2013 KTM 300 XCW review
- Thread starter MastaMax
- Start date
MastaMax
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Bikes
- 19 ktm 300tpi 6 days / 15 Yamaha YZ250F / 08 Husky 450SMR / 13 ER6N / 13 KTM 300XCW(sold)
Okay a bit more in depth...
First thing you notice is that it looks very tall, standing next to the bike it's all the way up to my hips. But once you sit on it, you realize that it's due to the big PDS shock. Once seated it feels good, high but totally manageable, a lot of ground clearance is good. So much that I can fit my bike stand under it without lifting the bike, even with the stand lifted the bike would almost touch the ground.
So first things first, setting up the static / riding sag, I suppose the stock springs will do fine for me as I'm pretty light. Stock settings will also do fine for the moment.
Then jetting, I'm not an experienced mechanic, but it seems that on that 2 stroke the jetting is between good and better... No way to get it bogging even with the engine cold. Nothing like on my WR where I had to test all possible combinations to get it right.
Breaking the engine in. Used the "heat cycle" technique, 3 cycles during the week while I was waiting to ride it. Then last Friday on first day out with the NOBs I just rode it normally.
After 2 rides (last Friday and last Sunday) I'm changing gear oil, checking all the screws, spokes and movable parts and it's ready ride hard.
I think it has the yellow power valve spring (the stock one) and I like it this way, it has lots of power in the bottom and in mid-range (before it hits the powerband), comparable to the WR with the 290 kit on it. Then passed that it rocks hard, even in 4th-5th gear at low speed with a bit of clutch it wheelies very easily.
Riding feeling: feels amazing, I like every bit of it. Even the downhills are a pure pleasure... It feels like being on a mountain bike, it's so light. I was afraid of the lack of engine breaking but it's almost better this way as it allows me to be more aggressive giving it some throttle in the turns even downhill. Also that is most probably thanks to the amazing brakes!
In the turns you gotta sit on the very front, much more in the front than any other bike I had, because when you whack the throttle, that light front end is wanting to go everywhere but where you want it if you don't put enough weight on it!
Second advice is watch the front brake, it really brakes hard! It is very easy to lock that front wheel so go easy with the front brake.
Ready to go break in the engine!
Doing my slow conversion from blue to orange
First thing you notice is that it looks very tall, standing next to the bike it's all the way up to my hips. But once you sit on it, you realize that it's due to the big PDS shock. Once seated it feels good, high but totally manageable, a lot of ground clearance is good. So much that I can fit my bike stand under it without lifting the bike, even with the stand lifted the bike would almost touch the ground.
So first things first, setting up the static / riding sag, I suppose the stock springs will do fine for me as I'm pretty light. Stock settings will also do fine for the moment.
Then jetting, I'm not an experienced mechanic, but it seems that on that 2 stroke the jetting is between good and better... No way to get it bogging even with the engine cold. Nothing like on my WR where I had to test all possible combinations to get it right.
Breaking the engine in. Used the "heat cycle" technique, 3 cycles during the week while I was waiting to ride it. Then last Friday on first day out with the NOBs I just rode it normally.
After 2 rides (last Friday and last Sunday) I'm changing gear oil, checking all the screws, spokes and movable parts and it's ready ride hard.
I think it has the yellow power valve spring (the stock one) and I like it this way, it has lots of power in the bottom and in mid-range (before it hits the powerband), comparable to the WR with the 290 kit on it. Then passed that it rocks hard, even in 4th-5th gear at low speed with a bit of clutch it wheelies very easily.
Riding feeling: feels amazing, I like every bit of it. Even the downhills are a pure pleasure... It feels like being on a mountain bike, it's so light. I was afraid of the lack of engine breaking but it's almost better this way as it allows me to be more aggressive giving it some throttle in the turns even downhill. Also that is most probably thanks to the amazing brakes!
In the turns you gotta sit on the very front, much more in the front than any other bike I had, because when you whack the throttle, that light front end is wanting to go everywhere but where you want it if you don't put enough weight on it!
Second advice is watch the front brake, it really brakes hard! It is very easy to lock that front wheel so go easy with the front brake.
Ready to go break in the engine!
Doing my slow conversion from blue to orange
KTMphil
Senior member
Good review Max - You can see why these are always at the front in the Erzberg etc........
Tadzilla is competing at Erzberg on the 350 this year.
KTMphil
Senior member
I'm not sure about that but he does a damn good back-flip :RE
Loop
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2011
- Bikes
- VFR 800 PCX 150
KTMphil
Senior member
MastaMax
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Bikes
- 19 ktm 300tpi 6 days / 15 Yamaha YZ250F / 08 Husky 450SMR / 13 ER6N / 13 KTM 300XCW(sold)
Short update on the bike after a few more hours on it.
A lack of momentum and laws of gravity kicking in on a literally vertical section one shouldn't stall.
Brings me to the differences between the 4 and 2 stroke:
Gear selection is much more critical. Noticed this a lot on a tight track as well as hill climbs. It's important to be in the right gear, a gear too high and it bogs (no power) and a gear too low and you better be ready for it Though it's not that bad, you can always clutch it but it's harder to get a smooth turn.
Handling is great, really like it, as well as no engine braking. Love it. Maybe it's better on a 350/450 than it is on a 250F but I've always found the engine braking very annoying on flat and up hills.
Now let's wait for rainy season for the next update, see how it goes in the mud :MJ
A lack of momentum and laws of gravity kicking in on a literally vertical section one shouldn't stall.
Brings me to the differences between the 4 and 2 stroke:
Gear selection is much more critical. Noticed this a lot on a tight track as well as hill climbs. It's important to be in the right gear, a gear too high and it bogs (no power) and a gear too low and you better be ready for it
Though it's not that bad, you can always clutch it but it's harder to get a smooth turn.Handling is great, really like it, as well as no engine braking. Love it. Maybe it's better on a 350/450 than it is on a 250F but I've always found the engine braking very annoying on flat and up hills.
Now let's wait for rainy season for the next update, see how it goes in the mud :MJ
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2012
- Bikes
- KTM 613 EXC, BMW R90S & Dakar, MZ250, Norton 16H, Honda - 500 Fs & Xs, DRZs, XLs XRs CRFs CT110s etc
The day I saw you riding it, it looked like you'd cut your throat
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