This is traditionally KTM's best-selling model in the United States for good reason: The bike is totally race-ready right off the showroom floor and has a 30-day warranty. For '03, we even ran totally stock jetting. That may mean riders in colder climes will need to go richer, but for our dry spring weather, the 250 started easily and carbureted perfectly. The 250 E/XC ran suspension settings close to stock with 40mm of bike sag and two clicks in on the fork compression. For a 250cc two-stroke that makes a lot of power on top, the E/XC has major grunt from right off idle. The engine shows no tendency to stall and pulls cleanly all the way through the rpm range.
For trail and off-road use, the wide-ratio gearbox includes a granny first for when you mess up, but for most tight sections, second is the go-to gear with third for more open trails. With the wide spacing, the 250 generates a couple mph more than a Yamaha WR426F, so the five-speed is plenty flexible. The six-speed in the Gas Gas is even more flexible, of course.
After a steady diet of four-strokes, even these modern ones, the 250 felt very light and easy to throw around. The steering is good, though not super-quick, and the chassis feels good at speed. Some riders reported headshake, but the whole bike is rarely busy.
The stock spark arrestor/muffler easily passed the 96-decibel California sound test, too, but this KTM is considered a closed-course bike--like all two-strokes. Some riders had some seat issues and others felt they had to work at turning or felt too much of the trail, but overall, this two-stroke impressed every rider and Ohio woods-based Tom Carson picked the $6148 bike as his winner.
Every time I get on the 250 E/XC I think, "No wonder Mike Lafferty won all those enduro championships on this." The bike feels ultralight and the engine is both torquey and zappy, plus the bike is fully equipped with a great reliability record. It could use a seat to be truly magic, but it is a winner. Karel Kramer
I found this bike very fun to ride, and it has all the extras you expect of a KTM. The bike has very good low-end power. The bike's weight allows you to throw it around as you please, and when you need to get going, the power is there. There is a bit of headshake on rough ground. I could race it stock, yet it would help a novice ride better. Elmer Symons
The 250 E/XC was my favorite two-stroke in the group. The motor pulls hard on the bottom and feels nice and meaty in the middle and fast on top. It was very easy to ride in the tight stuff, and I experienced no problems with stability in fast chop. Good bar, nice clutch and a very light feeling overall. Tom Carson
The one bike I had trouble excluding from my top five was the KTM 250 E/XC. This bike is a great motorcycle that is very easy to ride, quiet and fun. Jason Webb
The power is surprisingly potent yet usable. The turning is crisp with good trail manners. The suspension felt stiff enough to motocross with, though. Plus the seat felt as if it had cement for foam padding--ouch. Ed Tripp
What's Hot!
* Very light feel for a fully equipped enduro mount.
* Engine is torquey but zesty and potent on top.
* Sound is modest, but power output is impressive.
* The chassis is very slim, and the stand is tucked away.
* Suspension soaks up off-road terrain well.
What's Not!
* Seat is hard.
* Suspension needs break-in and careful setup.
* Considered a closed-course machine.
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The 250 has decent bottom-end, but it comes to life when revved. I liked the way it was smooth, so going over rocks with faces on them was really easy. The suspension seemed too soft and this KTM did not turn very easily, but the 250 E/XC still placed third with me. Kris Keefer
The riding position is very roomy and natural, but if you're a sit-down rider, you'll get seat rash. Handling in the woods was right on. The engine department wasn't lacking anywhere. Fit, finish and hardware are top-notch, but the seat and suspension harshness hurt it as a package. Tom Burgess