2024 KTM 250 SX-F First Ride Review

Having tested the 250 SX-F since 2018, I’ve been able to see and experience the development of KTM’s 250cc four-stroke motocross bike platform for a couple model generations. The Austrian manufacturer certainly sets the bar when it comes to performance. All-new last year, we took the revised 2024 KTM 250 SX-F to Fox Raceway to get a feel for it on the busy main track, which made for great testing on the variety of dirt and slight elevation the course offers. It was a great day of riding. Here’s a breakdown of how the orange machine performed.

KTM has given the 250 SX-F taller gearing than its Japanese competitors since 2017, which amplifies the fact that its power shines high in the rpm range. This year is no different as the meat of the power is still on the top-end. However, the low-end is not at all on the weaker side. It’s rather strong and makes it easy to put the power to the ground or light up the rear wheel when blasting through fluffy corners.

Over the years, I’ve always preferred map 2 (green light illuminated on the 2023 and 2024 models), which is the aggressive setting that broadens the powerband entirely. The standard map 1 (white light illuminated on the 2023 and 2024 models) tames overall hit and is nice to have for tracks with slippery conditions such as Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, where throttle control is more crucial. Still, I prefer to have as much power as possible on a 250F because it’s much easier to manage than a big 450cc machine.

Fox Raceway has some light and loamy dirt on the western side of the main track and more of a hard base with decomposed granite toward the eastern side. I started utilizing traction control (TC) near the end of the day, specifically for the harder-packed areas as I felt some wheelspin when hard on the throttle. Enabling TC pretty much eliminated wheelspin and allowed me to accelerate how I wanted while keeping the rear wheel tracking nicely.

The Brembo hydraulic clutch has been a personal favorite since I began testing KTMs in 2018. In my opinion, the 250 SX-F and Husqvarna FC 250 have the best clutch actuation and shifting in the class. Clutch pull is noticeably lighter than some competitors, which I really like as I’m a fan of anything that minimizes arm-pump. Consistency of the clutch pull remains the same throughout the whole day.

We can’t forget about the quickshift (QS) mode either, which I really only use when I start to get arm-pump. Most riders can appreciate the QS mode for that. However, for newer dirt bikers, it might be harder for them to go back and forth from the setting when they’re still learning how to operate a manual clutch.

The 250 SX-F comes with an optional ventilated airbox cover that provides a bit of an improvement on initial hit from low-end to midrange. Although not a huge difference over the stock cover, it’s still the one I prefer to get as much air into the engine as possible. KTM has a very strong and competitive engine package in its 250 SX-F right off the showroom floor, and 250F riders looking to purchase a bike for racing shouldn’t overlook the capacities of this motorcycle—especially its powerplant.

WP has set the bar for what I look for in suspension since 2019. I can’t say how the performance of these components translates to supercross, but for stock suspension on outdoor motocross tracks, it’s really good. New motocross enthusiasts might find this suspension difficult to set up as it’s crucial to have the bike’s fork air pressure and sag dialed in according to what KTM recommends for both ends to work properly.

The 250 SX-F owner’s manual recommends 10.5 bar for air pressure in the fork. An important thing to note is that when setting it at the beginning of the day, it’s best to go 0.2 bar less than one’s desired setting as the fork air pressure will increase as it and the outside temperature warm up. This is something KTM technicians have always done for us on test days and something I didn’t know prior to their telling me, so if you have a bike with an air fork, take note. Information like this is listed in the owner’s manual, so this is also a great example of the importance of reading it and following what it says to a T!

With all that said, we set fork air pressure at 10.3 bar in the morning. Sure enough, at the end of the day, fork air pressure went up from 10.3 bar to 10.5 bar. Keep in mind that every 0.1 bar is close to around 1.5 psi. When talking suspension, a 3.0 psi change in fork pressure drastically changes the characteristics of the component. So if you’re riding a dirt bike that has an air fork, be sure to check it at the beginning of the day, at least! With sag set at 104mm, the suspension was at a baseline and testing could begin.

After putting in the time to properly dial in fork air pressure and shock sag, I was able to enjoy the 250 SX-F’s suspension all day. As a test rider, it’s not always common to say something is good right out of the box, but I will here. Throughout the entire day, the stock settings on the WP Xact 48mm closed-cartridge air fork and WP Xact shock worked perfectly for me. In all areas of the track, the suspension worked very well and kept the bike straight through all types of conditions. There was a plush feel I love for choppy sections and ruts, yet still plenty of bottoming resistance on hard landings. The bike seemed to work exactly for my style of riding. I never had any negative feedback or odd sensations from either the front or rear end.

Just to experiment, I went softer on fork compression damping to see if it would make a difference in slicker sections, and it actually caused me to get too much front end traction. After going back to the stock setting, it felt perfect again. I cannot stress this enough: It’s rare for me not to make and stay with at least some adjustments to compression and rebound damping on a bike; they usually require it as I am a lighter rider at 140 pounds. What that means is WP has really worked on getting its stock setting just right for 250F motocross bike riders. So as long as you set up the 250 SX-F’s suspension correctly with fork air pressure and shock sag, you should be pretty comfortable right off the bat. Any changes needed after that are probably going to be very minimal and catering specifically to a rider’s style and skill level.

After six years of testing bikes from Austria, I’ve acquired a feel for the steel frame. Most people have likely read or heard about the flex characteristics of them, which is very true, but what does that feel like? For me, it’s how the bike is planted to the ground differently than what you typically feel on aluminum-framed Japanese machines. What I mean by that is the steel frame keeps those wheels planted on the ground in a way unlike other brands. Even under acceleration, the KTM is very good at not breaking traction, but it can still happen, as is the case with any dirt bike.

The steel frame’s flex characteristics translate to other areas of the track such as when jumping. Younger riders who are throwing bikes around in the air like bicycles are really going to jive with this chassis. Even though the KTM isn’t one of the lightest bikes in the class anymore as of last year (just a few pounds heavier than some, but still less than others), throwing whips and scrubbing jumps isn’t taxing on energy due to its easy maneuverability.

Cornering ability of the 250 SX-F is no joke. On our test day, I was carving corners at Fox Raceway very aggressively and able to put this machine anywhere I needed with ease. When I started getting a little wild through rollers, the bike would correct itself with acceleration and firm body posture. This is a bike you feel connected with when it’s set up to your needs. Some sections at Fox Raceway have long straightaways with ruts along the whole track. Even coming at the ruts not lined up perfectly, you can feel the 250 SX-F correct itself. It’s well balanced and is neither front or rear heavy, and that makes it comfortable in all areas of track riding.

Another impressive aspect of the KTM is its Brembo braking system, which offers great stopping power without feeling too touchy. The seat, I might add, is one of the most comfortable I’ve ridden with. After spinning laps almost the whole day, I didn’t feel beat up in my lower back, as some bikes with firm seats can cause. A slim design is yet another key thing one can appreciate about this model. The middle part of the bike (near where the footpegs are) feels very narrow and helps one stay locked into the cockpit nicely. It also contributes to making the bike feel very nimble and maneuverable.

Similar to what we saw last year, the 250 SX-F certainly has a very aggressive appearance. Along with being cosmetically pleasing, the 2023–2024 KTM motocross bikes appear to be very aerodynamic, which is certainly appropriate because the 250 SX-F is made for those who want to go fast.

To sum it up, I’m always excited when I get to swing a leg over a KTM because I know how capable the bikes are at any track in all types of conditions. It’s hard for me to see anywhere the 250 SX-F can really be improved aside from maybe some more low-end grunt, but that doesn’t make me overlook how great this machine is in stock trim. KTM strives to be the leader in performance, and it caters to competition-focused riders more so than weekend warriors. Still, anyone can have an excellent experience riding orange.