vast majority of off-road enthusiasts are looking for increasingly competitive, light, powerful and sophisticated models. However, other users are willing to give up sporty qualities in favour of versatility and comfort.
This segment, which we know as Trial – Excursion, has evolved in a heterogeneous way over the years. Many will remember the first Beta ALPs , which were derived directly from the TR34, or Scorpa’s popular Long Ride, which only added a tank with more range and seat to the sporty versions.
The limited offer in this segment has boosted Beta’s leadership through its ALP models -125cc, 200cc and 400cc-, with four-stroke engines and rather discreet performance, both mechanically and chassis. Under these same parameters, Gas Gas Randonné was also born, whose reception in the market has been quite poor.
In 2012 came technification. Finally, opting for a multi-purpose motorcycle is not synonymous with giving up good sports performance or top-of-the-line components. Ossa’s proposals with the Explorer 280-2T injection-fueled and the KTM Freeride -4T and 350cc-, open up the range of options and propose a new way of enjoying the mountains.
Our colleagues from the digital magazine Enduro Pro, available monthly for free to all Enduro lovers, have travelled to Marrakech to test the KTM Freeride 350 in depth. Its director, Jorge Torrecillas, also wanted to bring this model closer to all Trial lovers with this test.
Break the mold
Change the philosophy. The Freeride 350 has arrived, a bike that will break your mold and make you have a good time. Trial or enduro? It doesn’t matter, enjoy.
What do you really need to have fun in the field? Think. Today’s enduro bikes come as standard practically prepared for competition, with power and performance that are often beyond the possibilities of the average user.
Looking for answers to this question, the KTM development team got down to work to give life to a bike designed to enjoy enduro without pretensions, in an easy way and that would make it possible to overcome areas that with a “pure enduro” we would not dare to face.
To do this, a very light bike, extremely manoeuvrable and with a smooth engine that did not disappoint, was needed. This is how the Freeride 350 was born, a new concept of fun on two wheels, which is halfway between trial and enduro. In this way we find a vehicle that will satisfy all types of public, from those who want to have a first contact with off-road to those who have been an expert rider and who now prefer to take the sport more calmly without giving up excursions and enjoyment, without forgetting the weekend fan who does not intend to get to compete.
Trialer?
You don’t have to be a lynx to guess that part of the base of this bike is inspired by trial. Structurally it is a very narrow bike and with a configuration that encourages you to stand practically all the time (sitting is not so comfortable). The trial tyres – Dunlop D803 – and the suspension setting also set it apart from conventional enduro models. However, KTM did not want to give up the essence of its EXC models and provided it with a comfortable seat and dimensions that, although they are smaller than the usual ones in their range, do not reach the smallness of a trial bike. Of course, as we will see later, in good hands it can climb real walls.
Hybrid Chassis
The bike has its own personality and has been developed from the ground up. That is why the chassis is newly made by combining chrome-molybdenum steel with aluminium. Something new in the orange brand, little friend to date of this light metal. Likewise, they have also surprised with a robust plastic subframe that houses the electronic components and keeps them watertight. Its design is shared with the electric version that is already in its final phase of development and that we will presumably see in the middle of the year.
Innovative solutions
That’s why the seat lifts forward with a simple pressure system and underneath it we find the translucent fuel tank and the new air filter system. A protective plastic cartridge that is housed in a cylindrical cavity of the same tank. Changing or cleaning it is very simple. In the case of the electric model, this is where the battery will be located. In front of the seat there is a reserve warning light and an ignition light, a nice touch.
But it’s not the only novelty we find, the Freeride also surprises us with footpegs with two positions, which vary simply by turning their support 180º. One more forward and one rear, 8 mm that provides more traction and makes the position more trial-like.
In the case of the exhaust, we see that it runs under the engine and then becomes a double outlet with aluminum silencers. A good aesthetic solution and, like everything, in favor of lightness.
Sufficient Engine
After many tests with several of their engines, especially the 250 4T, KTM engineers saw that a strong engine was needed for this new model. That is why they chose the 350 EXC, which with slight modifications they managed to lighten 1.2 kg and improve its durability by not having to be so “tight”. The kickstarter was eliminated, a new clutch cover was incorporated, the titanium valves were replaced by steel and new ignition maps were applied to comfortably provide power close to 25 hp without exceeding 10,000 rpm. The 6 gears were retained but with a different gear ratio and an 11-tooth attack sprocket.
Feel free
For the test of the model we traveled to Morocco. KTM had prepared a very varied and beautiful tour at the foot of the Atlas where we could see the behavior of their new creation. By very different terrain and climatic conditions. And we were very pleasantly surprised.
On the Freeride you feel like a better rider, with a freedom of movement that was unknown until now. It may seem silly, but it’s not. You control the bike at all times, as it is like an extension of your body. If you adjust it to your liking (handlebars with four positions and footpegs with two) get ready to enjoy. It gives you confidence on twisty roads and on very complicated trails. What with a traditional enduro you knew was a fall or scare, for sure with the Freeride you overcome it without problems. The feel of the WP suspension is soft but effective and literally feels like bumps.
There is the option of lowering it up to 25 mm, for small people. Because it’s so light, you can move it from side to side without fatigue despite hours of hiking. The posture prevents your arms from being burdened and having a very smooth engine makes you ride much more relaxed. To really enjoy the bike you have to play with your body, as with the trial bike, flexing a lot. You will see how soon you flow with it, take advantage of the inertia and realize that you don’t need more to have a good time.
Surprised!
You have to understand the philosophy of the bike at all times. If you’re looking for a fast machine, you’re wrong. Its engine is “light” but does not disappoint. In first and second gear, it climbs where you don’t imagine and thanks to the brutal traction of its tires, it doesn’t matter what surface you go to always reach your destination; whether it’s a summit or the other side of the river. With a stroke of the clutch the bike takes off and in the hands of good trialists it can do real tricks. You can also play with the tyre pressure and, for example, lower it in case you face slippery stones.
The bike is frankly versatile and knowing its limits you will realize that yours disappear. You pick it up without problems, you turn with it where you had to manoeuvre before, if you get stuck – which is difficult – with little effort you reposition it and continue on your way.
Of course, on slightly fast tracks it penalises and exceeding 80 km/h puts it in a compromise. The ideal are trails, trails, stone paths… etc. It is advisable to purchase the mapping selector as it gives you three ignition options and you will be able to better adapt the bike to your riding style.
It is only possible to turn a small thread next to the handlebars.
The range reaches 100 km with a tank (5.5 liters) with normal driving, but if you demand it a little it will be around 70 km. The bike will be available at the end of April for a price of €6,999.
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Introduction: David Quer
Text and action: Jorge Torrecillas
Photos: Alessio Barbanti
The most
*Lightness
*Manageability
*Traction
The least
*Outburst
* Seated posture
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