Super Fast, Super Strong Cool Bikes

MotoUSA got a chance to sample Austria’s latest and greatest lightweight 2-cycle weaponry; the KTM 125SX and 144SX at the fast and bumpy Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. Conditions at the 22-year-old AMA-spec track were hot and dry-ideal for those who are down for sweating out a gallon or two.

Thundering 4-stroke motocross bikes are everywhere these days. Just pause your iPod for a moment and you’ll hear the throaty thump that permeates the air at tracks and race starting grids throughout the country. So why then does KTM continue to tweak its 2-stroke machinery? For starters there is a certain segment of the market that still yearns for an affordable, feather-light, easy to maintain, race-ready motorcycle. Another draw is that these bikes are adaptable to a variety of different roles that reward lightweight machinery i.e., technical off-road and enduro racing. They also make a great choice for vertically challenged people and serve as a stepping stone that fills the gap between a smaller junior machine and a full-sized motocross bike. (more…)