a minimum due to the ultra-wide powerband. You can slam this bike through the corners with very little effort, it’s really pretty incredible. For sure this is the best handling and fastest 250 fourstroke I’ve ever ridden.”

Rattray’s KTM Factory SX125
Maybe the KTM 125 will be remembered as the last twostroke bike in MX history to win a world championship when Steve Ramon captured the title in 2003. But this year Tyla Rattray was on fire and proved the bike is still able to win GPs over the other fourstrokes. The technical changes from 03 to 04 were very few, the 125 engine received the new 52mm factory fork that was used by the 450 and 540 KTMs in 2003.

The engine got a heavier crank to carry more momentum to improve the starting performance. Tylas’ mechanic and South African fellowman Kelly Lumgair told us it wasn’t a problem for Tyla to start in second gear, no matter how grippy the start pad was, thanks to the strong bark of this engine. On the track the SX125 was a blast to ride. If you thought 125 factory engines are only for experienced pro riders due to a peaked narrow power band – it just isn’t true with this bike! The KTM factory engine provides an unbelievably broad powerband. Not near as much as a fourstroke, but better than any other 125 we’ve ridden. With this bike you feel like it makes the most power in the upper mid-range. It starts pulling early and doesn’t stop, however the upper revs don’t yield the same punch as the middle. What’s the difference compared to the factory 250F fourstroke? Believe it or not it isn’t the peak power output! According to the data sheets, KTM claims 42HP for the 250 fourstroke and 43HP for the 125! You have to shift a lot more (both 250F and 125 factory engines are 6 speed) on the 125 to keep it in the power, but on the other side the handling on the twostroke feels slightly quicker.

Tyla’s suspension was as awesome as on the other bikes: Almost without friction, a perfect balance and excellent bottoming resistance made riding this bike fast a dream we didn’t want to wake up from.

Our pro rider Marcus Schiffer was very happy too, he will be a KTM team rider in 2005 and has no doubts he made the right decision:
"The 125 is the bike I liked the most all day. The suspension is excellent, especially through the braking bumps, it was a total blast. The handling was very easy in the corners, you can put the bike anywhere you want. I think it turned even better than the 250F. I also liked the superior feeling when jumping, the control seemed to be better for me. The engine has a lot of bottom power for a 125 and it pulls through the powerband with no dead spots. I don’t think there is a disadvantage to the 250 fourstrokes with an engine such as this.”“

Ramon SX450
This is basically the MX1 bike that Ben Townley will be riding in 2005. You might guess it would be a firebreather, as many MX1 riders this year were rumored to be working to smooth out their bike’s power. No, it was very easy to ride for a factory engine. The engine has incredible bottom power, and it pulled almost like a 540. The only thing is; it revs, and pulls through the entire powerband with no dead spots at all.

Once you shifted into 4th gear on this fast dutch sand course, it was possible to ride the entire track in 4th. How’s that for broad power! If you think the Honda CRF handles easy, you will change your opinion after riding Ramons’ 450. Even if it’s a big and powerful bike, once you rail a corner or air it out over a big jump, this SX450 offers an handling and power that makes you feel like a top Pro, even if you are not. Our Stand in Pro rider Marcus Schiffer was impressed by the setup of the factory WP suspension units:
"Regarding the suspension, the 450 suited me best of all the bikes so far. Going through the big whoops, it was perfectly balanced and the overall feeling was very safe. The engine is incredible, it pulls endless and you don’t have to worry anymore about shifting!”

Demaria SX540
The MX3 class is run by a different Team out of Belgium, and is led by former World Champion Jacky Martens. Unlike the MX1 and 2 bikes, they run Dunlop tires and Wheels made by Haan. On the track the 540 thumper offered lots of good controllable power. But yes it is a tractor – the big bore means you are trading low end torque for revs - and big time torque is what this engine is all about. The World Champion’s SX540 accelerated smooth on this rough track and the four-gear transmission kept shifting to a minimum. Where on the SX450 it was possible to ride the entire track in 4th gear - on this bike it is actually preferred. Honestly, on a track like this, it is actually faster to use just 3rd and 4th gear and let the torque to pull you from corner to corner.

Even if the engine carries a lot of mass, cornering and overall handling on the big 540 is still 450ish good.
The fork was slightly on the stiff side when we went out for the first laps, but once mechanic Sjoert Nales made some adjustments it was perfect like on the other bikes. The rear shock kept the rear straight and in control in most every situation.

Both 450 and 540 bikes used slipper clutches to improve cornering and support neutral jumping, but to be honest on a soft sand track with limited engine braking, it is hard to tell the difference with the normal clutch.

When Marcus Schiffer was asked if he felt any difference between his Yamaha linkage suspension bike and the factory KTM Direct-link PDS units, he replied:
“I couldn’t feel any difference. Everything I rode today was perfect. When coming into corners, hitting the massive braking bumps or hitting tricky jumps, the Factory PDS units worked much better than the modified production linkage bikes I am used to. I was really impressed”

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125 SX 2-Stroke
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
ENGINE
Engine Type: Single cylinder, 2-stroke
Displacement: 124,8cc
Bore x Stroke (mm): 54 / 54,5
Performance: approx. 43 HP
Starter: Kickstarter
Transmission: 6 gears
Carburetor: Keihin PWK 39
Control: TVC
Lubrication: Mixture oil lubrication
Primary ratio: 23:73
Final drive: X-Ring chain 5/8 x 1/4"
Cooling: Liquid cooled
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch, operated hydraulically
Ignition: Kokusan digital CDI

CHASSIS
Frame: Chromium molybdenum
Subframe: Titanium
Handlebar: Renthal aluminium
Front suspension: WP-USD 52 MA
Rear suspension: WP-PDS shock absorber
Suspension travel front/rear: 300 / 335 mm
Front brakes: Disc brake 260 mm
Rear brakes: Disc brake 220 mm
Front/rear rims: 1,6 x 21"; 2,15 x 19" DID
Front/rear tires: 80/100-21"; 100/90-19"
Transmission ratio: 13:50
Main silencer: Titanium
Steering head angle: 63°
Wheel caster: 116 mm
Wheelbase: 1461±10 mm
Ground clearance (unloaded): 390 mm
Seat height (unloaded): 925 mm
Fuel capacity: approx. 7,5 liters
Weight: approx. 92 kg

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250 SX 4-Stroke
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
ENGINE
Engine Type: Single cylinder, 4-stroke
Displacement: 249,61 cc
Bore x Stroke (mm): 75 / 56,5
Performance: 42 HP
Starter: Kickstarter
Transmission: 6 gears
Carburetor: Keihin MX FCR 37
Control: 4V / OHC with roller rocker lever
Lubrication: Pressure lubrication with 2 Eaton pumps
Primary ratio: 33:76
Final drive: X-Ring chain 5/8 x 1/4"
Cooling: Liquid cooled
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch, operated hydraulically
Ignition: Kokusan digital CDI

CHASSIS
Frame: Chromium molybdenum
Subframe: Titanium
Handlebar: Renthal aluminium
Front suspension: WP-USD 52 MA
Rear suspension: WP-PDS shock absorber
Suspension travel front/rear: 300 / 335 mm
Front brakes: Disc brake 260 mm
Rear brakes: Disc brake 220 mm
Front/rear rims: 1,6 x 21"; 2,15 x 19" DID
Front/rear tires: 80/100-21"; 110/90-19"
Transmission ratio: 14:51
Main silencer: Titanium
Steering head angle: 63°
Wheel caster: 116 mm
Wheelbase: 1461±10 mm
Ground clearance (unloaded): 390 mm
Seat height (unloaded): 925 mm
Fuel capacity: approx. 7 liters
Weight: approx. 95 kg

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450 SX 4-Stroke
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
ENGINE
Engine Type: Single cylinder, 4-stroke
Displacement: 449,39 cc
Bore x Stroke (mm): 95 / 63,4
Compression ratio: 12:1
Performance: approx. 56 HP
Starter: Kickstarter
Transmission: 4 gears
Carburetor: Keihin MX FCR 41
Control: 4V / OHC with roller rocker lever
Lubrication: Pressure lubrication with 2 Eaton pumps
Primary ratio: 33:76
Final drive: X-Ring chain 5/8 x 1/4"
Cooling: Liquid cooled
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch, operated hydraulicallyv Ignition: Kokusan digital CDI

CHASSIS
Frame: Chromium molybdenum
Subframe: Titanium
Handlebar: Renthal aluminiumv Front suspension: WP-USD 52 MA
Rear suspension: WP-PDS shock absorber
Suspension travel front/rear: 300 / 335 mm
Front brakes: Disc brake 260 mm
Rear brakes: Disc brake 220 mm
Front/rear rims: 1,6 x 21"; 2,15 x 19" DID
Front/rear tires: 80/100-21"; 110/90-19"
Transmission ratio: 14:50
Main silencer: Titanium
Steering head angle: 63,5°
Wheel caster: 112 mm
Wheelbase: 1481±10 mm
Ground clearance (unloaded): 380 mm
Seat height (unloaded): 925 mm
Fuel capacity: approx. 7 liters
Weight: approx. 100 kg

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540 SX 4-Stroke
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
ENGINE
Engine Type: Single cylinder, 4-stroke
Displacement: 534,07 cc
Bore x Stroke (mm): 100 / 68
Compression ratio: 12:1
Performance: approx. 65 HP
Starter: Kickstarter
Transmission: 4 gears
Carburetor: Keihin MX FCR 41
Control: 4V / OHC with roller rocker lever
Lubrication: Pressure lubrication with 2 Eaton pumps
Primary ratio: 33:76
Final drive: X-Ring chain 5/8 x 1/4"
Cooling: Liquid cooled
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch, operated hydraulically
Ignition: Kokusan digital CDI
CHASSIS

Frame: Chromium molybdenum
Subframe: Titanium
Handlebar: Renthal aluminium
Front suspension: WP-USD 52 MA
Rear suspension: WP-PDS shock absorber
Suspension travel front/rear: 300 / 335 mm
Front brakes: Disc brake 260 mm
Rear brakes: Disc brake 220 mm
Front/rear rims: 1,6 x 21"; 2,15 x 19" Excel
Front/rear tires: 80/100-21"; 110/90-19"
Transmission ratio: 14:48
Main silencer: Titanium
Steering head angle: 63,5°
Wheel caster: 112 mm
Wheelbase: 1481±10 mm
Ground clearance (unloaded): 380 mm
Seat height (unloaded): 925 mm
Fuel capacity: approx. 7 liters
Weight: approx. 104 kg