KTM 350 XCF Follow up Review - Gearing maps 1 2 and TC

We now have over 12 hours on our the 2019 KTM 350XCF and think its amazing. The only thing really left to do is ride this in some gnarly single track vs our favorite 300XC to see how they really compare.

[mudpro]

Thanks for all that you do for us in the Moto world. Most of us do not have time or money to test or ride different bikes. I would like to give a gearing option for older, bigger guys 225 lb. plus that might help on the 350 xc. I'm in 50 plus B class rider and found that going to a 13 tooth front help me for Moto and Hare scramble. I rode the Kenda Full Throttle series and this gearing allowed me to stay in 3rd gear a lot more. I feel with 6 gears you can gear down for single track to help out with flame outs and a Rekluse clutch to boot. Front sprockets are cheap, so some of you bigger guys might want to try it and see if it works for you.

[jmeezy]

if its flaming out than the gearing isnt where you need it. I have a 12t on the front and flame outs disappeared. 1st becomes tractor gear and 2nd becomes the most useful gear of any bike ive ridden in technical trails.

[ClarkWells]

Owned the 250xcf for 2 years... Amazing bike for trails, but my complaint was the gear ratios. I found them great on the trail, but difficult to find the right gear on the track. Lastly, your right about the suspension ... it’s too soft for track, great for trails. I ended up selling this and moving over to the SX version which I enjoy more.

[leep]

Thanks Jay. Looking forward to some single track!

[Superdisco]

Thanks for the gear ratio's. I was googling them. A typical japanese enduro has a top gear 2.8-ish times higher than it's first and their MX bikes (as does the sxf) has a top gear 2.0 x as high as it's 1st. The 350XCF is sitting a little closer to the enduro side @ 2.6. The 350xcfw is 2.9ish and the 450/500xcfw is 3.2.

[TheCarlejoseph]

Great review! Looks like a great all around bike.

[tonychambers]

Your right about the map button got one on mine don't seem to do anything apart from change colour

[hunterlurz]

I've noticed with my 19 350 that when i use TC the bike is less responsive off the bottom

[thanedavis]

Oh. So Traction Control is not measuring rear wheel slip. It is just another de-tuned map setting.

[alveyhighway]

"If you've got an extra 10 grand laying around..." but Jay this is the ultimate question..? If you were a veteran riding.. 60 years old in not the best shape 6'4 tall 265 lbs raced 500cc class years ago so I like the crazy 500 power hill climbed the craziest hills in utah on the weekends.. but invented swing arm city Caineville .. but I got out of riding when my nephew died on a dirt bike (my riding buddy) and I quit riding now for 15 years... but I'm getting back into it. Borrowed a Honda 450L from the honda shop and wasn't all that impressed.. my last bike was a 96 xr600 that I'd rather ride all day vs that 450L.. what bike should I look into ??
Asking for a friend ... My dad .. I'd like to find him a bike so he'll get back into riding i love riding and have been riding my whole life. Got my first bike when i was 6 then my cousin died in Caineville and my dad quit riding.. i kept riding and I'd like to get him a bike that would get him riding again and maybe we could come closer as a father son.
Help Jay.. thanks

[tmlpony]

Great review, very helpful, , so Jay, your saying by turning up the Idle, will get rid of the Flameouts?? i had a 2017 and it was terrible with flameouts, sold it it rightaway.

[scottgaskill]

Hey Jay, does a rekluse clutch up the game on the 350 and bring it a little closer to the 300 on the trail?

[mxbadboy]

Had a 350. It both sucked and was awesome. In the end I would never buy another one.

[kenharris]

The chassis good on that bike but the motor still a 4-stroke you may as well just go out and buy a 250 SX and don't detune it to feel like a horse drunk just have some balls and write it as is!

[kenharris]

Iwas 4-stroke only believer before I rode on a 2-stroke but after riding a 2-stroke 4-stroke are expensive pieces of shit pjthey desperately trying to replace the 2-stroke even the exhaust on that thing looks like a two stroke!