2020 KTM 250 XC-W TPI

The KTM 250 XC-W TPI was one of two of the Austrian manufacturer’s first production versions of its fuel-injected two-stroke enduro bike; the other being its larger-displacement sibling, the 300 XC-W TPI. The 250 XC-W TPI first hit the United States and European market in 2018, while the 300 XC-W TPI was only available in Europe in 2018 and did not come stateside until 2019. With its 249cc displacement engine featuring Transfer Port Injection (TPI), the 250 XC-W TPI is an ideal choice for an enduro rider who wants a two-stroke that doesn’t have quite as much torque as a 300, and doesn’t want to premix fuel.

When KTM calls asking if you want to test its new fuel-injected two-stroke enduro bike at Erzberg, the site of the world-renowned Erzberg Rodeo extreme enduro race, you grab your gear bag and hop on the next flight to Austria. That is exactly what we did in 2018, chock-full of curiosity about how the TPI engine would perform. During our day of riding at the mine, one of the aspects we observed about the 250 XC-W TPI was its ability to run at an unusually low rpm, which made navigating tight switchback turns easy.

If you like most aspects about the KTM 250 XC-W TPI, but would prefer a bike with suspension linkage, the Husqvarna TE 250i may be the perfect option. Additional competition for the 250 XC-W TPI would include the TM EN 250 Fi ES 2T, Beta 250 RR, Sherco 250 SE-R, and Yamaha YZ250X. At $9,799, the 250 XC-W TPI is $100 more than the TE 250i, $4 more than the EN 250 Fi ES, $1,000 more than the 250 RR, $600 more than the 250 SE-R, and $2,200 more than the YZ250X.

KTM’s 250cc fuel-injected two-stroke enduro model enjoys a host of changes for 2020, the most prominent of which include a stiffer frame, new bodywork, updated suspension settings, a new airbox, revised mapping, and a new six-speed transmission made by Pankl.