KTM 350 EXC-F 6 days 2016 — Specifications

Imagine the situation: you're standing in front of two bikes, a 250 that lacks punch on fast liaisons and a 450 that tears your arms off the moment the terrain turns muddy and technical. That's precisely the no man's land the 350 EXC-F Six Days seeks to occupy, with a conviction that commands respect. With its 349.7 cc and 45 horsepower on the scales, this four-stroke single doesn't play in the same league as a raw 450, but it has none of the tame temperament of a 250. At 107.2 kg dry and with a seat height of 970 mm, the target profile is clearly that of the experienced competitive rider — neither a beginner nor a motocross monster, but rather the extreme enduro specialist who knows his limits and wants to push them.

The engine is at the heart of the proposition. The twin-cam cylinder head houses four titanium valves, with DLC-coated rocker arms weighing just 8 grams each. This detail matters: the lighter the moving parts, the more freely the revs climb, and the single can spin up to 12,000 rpm without complaint. The crankshaft, deliberately heavier than that of the motocross SX-F, plays on rotational mass to smooth the power curve and improve traction in the mud. It's an engineering choice that's felt in practice: tractability takes priority over raw performance. The Keihin injection with its 42 mm throttle body responds crisply, and the ability to modify fuel maps via a tuning tool connected to a laptop places this machine in a very serious category for competitors who take their preparation seriously.

The Six Days edition doesn't settle for merely adding a badge. The package includes the 48 mm WP upside-down fork with 4CS technology, whose closed four-chamber cartridge improves responsiveness while simplifying oil changes. The CNC-machined anodized orange fork clamps work the steering column flex to maintain precise feedback even on the most broken-up sections. At the rear, the PDS shock linked directly to the cast aluminum swingarm manages 335 mm of travel with separate high- and low-speed adjustments in both compression and rebound. This is competition-level suspension accessible without specialist tools — something that wasn't a given just a few years ago on production machines.

The Brembo braking system, with a 260 mm floating disc up front and a solid, non-perforated 220 mm disc at the rear, meets the thermal demands of a Six Days. The solid rear disc limits pad overheating over back-to-back long days, something riders competing in timed special tests genuinely appreciate. The Metzeler tires developed jointly with KTM, mounted on Giant 7050-alloy wheels with machined hubs, complete a coherent and high-quality rolling package. The Supersprox bi-metal rear sprocket, with its aluminum carrier and steel teeth, targets longevity where single-material sprockets show their limits.

At €10,055, this 2016 350 EXC-F Six Days sits above a standard EXC, and the premium is justified point by point. The 9-liter tank remains a limiting factor on long liaisons, but it fits the logic of a machine built for competition, not touring. Its audience is club-level enduro riders competing in national events who want a road-legal machine equipped with the components of a serious build. Up against a Husqvarna FE 350 or a Beta RR 350, the KTM plays the card of the complete package and proven reliability in international competition — an argument few manufacturers can make with as many titles behind them.