If you’ve ever seen various animals, in this case goats, frolicking around a mountain and wondered what it’s like to be one, then KTM have the answer and it’s called the Freeride. You’ve heard of it already, but now there’s a new one with a new two-stroke engine so goats and sheep beware, but not in the way you’re thinking yer pervs!
Anyway, chasing fleeces and merry, wagging tails aside, what is the better engine configuration? Is it the smooth steady power of four-stroke or is it the rev, buzz and tingle of a two-stroke motor? Now I’ve ridden the KTM Freeride 350 four-stroke version before (move down this test section if you want to read it again, possibly not), but recently I had the opportunity to ride KTM’s new Freeride 250R two-stroke just to see if two-strokes are more fun than four. But before we swagger into the test let me digress: If you’ve never seen, sat on or ridden a Freeride before please, please be careful if your riding buddies arrive on one and don’t tell you where you’re going to be riding. They’re probably psychopaths the definition of which is a personality disorder, characterised by a diminished empathy and remorse. They are going to take you on an extremely technical ride and watch you fall, bleed and say f$%* a lot, while they smile and hop rocks on their Freerides. You’ve been warned because this is where a Freeride belongs.
Why do I say this? Well, this is not a motocross bike or a typical enduro bike. This is the love child spawned from the loins of an extreme enduro bike and trials bike, meaning this bike is born and raised for extreme riding, including rock climbing, tree hopping, cliff jumping and, of course, chasing feisty mountain goats. So while you flounder with your tall enduro bike, spinning tyres and falling at the site of a bolder, your Freeride friend will be testing out the grip of his trials tyre on waterfalls and cliff faces and laughing at you as you struggle to climb a rocky outcrop, whilst chasing fluffy things.
But, back to this KTM Freeride 250 R, it has a relatively low seat height of 915mm and with its composite frame and lightweight motor it’s extremely light. Also the modified 250 EXC motor makes it extremely powerful. It weighs 92.5kgs compared to the 350 at 99.5kgs and you can certainly feel the difference when riding.
It’s stuffed with nice touches as well, like the single radiator which is tucked well away from harm’s way, as is the expansion chamber of the exhaust pipe. The seven-litre fuel tank is well protected between the upper frame spars under the seat, which opens for refuelling like it always has. Thanks to the translucent polymer, the rider can see at a glance how much fuel is left, which is handy.
So what is the difference between the KTM 350 Freeride and the KTM 250R Freeride, besides the engine you ask? Well nothing really and the price of R76,999 is only a grand less than the 350 option. So why bother I hear you say? Let it be known that an engine can affect everything about a bike, how the bike feels or responds and even what you think of the bike.
The KTM Freeride 250R’s motor is based on the legionary KTM 250 EXC and has an electric starter button as well, handy when caught off balance half way up a cliff trying to catch sexy sheep. The 250 engine has a brand new cylinder with ports and timing adjusted for torque instead of outright horsepower. This fancy new motor has a surprisingly ‘lean’ oil fuel mixture of 80:1, resulting in almost none of the customary two- stroke smoke, which should keep veggie eaters and shrubbery savers happy, or maybe not?
In a nutshell or crankcase shell, the riding impression is quite different to the 350. The KTM 350 Freeride is a lot quieter, smoother and feels heavier. The two-stroke KTM Freeride 250R on the other hand has a two-stroke bark, is snappy, agile and punchy, way more racy than the four-stroke. To be honest I much preferred the 250 because it suits the Freeride concept more and because of that alone you’ll have more fun chasing goats around a rock face.
Bike available from www.radmoto.co.za, also visit www.ktm.com for more KTM products.
