2015 KTM 350 XCF-W

Introduction

• The 350cc four-stroke engine is the ideal size for so many riders.
• Light weight feel with decent power.
• KTM brings the Ready To Race package.

Worldwide KTM sells more of the 350cc dirt bike motors than any of its other four-stroke sizes. And there is a reason for that. It is a very ideal engine displacement to make the right amount of power.

Mid-sized and not really conforming to any racing rules, the Austrian company has proven the people will respond despite what the regulations are. They have been doing this for years, altering displacements, bores and strokes based on the latest technologies and materials as well as engine designs to make that elusive “one-size” motorcycle that mixes power and light weight to their most ideal potential.

The XCF-W is the single-track trail race bike version of the 350cc displacement, with a chassis package designed to work at the highest levels of enduro racing and perform just as well at trail riding.

"Worldwide KTM sells more of the 350cc dirt bike motors than any of its other four-stroke sizes."

Changes

• New Orange frame is the big change for 2015. And Black rims.
• Cooling fan is a welcome addition.

For 2015 the biggest change is to the looks of the bike. Taking from the factory race team bikes, the orange frame really brightens up the look. Matching white plastic highlights and the black wheels make even last year’s machine look dated. Hard changes include a MAE digital speedometer, a new black anodized Neken handlebar, Dunlop GEOMAX AT81 tires, two-piece hand guards with new material, softer compound grips, Giant black colored rims and a automatic cooling fan on the radiator.

"For 2015 the biggest change is to the looks of the bike."

Power

• Super smooth power and plenty of it.
• Revs so high, shifting sometimes seems pointless.
• FI mapping is perfection in everything but starting.
• Some riders would like a more aggressive delivery, typically motocross riders.

Talking about a 350cc engine is very easy and at the same time very difficult. Its advantages are in being so good at delivering torque while still revving up to high RPM, high power, and staying light-feeling in doing it. Its middle size is doing just that, sitting in the middle of the more familiar 250cc and 450cc sizes. Compared to the 250cc the 350cc is heavier feeling yet way more powerful, especially in the torque department of the lower RPMs. Sure, a 450cc will outshine the 350cc in similar ways, but it also feels heavier and less willing to rev. It is what you’d expect, yet it almost has to be ridden to really understand why an engine designed to be a 350cc (not a big bore of a smaller 250cc) makes sense.

The XCF-W is a less aggressive setup than the SX or XC KTMs and it is intended to be smoother and more linear in its power delivery. And this engine is just that. It is also an emission compliant bike (CA Green Sticker legal) which means it runs in a lean state, especially at low RPM and in off-throttle situations. This seems to hinder starting just a bit, so the bike likes to spin a few rotations before coming to life and in cold conditions likes the choke to get that first cranking.

The starter, beefed up in 2014, spins the engine easily as soon as the decompression device kicks in, which sometimes takes a second push on the button. Much easier than kicking, and we never had to use the back-up kick-starter except to test that it will start the bike, old school, if you will. And then it takes a good boot but most will never need to do that.

Once running, the KTM's FI mapping is spot-on and crisp all the time. In fact, for a compliant bike it is amazing as it never falters, even in its lean and clean condition. Fuel injection has revolutionized what can be done to throttle response and performance, and the EPA compliant bikes are the ones that benefit the most because with carbs they were the ones that suffered the most.

Power builds from a very low RPM with such a linear pull to the top-top end of the spread at near 12,000 RPM that it can feel very bland. That is a great thing and a backhanded compliment of the highest order. It is the kind of power that puts ponies to the ground, gets traction and propels the bike forward fast, without feeling fast at all. Off idle torque is so exceptional. Yet a lot of riders did not trust that the FI and additional flywheel and crank mass could keep the 350cc spinning and chugging along, since experience with a 250cc dictates a stall. The 350 feels light and free down in those low revs. Characteristics not common with torque and not stalling. And from here you can roll the throttle on and the bike will pick up and respond, where a smaller engine would fall on its face.

Now, a bigger displacement would pick up with more authority, but not be so smooth in doing it. There are no steps or hit in the XCF-W’s delivery, but the clutch is a willing partner to add snap or boost at any time during the build-up. Its pull is light and the grab when you snap it is great, plus it is very reluctant to fading from abuse, like most KTM clutches.

And one of the crowning jewels of the 350 is its ability to rev to the moon. It seems nearly impossible to hit an actual rev limiter with a very long sign-off that never really alerts you to shift by dropping in power--you have to be abusive to hit a hard rev cut. Common sense tells you to shift because a motor this big should not rev that far. Then you are rewarded with a nice surge in speed and pull at a RPM that is ready to climb again and pull just as hard.

The whole time the DOHC 350 is free and fast revving when unloaded and does not hesitate to pull strongly unless going up a very steep hill. And the power seemed to be responsive with riders getting into the 220-lb range, where a 450cc or serious snap is needed to motivate the weight. The other good side of the 350cc is the ideal amount of compression braking that gives a progressive drag on the rear wheel, especially with throttle chops from a high RPM.

Overall if you are a rider who is not afraid to rev an engine and can appreciate a very wide and useable spread of power, this KTM will suit you. The top-end power is claimed to be over 45 HP and we don’t doubt that.

It is matched to a wide-ratio transmission that isn’t really wide-ratio like most expect. The gaps in gear spacing do not feel that wide, likely since the engine pulls the gears so well. But the overall spread of the six-speeds has long legs. First is useable, but not so low that you don’t want to use it making clutch-less times in the very tight going. With very consistent steps through the speeds, you will find yourself in sixth hitting 85MPH easily when topped out.

The EFI was spot on and managed to keep a perfect mixture form sea-level to 8500 ft. The only change is the drop in power when you start getting up there in thinner air, but there isn’t the typical loss of response of the felling that the bike is rich. In fact at 5000-6000 ft. the bike really seems the happiest.

The cooling fan now on the radiator kept our bike from ever overheating, even in abusive trail situations. There is plenty of power coming out of the generator as the headlight and fan auto-shutoff after a few seconds of non-running. Changing the engine oil is simple and KTM’s filtering system keeps the oil clean and gives you indications is anything is going wrong.

Our test bike had a previous user smash the gear shift lever past its stop, bending the return spring and shearing off a small portion of the case in the process. When changing the oil filter and the pick-up screen the small remnants were easily visible and stopped from doing any further damage in the engine.

" A 350cc's advantages are in being so good at delivering torque while still revving up to high RPM and high power and staying light feeling in doing it."

Suspension

• A great setup for any speed of single-track riding.
• The stock setting was spot on for all of our testers. No one was looking for anything more.
• The XCF-W uses the suspension stroke to its advantage.

KTM keeps the XCF-W simple with an open cartridge fork and a PDS linkageless shock system. The fork has compression and rebound adjustability as well as spring preload. The shock mirrors the fork but adds high-speed compression adjustability. The WP components are high-end, and anything but simple in how you could adjust them. Yet all we did was set the ride height to 105mm with the rider and bleed the air out of the forks and never touched a clicker because we didn’t feel the need. But then we did, just to know how the clickers can change the character.

We rode the bike in everything from high-speed desert riding to high mountain enduro trails and it always had a plush and planted feeling. The suspension moves easily in the initial part of the stroke and there is no feeling of stiction in the fork. It uses the whole stroke, and for some used to more motocross-style settings can feel like it is mushy or wallowly.

For loose rocks and roots the bike is magic, going through without any deflection. In whoops it isn’t the most ideal, but keeping the front light with the power solved any issues. The bottoming resistance is good and the control of the bike on the rebound side of the stroke is excellent.

Bikes that are softer on the setup, like this KTM, can get swappy and springy if they are not set up properly. Especially PDS bikes. The XCF-W comes out of the bumps straight and without a spike when bottomed. If we were to ride it in more sandy conditions or rougher, more whoops and jumps, we’d have definitely stiffened it up with compression. Same is true for hitting MX-style jumps. The bike will use too much stroke and then bottom a bit too easy when you jump too far.

The weight range for the bike is roughly 165 to 200 pounds before spring rate changes would be beneficial. Proper setup on PDS is dependent on the proper rear spring rate, more so than a linkage bike.

And so rises the question is PDS better than a linkage? We feel, like KTM, that it gets the job done as good as a linkage for this type of riding. A lot of the negative impressions of earlier PDS systems had nothing to do with the actual linkageless shock system, but from secondary feelings from the mounting points of the shock to the frame and the flexing character on the swingarm. KTM has made significant improvements to the system over the years. The biggest being isolating the top shock tower out of the main backbone of the frame. PDS’s simplicity and straightforward tuning outweigh any advantages adding the weight and complexity of a linkage (as well as the low-hanging fruit for rocks and logs) could add.

"And so rises the question is PDS better than a linkage? We feel, like KTM, that it gets the job done as good as a linkage for this type of riding."

Chassis - Handling

• Light-feeling and small while still being roomy for larger riders.
• This bike turns excellent and has great stability, even if gives an unstable feel.
• The bike works excellent sitting or standing.

The KTM does have one unique and standout feature and it relates to the way the bike handles and feels. It is short wheelbase feeling and it is very light. On our scale it is 255 pounds full of gas and 241 pounds empty. It is light like a powerful two-stroke but planted like a heavier four-stroke. Especially when you feel the bike accelerate like a 450 and feel like 250 in the air and bouncing through the bumps. In being short and smaller feeling, the KTM does an incredible job of accommodating a large array of rider sizes and shapes. The layout is not only spacious, it is adjustable through the bar position in the top clamp.

Neutral handing would be the best description. The bike likes to turn or slide and has a very balanced feeling whether sitting or standing. If anything, it will pivot around its center just how you like, and it does it pretty easy since the suspension is softer than most and allows you to get the bike compressed on either end if you want. The steering has a very light feel, and for some that can be slightly confused for instability, something this KTM is not. And if you feel that, it is very easy to drop the rear end a little in ride height and make that sensation disappear, though every 5mm drop in the rear slows the quickness of the steering and the bite you can expect out of the front tire.

Lofting the front of the bike is simple, since it feels and acts short. So changing the attitude in a longitudinal way is a highlight of riding the XCF-W. Taller riders, who can act like a pendulum on the bike, thought it could be too much but they would also be the first in line for a stiffer spring rate too. Steering through the handlebar gives a lot of feel and some very picky riders noticed that the steering response through the footpegs was not as crisp as other bikes. The new Dunlop Geomax AT81 tires are a good choice for all-around use and do not suit any one type of terrain. But they do last a long time.

This KTM does not care if you are sitting or standing either. It is very easy to move around on either way, thin everywhere while still packing 2.2-gallons of gas, which can get over 70-miles on a trail ride. The foam in the seat is fine for lighter riders but taller and heavier riders complained about going through it in the middle and back of the seat. The controls are in the right position for average sized riders. Easy adjustability of the clutch and brakes is a plus for finding each rider’s ideal setup. And the brakes are as strong as any bike out there with excellent feel and control.

Overall the KTM does every single-track trail great and nothing bad. Take it out of its happy place (like to a MX track) and you can find shortfalls, but the bike was not set up for this.

"Overall the KTM does everything single-track trail great and nothing bad. It is light like a powerful two-stroke but planted like a heavier four-stroke."

Conclusion

• The perfect single-track trail weapon.
• Refined to the point of being bland or lacking distinctive characteristics.
• Pricey but worth every penny.

There are very few choices in a completely set-up trail bike. Motocross bikes are too stiff, too abrupt in power and geared all wrong for the trails. Many so-called trail bikes are foo-foo play bikes. The XCF-W is serious to the point of being exactly what KTM calls it. Race Ready right off the showroom floor, and ready for a trail ride too. Coming equipped with lights that will get you out if caught after dark is a nice feature. A tool-less air box and an easy access filter make cleaning less of a hassle.

The new and simple odometer/speedometer does most of the functions riders use and show EFI failure as well as low fuel. Adding the fan was brilliant for riders who torture the bike the way it was expected to be used, in the slow and tough trails. The bike has legs through its transmission and range through its fuel tank. Sound output through the spark arrestor-equipped muffler is quiet and does not feel restricted one bit. There is even a skid plate and frame guards standard that protect from dings and dents.The handguards are a great feature but the two-piece design breaks easy and the flag portion seemed to discolor prematurely.

Now onto the part about is this the bike for you? It isn't a question of how good this bike is. It is downright excellent in every way, shape and form, if you are using it for what it is designed for. Is the 350cc the right size? You can’t go wrong if you need more power; more importantly more torque than a 250F can offer. You can’t go wrong if you want less weight than a 450cc and larger packs, but can do without some of the additional top-end power you’ll miss (or not).  Is the XCF-W the right designation? If you need a license plate, an EXC would be an obvious better choice. If you are going to go to the MX track or do more GP or faster types of racing, an XC-F or SX might appeal to you.

For a mid-sized single-track trail machine there isn’t any reason not to recommend this KTM. It is refined to the point of doing nothing wrong and we are forced to pick at the handguards and seat foam if we are going to complain about something.