KTM 150 XC-W Review | Who this bike IS for and who it's NOT for

I had a good time owning, riding, and reviewing the 2017 KTM 150 XC-W. Here are some of the main things that I cover in the video:

The Good

Electric Start
Top end on motor
Rewards you for pushing it hard
18 inch rear
Brakes
Clutch
Forks compression and rebound on top. No tools needed to adjust them.
Fuel tank large enough for longer rides
Header Pipe more tucked up and away than it’s big brothers
Kickstart. Good for those cold mornings.
Can do the Gnarly stuff too
Feels light, and is light - 226 lbs
Not too much power to get you into trouble
Good to practice rocks and logs
Great for pivot turns
1st gear good for really technical
Trip computer
PDS suspension in the rear leaves nothing to hook on logs
ODI grips easy to change
Headlight
Good battery

The Bad
Low end torque - Not much of it - helped with RK Tek Head
Have to shift a lot as compared to a 250 or 300 two stroke
Can get tiring trying to push the bike hard all the time
Harder to get the front tire over obstacles at speed
No skid plate stock
1st and 2nd gears too low for my liking. Makes shift to 3rd interesting since there is a large gap
Isn’t as forgiving in the gnarly stuff as a bigger bore bike

Who is it for?
Riders transitioning from smaller bikes
Riders transitioning from something like CRF 250X
Riders wanting a “play bike” to work on riding skills
Riders that want to ride “on the pipe” more often than not
Singletrack lovers

Who is this bike NOT for?
Someone who wants to be lazy and stay in one gear
Someone who wants to lug around
Desert Racers

Robert Van Huss, Nick Ptolemy, Brian Falcon, Max Messina, Kelly Roach, Bryson Stafford, Seth Green, Terence Seymour, Sean Williams, David Mariotti, Ryan Woodley, Jon Colson, Flo Motorsports, Nate Winget, Steven Brady, Travis Winston, Steve Yurko, Keith Snow, Chad Cooper, Jim Bass, Nathan Weber, Mitchell Forrest, Mark Fleischman, Dion Jaramillo, Ken Paulino, Paul Warner

[tbahry]

Even if you're an old guy, 125's and 150's can be a lot of fun. I'm 71 and love my 2001 yz125. Unlike the KTM, the tranny is a close ratio six speed so there are no power gaps. I put a 35mm keihin PWK on it and advanced the timing (really improves the low-to-midrange) and it will pull up the front end easily at low speeds, even at lower rpm's - but you do need to unweight the front like a trials bike. Bikes like this are great for older guys who still like to ride aggressively, but can't handle the heavier bike's stresses on their aging bodies.

[bigballhair]

For a 125 lb rider in the woods, it is the BOMB!

[dwightcrapson]

Excellent review! This guy started these reviews a while back without a lot of knowledge about dirt bikes but he has been riding a lot, he is intelligent and has learned quickly. He is honest and very thorough, and has reached the point where experienced riders like myself who are interested in a particular bike, like I am in the 150xcw, can get a very good idea of what the bike is like. We cannot typically test new dirt bikes very well before we buy them so reviews like this are very important and valuable. After learning from his experience here I decided to stay with my 300xcw for now. He may have helped me avoid an expensive mistake. Well done sir, carry on.

[maxpower]

Dropping the 200 from the lineup is the silliest thing they have ever done. That's the best two stroke motor I've ever ridden with

[RobsNeighbor]

I am 44 and have ridden this bike. Its a blast. Going to keep working my face off 😊 great review!

[gartht.]

Great Review! I have owned a Husqvarna TE150 for one season I race hare scrambles around New England and trail ride with buddies. I have had many different bikes over the years XR600, TE510, KDX200, KLX650, KTM 250 XC-W and so on. I am around 5'7 155lbs and it fits me really well. If I tip over I can pick it up quick and get on my way with so much less of a struggle it feels light and it leaves me with more energy. You can't be afraid to get on the pipe and work the clutch, when you start to kicks it ass the bike really starts to come into it's own but you have to work it. I had a 2015 250 KTM XC-W, I was faster on it for sure but I also got into a lot more trouble because I would get lazy with my technique. This bike doesn't fatigue you with horsepower, to whiskey throttle or loop out means you are really on it. All in all it is a blast to ride and 150 can compete against a 300 depending on the type of terrain (obviously not in a flat out drag race). This bike out of the box does about 60-65mph a TE300 does right around 90. If you plan on tractoring around you won't have the grunt with this bike but if you're smooth pick good lines and keep up your momentum and balance it is easy to navigate through the most technical trails. I totally agree with Ernie who commented below about his KTM150 XC-W.

[gentlenudge]

Great and spot on review Kyle. After a 15 year break from riding i was on the fence going straight into a 250 XCW, so I got this bike the week it shipped, and quickly earned the nickname Twitch among to all my 250/300 buddies because off all the gear switching and throttling. But for a rider at 5’10” and 155 lbs who likes to push it i couldn’t ask for a more playful and nimble full size ride ... I will say that even though you point out its more work to ride, after a 80-100 mile ride the bikes low weight makes up for the energy loss of the extra work. FYI: For Low end i went to a 53 rear sprocket, and jetted the carb with the largest possible, but going to take your advice and go for the RK-Tech Insert next. Tx for the detailed review. RideOn!

[JuanGonzalez-gdnz]

I am 57 and love this bike is so much lighter than my old 450.

[marklevert]

I have been riding for 40 years.
At close to 60 I just needed a competent woods bike that was flickable with decent suspension and power. The 150 covers things off well for me. I have had a few years on a husky 125, this 150 is very easy to keep in the powerband. Surprisingly it hauls my 200lbs up hills that I used to have problems with, the electric start is golden!
I just completed a two day trail ride in northern Ontario, the bike was excellent .
It is a 150 so its not going to excel at sandy uphills, but I was surprised at the steep rocky hills this thing slithers up. For me, it has enough power to keep me smiling and not get hurt.

[briansantefort]

One thing about the 2017 KTM150 XC-W is putting a set of Supermoto wheels on it and taking it too the go kart track. Absolute blast!

[richardwatts]

Good review. I have a 2018 KTM 150 XC-W, and have put over 1000 miles on it already here in West Virginia at Campbells Creek. I've had 300s, 250s, and 200s, and wouldn't go back to any of them. This is by far the best bike I've ever ridden. I can do everything on this bike that I could on any other bike, and feel that it's better in almost every situation.Our terrain is extreme singletrack  and very steep hill climbs. The elevation is only about 1000 to 1500 feet though. I'll be testing it at higher elevations in Colorado in July. I'm only about 155 lbs., but am a very experienced rider. I honestly think it's a great bike for everyone from relative beginners to people with years of experience. It's just amazingly fun.I thought the one place it might lack would be the hill climbs, but that has turned out not to be the case. If you turn the throttle enough it screams up hills. I've actually scared myself a couple times.

[danpage]

Loving mine always raced 125 motocross. Not ridden for 15 plus years got into enduro bought one these!! Amazing in the technical wood areas! Like he says just got to be ready on the clutch! But hey it’s a small cc two stroke! What’s new!!! Trust it’s plenty fast enough once there’s an open section!!

[maxpower]

I'm a 53 vet A rider and that bike is for me!

[chazman]

The older I get the more I appreciate the 150 and 200 full size bikes. I would race a 200 in a heart beat. It is all what works for you.

[thedirtbikegirl]

This has been the perfect bike for me. I’m 5’2” woman who is 120 pounds. I wanted a full size bike that was light!!! I love this bike!

[txc]

He left out the older-riders who do not want a bigger, heavier, bike any more, might want this bike. The e-start fits right into this realm of rider also. Plus, it is a 150, what do you expect on the power side? If shifting gears is too much for you, you might wanna check-yourself. Maybe even change your pastime to something less demanding?

[lyokss]

Great review as always! I think it would be cool if you did a used budget bike build for us who can't afford a shiny new dirt bike. Review it before hand, set it up for trail riding and then do an after build review.

[rhinoarmor]

I completely agree that it’s a mistake to get rid of the kickstart. Back when I had my 2009 crf230, I was in the muddiest swamplike place ever and I stalled the bike. It turned out my battery died during the ride. I had to physically move it through deep ass mud and bump start it. A kickstarter would have been a life saver

[cosamuel]

I'm a 2012 200 XC owner who rides New England woods. This review sounded exactly like he was reviewing my bike. FWIW this is my first real "dirt bike". I'm a street rider who was new to the woods. The 200 catapulted my skill-set. Everyone I ride with has said so. Learning to ride the 200 in the woods has done wonders for my street, road-race and super-moto riding as well.

I was really interested to hear Kyle praise the hydro clutch. I adore the hydro clutch (with MME lever) especially on this machine as it makes the clutch so effortless and predictable.

My '12 has no battery and is kick-only. I just spent a week in West Virginia riding the Hatfield system. Normally I say these bikes kick so easily e-start isn't required. But when you made a mistake and flamed out at the bottom of a 2' deep rut.. well, I get it. I wasted a lot of my own energy kicking that lever. Energy the rest of my group didn't.

[Bryankimsey]

This video helped me make the decision to buy an '18 NOS 150 XC-W. Raced it in 2 enduros (2-days each) and then sent the suspension off to Kreft, also thanks to your videos. Oh... I'm 57 years old, too. Not old, though. ;)