KTM 250 EXC 6 days 2015 — Specifications

Six days. More than a thousand kilometers of rocks, mud, and forest. Forty hours in the saddle. The ISDE, the International Six Days Enduro, is the race that breaks men and machines in equal measure. And when you consider that half the field, every year, chooses to line up on an Austrian orange, the question barely needs asking.

The KTM 250 EXC 6 Days is not a machine you buy to look good in a garage. It is a tool built with a precise intention: to cross the finish line after six stages that most riders never complete. The single-cylinder 249 cc two-stroke develops 53 horsepower in a dry weight of 101.9 kg, placing the power-to-weight ratio in a category few competitors can claim. A Husqvarna TE 250 plays in the same league, but the Six Days version's competitive heritage gives it a level of factory preparation that others don't reach straight out of the box.

The chrome-molybdenum frame, rigid without being brutal, works in concert with the 48 mm inverted WP fork and its 300 mm of travel, paired with a rear monoshock absorbing 335 mm of stroke. On the South American terrain for which this 2015 edition was calibrated, that is no luxury. The six-speed gearbox manages the two-stroke's power range with surgical precision, even when conditions degrade everything else. The 260 mm front and 220 mm rear disc brakes prove adequate, without being spectacular. The 960 mm seat height naturally selects its audience: this is not a machine for shorter riders, nor for beginners looking for a relaxed first enduro.

The 9.5-liter tank demands rigorous fuel management on long stages, which is part of the game in competition. The asking price of €8,795 places the machine firmly at the top end for a 250 two-stroke, but the standard equipment largely justifies that premium. KTM delivers here a motorcycle that needs no transformation before being entered in a serious event, which represents a real saving for anyone who honestly weighs the preparation cost of a conventional enduro build.

What this motorcycle is not also deserves saying. It is not a trail tourer for weekend forest rides, nor a do-it-all machine destined for daily commuting. The KTM 250 EXC 6 Days is aimed at an experienced rider, capable of managing a demanding two-stroke over the long haul, and motivated by competition or an equivalent level of commitment. For that profile, it is difficult to find a better-prepared alternative at this price.