TEST: KTM Factory Racing
Two world titles, both in the MXGP class and in the MX2 class, can KTM wish for more? Pauls Jonass has had a strong and regular season and apparently celebrated this well during the last French Grand Prix in Villars Sous Escot. Antonio Cairoli, on the other hand, was able to celebrate his title during the Grand Prix of the Netherlands on the modern circuit in Assen. Yet there were also good celebrations in Villars Sous Escot. But at the end of the season most of the attention went to a superior Jeffrey Herlings who, as everyone knows, also rides a KTM. What makes these KTMs so good? Is it the drivers? The engines? The entourage? Some journalists were given the opportunity to get acquainted with the entourage and the motorcycles.
The choice for the sandy Veldhoven circuit was certainly not a bad choice taking into account the rainfall in recent weeks. It also became clear that the KTMs perform extremely well in the sand, the podium of the MXGP class in Lommel this year turned completely orange. Although I would have preferred a hard surface with a radiant Italian sun, a circuit like Veldhoven is and remains extremely beautiful.
Cairoli is just like an everyday rider!
I started with Cairoli's bike and my expectations were high. The engine of the 9-time world champion had to be top notch. And whether it was a winner! It was the first KTM test for me, so the bikes felt a bit strange, but the comparison with a Husqvarna was quickly made. The frame and handling are virtually identical to the Husqvarna. A few weeks ago we tested the new Husqvarna on the same track, so it wasn't that difficult to make that comparison. In terms of engine, nothing compares. I have to be honest, the new Husqvarnas didn't fare too badly, but the Factory KTM bikes are from a different dimension. When you think you have a good engine that responds perfectly to every pit on every circuit, in other words an ideal balance between torque, top power and suspension. Then I'm sure you've never ridden Cairoli's motorcycle. Even in my wildest dreams I have never ridden a motorcycle like this. The power is perfectly controllable and the suspension feels so stable, even though the front suspension was not fully adjusted to my driving style. As everyone knows, Antonio rides with a driving style in which his body's center of gravity is mainly at the back of the motorcycle. For me this is a little more forward, so I sometimes put too much weight on the front suspension. This caused the front wheel to sometimes 'search' in the sand, giving me a less stable feeling in some places on the circuit. Summarizing all these points, the engine is quiet and not pushed to the limit. I can safely say that the bike is not aggressive, which is what I expected from a world champion. Let us say that the Cairoli engine is an ideal engine for both the everyday amateur and for the top athletes in the sport.
During factory testing, as a test rider you often learn something about the sport or the rider. Since I am young, I still have a lot to learn about tuning the engine. That's why I've listed the following tips for you that I learned from this test:
- Use the clutch as little as possible
- Ride on the torque of the engine
- Being able to maintain a calm driving style on a motorcycle is important
Herlings “the Bullit” or should we say “the Bull Rider”?
After some journalists got off Herlings' motorcycle with pale and surprised faces, it was finally my turn. From the interview the day before, I had already gathered that Jeffrey only really started changing the engine in the middle of the season. So I was curious how exactly he had changed his engine. After a few laps I already realized, YOUNG VIOLENCE! The bike responded extremely quickly, very aggressive but so stable. You immediately feel the difference between Cairoli's engine and Herlings'. You can only notice a difference by listening on the sidelines. Even though both drivers have the same exhaust, Herlings' engine is increasingly revved as it responds best at high revs. Even if you don't know much about motocross, you can immediately recognize the Bullit's engine by the MX2 character it still has.
Could you then say that Herlings is more likely to ride a motorcycle that resembles the 350? No not at all! Jeffrey's engine is definitely a 450 and handles like a 450, but since it responds best at high rpm just like a 250, it is difficult to put a real 450 pilot on this engine. Although it will probably be an adjustment for every rider on a new motorcycle, it is one of the biggest adjustments on Herlings' motorcycle. The handlebars are fairly straight and the levers are quite low, but according to Joël Smets this is suitable for Jeffrey. Since the Bullit is not the smallest and must ensure that shoulder, elbow, wrist and levers are in one line while riding to avoid arm pump, the levers must be set so low.
Tips:
- The switch from a 250 to a 450 does not always go smoothly.
- Take enough time to fully tune your engine.
- Adjust your engine according to your own preference and not according to someone else's.
Did Paul's Jonass drink too much whisky?
We know one thing for sure, Pauls Jonass celebrated his world title like no other. An engine block, some tires, bottles of spirits, ... everything had to be taken care of. That made me wonder if he didn't change his steering wheel during that wild night. Completely against Joël Smets' law, Jonass' levers were pointed upwards and the handlebars were pointed downwards. This means that you had to adopt a very different driving style on Jonass' motorcycle. Apart from the strange setting of the handlebars, this bike easily handled the tough conditions we were presented with. The torque exiting corners felt great. I don't know how they can make the 250 engines so strong and fast, but it feels like you're driving a 300. I also couldn't criticize the suspension very much, Pauls' 73 kilograms corresponds well with my weight and that is clearly noticeable when the circuit becomes heavier. When the suspension is not used at full speed, it does not behave as you expect. But you have probably already noticed that with your own suspension. Again the same thing comes up as with Jeffrey's motorcycle, the longer you ride the motorcycle, the better you can drive it.
Tips:
- Adjust your engine according to your own preference and not according to someone else's.
- The factory 250 engines are extremely strong and the difference with a standard engine is immense.
- The cost of this engine is around €60.000, unaffordable for the ordinary person!
The little Spanish hero!
Small but brave was the first thing that came to mind while riding the Prado motorcycle. It is a fact that he has talent, after winning several Grand Prix and some wonderful podium results this year you can say that Jorge has had a good season. His engine appeared to be very strong in every race and Prado was usually well away at the start. This confirms the feeling I had while driving. The Prado's engine handled the best compared to the other KTMs we were able to ride during the test. Although the suspension was less well adjusted to my weight, I did not have the feeling that I was going to be thrown off the bike at any moment. A disadvantage I experienced with each engine is the instability of the engine. This has been improved thanks to the good suspension, but if you compare it with a Japanese motorcycle you will feel a clear difference. In general I can say that the Husqvarna and KTM stand out in terms of top power and torque, and in terms of frame and rideability the Japanese brands stand out. Looking ahead to next year we can say that Jorge will stay on the KTM and he will be a big contender for the world title. This is certainly possible with the engine he now has, the differences between the Prado and Jonass engines are minimal, except for the setting of the steering wheel and levers. Provided a good winter, I can certainly see Jorge riding to a top 3 place in the final rankings of the world championship next year.
Tips:
- Make a decision, do you want top power or ease of driving?
- The factory 250 engines are extremely strong and the difference with a standard engine is immense.
- In terms of engine block, there is little difference between Prado and Jonass.
Decision
Are you guaranteed to become world champion with one of these motorcycles? No, while riding you feel that the engine has a lot to offer and does not handle like the standard engine, but this will not make the difference between an amateur and a world champion. Can it turn second place into first place? Yes, this is possible, it is those few percentages that Cairoli has more than a Concalvez or a Guillod. Don't get me wrong, this does not mean that Concalvez will immediately become world champion with a Factory KTM. He will get a better result if everything is right for him.
Text: YD
Photo: Ray Archer
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