KTM 350SX-F owners --- a quick question about power.
I'm in the process of lining up my funds to purchase a late-model KTM 4-stroke motocross bike (thinking 21-22).
I'm sold on the 350 concept, BUT ... I live at 5,000-ft of elevation in Colorado. And given you lose ~ 3% power for every 1,000-ft of elevation, I'll be down ~ 15% right off-the-bat for the majority of the riding I do.
Does high-elevation / power loss change your assessment ---> That is, would you buy a 450F instead in this situation?
I'm still onboard with buying a KTM to try, as I've never owned one and want to try the "orange Kool-Aid." But, suddenly I am second-guessing the 350F approach. I'd like to run the KTM motor 100% stock and just put tons of hours on it without much maintenance. Note that I also have a big-bore YZ270F project for "super nimble" riding, so now I was just trying to decide between 350F and 450F models to round out the herd.
For reference, I'm a Vet B 40-something rider who rides MX tracks and mountain trails for reference.
All inputs are appreciated!
Keep it coming!
This has been stuck in my head for some time and keeps me coming back to the 350.
Ask yourself a few simple questions: Do you like to REV? Are you under 200lbs? Do you want to ride the most fun 4T ever made (at least what I've had the experience of riding, to date)...
Trust in corners are the weakest part of my riding, and the 350 is stellar in this aspect. I'm 185lbs bare, so over 200lbs geared up, and really enjoy riding them. REALLY enjoy riding them. If you get one just a little advice: Throw a 2T air filter cage in to lessen backfire screen restriction, and learn to shift less! It revs so much longer than any four stroke I've ridden, you have to reprogram the brain to different shift points and styles. I'm full-throttle, wide open, on this bike more than anything I get to ride, sans 125SX/150SX...And that's a big part of its charm
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My $.02, unless you want to have similar bikes, get a 450.
You guys talked sense back into me. I get a little schizo when I getting ready to pull the trigger on new-to-me bikes.
I've ridden 450Fs since 2003, and really like them, but dang the nimbleness of the 250F got me thinking ... and thinking is expensive.
2019 SXF
Screenless filter Cage
Yoshimura exhaust
Vortex by Twisted (they give me a Mammoth map)
14/52 gearing
Pump gas or VP T4
I wouldn’t worry about 5,000ft.
Can you readily switch back-and-forth between pump gas and VP T4 without remapping?
All I can say, is get one my dude. Leave the motor stock, get a Vortex if you want to get more out of the stock setup. Ill get one eventually
Pit Row
I believe in 22.5 and 23 bikes they moved the location of the countershaft sprocket to do something similar.
You stated above the light feel of a 250 is one of you main motivations for considering a 350. In that case, you will not be disappointed. This is easily my favorite thing about my 350, the light, non-tiring feeling that makes you feel like you can just ride the bike hard and move it around and not get worn out. I rode 450's from 2006-2020. When I get on one now it feels like a tank.
Gearing, to me, is going to be track and rider dependent. I stick with the stock 14/51. If I was to put a 52 on, 2nd would be just a little too tight for corners and 3rd would be a bit too tall for the super tight inside ruts. And then straights where I can now use the incredible over-rev in 3rd (and same on long straights in 4th) I'd probably feel compelled to shift to 4th (or 5th) for just a few moments before the corner.
Guys, refreshing the topic from another point of view.
I'm back to riding after 13-14yrs brake, used to ride track on a 125 @ 176 pounds of body weight (20 y.o.), was a beginner, maybe slow C rider at a good day back then but didn't have a clue what I'm doing much I'd say.
Now I'm 35 y.o. and 196-200 pounds (190cm = 6'2.8) and quite suddenly decided that I missed MX although mountain biking is my big thing! I like KTM's, period. So I read all the stuff about that the 350 is THE bike, found a good deal on a second hand 2022 and bought it without ever riding it before.
I have logged 10 hrs on it on few different tracks, it is just a perfect machine but I haven't stop thinking that I might have bought a bit too much of a bike. I'm now much more focused on technique and more aware of what I'm doing right and wrong than back then. And the result is I'm slow, feeling like cruising with it quarter gas, not using the power although I figured you can lug this engine quite OK around. Am on 14/52 gearing and riding the map 1.
Have you seen anyone or experienced yourself that the 350 can be too much? Might the 250F way to go for me? I don't fancy going back to 125, I really like the modern four strokes now
Thanks for any opinion or discussion!
jakubglinz - Try 14/50 or 14/51 gearing and leave TC on a majority of the time, even in Map1 (14/51 was stock here in the states). That should slow things down, smooth it out, and don't forget that these engines like alotta' rev. Your 2022 is a great bike! At your size, I'd just give it some time and acclimate to riding again before pulling the 250F trigger...
Were you still able to run the stock(I think 116) chain length with the 52T rear?
I am pretty sure it is 118 links, and I have a 14/52 setup on my FC250 right now with the stupid high chain slack (65mm) and still could move the wheel in if I needed to.
Question for you 350 riders. I read some reviews saying it has a lot of vibration. True for '22 and '23 compared to the 250?
Question on vibration:
I was worried about this, too, logged a bunch of hours on a 2022 KTM 350SX-F and 450SX- in the past few months, and I no longer notice any difference. It's a non-issue for me.
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