2018–2022 · Enduro · Buyer's Guide
Injected Two-Stroke Sixdays Weapon
The Sixdays is the celebration build of the 250 EXC: anodized orange frame, machined triple clamps, and its own graphics laid over the working hardware. Underneath sits a 249 cc liquid-cooled two-stroke single with transfer port injection, rated at 46 hp and 23 lb-ft, hung in a chromoly steel frame with WP XPLOR suspension at both ends. The injection is what makes this generation interesting. Fuel metering stays clean and linear across the range, and that is exactly what a 250 two-stroke needs to be genuinely usable in terrain rather than merely quick in a straight line.
It rides like a machine built to be worked. There is close to a foot of travel at each end and 14.0 in of ground clearance, so the chassis stays out of trouble on rock and rut where a lower bike hangs up. It rewards a rider who can carry momentum and read traction, and it holds up to the abuse that kind of riding involves. What it will not do is make life easy: 37.8 in of seat height, 2.4 gal of fuel, and no electronic rider aids at all. This is a plated race bike, and ownership means treating maintenance as part of the deal.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 46 hp (34 kW) @ 8,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 23 lb-ft (31 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 249 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 260 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 140/80-18 |
| Wheelbase | 58.3 in (1482 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 14.0 in (355 mm) |
| Front travel | 11.8 in (300 mm) |
| Rear travel | 12.2 in (310 mm) |
| Seat height | 37.8 in (960 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.4 gal (9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Potential oil starvation with TPI system
Some owners have reported concerns about insufficient oil delivery, particularly under high-load or muddy conditions. This may be related to oil pump mapping or routing and can potentially be mitigated by adding a small amount of premix.
Faulty crankcase pressure sensor
A known issue with the TPI system: the crankcase pressure sensor can fail, causing poor running. Replacement sensors are available but can be costly.
Where this KTM 250 EXC TPI Sixdays pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the 250 EXC TPI Sixdays is actually built for.
This is the right tool for Moab-grade rock and technical desert lines, and it will out-ride most of what you meet out there. Build the day around fuel, because 2.4 gal does not cover long mileage between sections.
Made for Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes · Johnson Valley OHV Area
It holds its own on a track and it is a genuine pleasure to ride there. Just know the flywheel and gearing are tuned for traction in terrain, not for gate-to-first-turn work against purpose-built motocross machinery.
Made for Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area · Fox Raceway at Pala · Glen Helen Raceway
Wrong bike for multi-day route work. It will clear anything on the map, but the small tank, tall seat, and total lack of luggage provision make the logistics harder than the riding.
Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2017
Two-Stroke Trail Assassin
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
