250 EXC Racing (MY2005)

The 250 EXC Racing is KTM's small-bore four-stroke enduro, and nothing about it is watered down. It's a liquid-cooled 250 cc single making 39 hp, with a six-speed gearbox and chain drive. It has no electronic rider aids. No ABS, no traction control, no ride modes. The focus is the chassis: an upside-down WP fork with 11.8 in (300 mm) of travel and 13.2 in (335 mm) at the rear, adjustable at both ends, on a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel. In its class, it sits firmly at the competition end. Pure enduro, nothing else.

Read the numbers and the intent is obvious. 15.0 in (380 mm) of ground clearance, a 58.3 in (1,481 mm) wheelbase and long-travel suspension point straight at roots, rocks and tight woods trails, not the highway. The 36.4 in (925 mm) seat height and 2.1 gal (8 L) tank say the same thing: this bike is for loops that start and end at the trailhead, and it's for someone who already knows their way around a dirt bike. On a trail, grip sets the pace, not horsepower, and 39 hp from 250 cc is built for exactly that. It's a race tool, and it needs race-tool maintenance. Respect that and it fits.