2014–2017 · Enduro · Buyer's Guide
The Featherweight Technical Weapon
Strip an enduro back to the parts that actually matter in difficult terrain and you get this. The 249 cc liquid-cooled single makes 25 hp at 8,500 rpm and 18 lb-ft at 6,500, and those numbers tell you almost nothing about how the bike works. The tuning is the story: drive from just off idle, a six-speed box you rarely need to stir, and electric start, so a stall in a rock garden costs you seconds instead of your afternoon. The chassis is trials thinking wearing enduro clothing, narrow through the middle, with 15.0 in of ground clearance underneath it.
On the ground it was built for, that translates into a bike that will take lines you would normally walk. It turns tighter than the terrain usually allows and rewards precision instead of commitment, which is why it flatters riders still building skill and still entertains riders who already have it. Aging is the honest part. These need attention. The fueling can go sour, the electrics have let people down, and the brakes were never the strong point, so buy one that has been looked after and budget for the fixes. As a dedicated bike for slow, hard ground, very little gets closer.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 25 hp (19 kW) @ 8,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 18 lb-ft (24 Nm) @ 6,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 249 cc250cc Motorcycles → |
| Engine | Single-cylinderMotorcycles With Single-Cylinder Engines → |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 260 mm |
| Front tire | 80/100-21 |
| Rear tire | 110/80-18 |
| Ground clearance | 15.0 in (380 mm) |
| Front travel | 9.8 in (250 mm) |
| Rear travel | 11.0 in (280 mm) |
| Seat height | 36.0 in (914 mm) |
| Dry weight | 219 lb (100 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 1.8 gal (7 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
This part isn't a test ride. It's what has come back to me over the years from people who own these: conversations in the paddock, chats at club nights, riders stopping me at events, and the messages that land in my inbox after someone has lived with one for a season. On the Freeride 250 R the pattern is unusually consistent. Riders love how it rides and spend a lot of time talking about what they had to fix.
The praise is remarkably uniform. Owners describe a bike that feels closer to a mountain bike than a dirt bike, quick to steer, tight through a turn, and easy to flick around in technical going. Almost everyone reports the same reaction to the first ride: it makes them grin and pushes them to play rather than chase speed. Riders also single out the engine, calling the power delivery smooth and tractable down low, linear rather than peaky, and closer to a trials bike in feel.
Brakes lead the complaints. Riders report weak stopping power, fade, and a spongy lever, and many end up upgrading. Electrical trouble is mentioned just as often: starters that quit, flat batteries, gremlins that leave a bike stranded. Carburetion comes up repeatedly too, with poor part-throttle response and stalling that survives repeated tuning attempts. Beyond that, some owners find the suspension harsh over rough ground, a few mention that neutral is hard to find, and the tall stock bars don't suit everyone.
Poor brake performance with stock Formula components
The OEM Formula brakes offer weak stopping power, fade under hard use, and a spongy lever feel, commonly requiring pad or caliper upgrades.
Electric starter and electrical failures
Intermittent starting issues, dead batteries, and complete electrical cut-outs have been reported, sometimes leaving the bike inoperable until repaired.
Carburetor/fueling problems causing rough running and stalling
Numerous owners report persistent rough running, hesitation, and stalling at part throttle, often despite repeated jetting changes. The carburetor itself may have a manufacturing defect.
Suspension harshness and bottoming resistance
Some owners find the suspension feels harsh on small bumps yet bottoms out easily on big hits, requiring setup adjustments or aftermarket components.
Where this KTM Freeride 250 R 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 Freeride 250 R is actually built for.
For slickrock, ledges, and technical sand at walking pace, this is close to ideal. Accept that 1.8 gal (7 L) of fuel means tight loops from the truck rather than long point-to-point days.
Made for Kane Creek Recreation Area · Moab · Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area
Wrong tool for the job. With 1.8 gal (7 L) of fuel and a 36.0 in seat, it will shine on the hardest five miles of a BDR and wear you out across the other three hundred.
Made for Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · Southern California Backcountry Discovery Route · Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
