Pala raceway in southern California has become a premier place to have industry events. From the first AFMXA events to Tagger Designs Ride Day to the up coming motocross national that will be held at this facility. Bike manufacturers like KTM are no dummies when it comes to marketing and showing off the new 2011 line of off road motocross machines. Although I wish that the riding had taken place on the main track rather than the small vet track at Pala so we could hold those throttles wide open and really see what those Ktooms could do. Now for the bikes…It is a real test of a product to be able to Run motors continuously from 9:00AM until 3:00PM in the hot So-Cal weather on that little vet track at Pala! Riders of all caliber were pounding on the machines. From fast guys ripping around on the stock suspension putting the bikes to their limits, to people that simply shouldn’t ride a motocross bike and were attempting to do so pounding bikes into the ground with continuous crashes, these bikes were immediately  fixed by the KTM mechanics and set back out on the track…
After waiting in line for about an hour, The first bike I rode was the infamous 2011 KTM 350 sxf. With all the hype I have heard about this bike and being a previous owner of the KTM 450, I was exited to see what this thing had to offer. When I got out on the track I found that the bike just had no hit. I like a bike that has somewhat of a power hit from mid to top end, and there simply was no hit. To me the KTM 350 just felt like a 250f that was just a little faster. Some people might be looking for something like this, but I expect a harder hit from the motor when there is an extra 100cc’s involved. The 2011 KTM 350sxf would be a sweet bike if the motor was modified further. Simply put, the 350 needs to be faster.
Next up i rode the 2 stroke 250 and my second favorite bike of the day! This bike was so fun and most other testers agreed it was one of the funnest bikes they can remember riding. Bottom end torque that seamed to hook up and grip earlier than my YZ 250 and it still revved on the top end. I was really impressed by this bike as it felt a lot like my YZ but just a different engine power and sound. 2 stroke motorcycles have come along way and still have plenty of room to improve, they are not going anywhere.
Next i rode the new 250sxf. A very light bike that is a very good bike for beginners, young racers, and some people that like the lightness of a 250f. I am 25 years old and weigh in at 165 lbs. So this bike just feels underpowered for me, but still a fun bike, and I would recommend for someone that just wants something light to throw around.
The final bike I rode after sitting around in lines all day was the 2011 KTM 450SXf. This bike is has the power that I was looking for. I really liked the light steering and the way this thing turned. I owned a 2008 KTM 450 and the only thing I didn’t like about it was the 4 speed tranny. The 2011 seemed to have lots of usable power and handled very well. The 450 was my #1 pick of all the KTM’s I rode.
1st pick: 450sxf
2nd pick: 250sx
3rd pick: 350sxf
4th pick: 150sx
5th pick: 250sxf
