What Went Wrong With The KTM 250 Race Effort

Apr 26, 2000
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Hi Everyone, I just finished reading this article from Motorcycle Dailey and wanted to get everyone's Option on the subject. It seems KTM's no link is taking allot of heat lately, do you think they should go to a linkage set up like the rest of the industry? Does the no link have as much potential as a standard linkage set up?

Article:
KTM finally entered 250-class racing here in the United States at the factory level this year. All the pieces were in place for KTM to make a big splash, including riders Jeremy McGrath (who needs no introduction) and Grant Langston (former World champion). By all accounts, both the stock and the modified KTM 250SX had plenty of horsepower . . . perhaps, more than the competition. What happened?

Jeremy McGrath proceeded to injure himself while learning to ride the machine, and ultimately retired before the first AMA Supercross event at Anaheim, California earlier this year. Grant Langston raced the 250SX, but crashed repeatedly and injured himself during the supercross series. Langston then rehabilitated himself physically, but had difficulty coming to grips with the 250SX, and decided to abandon his efforts to race the 250SX outdoors. Instead, he moved back to the 125 class.

Langston indicated that the 250SX needed more development. Anyway you look at it, KTM's foray into the 250 class has been a disaster, both for its riders and the team. To top it off, there are now rumors that Jeremy McGrath may race supermotard on a Honda; and that Langston may make his outdoor motocross debut in 2004 . . . on a Suzuki.

Some observers point to KTM's rear suspension system, which is relatively unique in the industry. It lacks a rising rate linkage system . . . something all of the Japanese motocross bikes have. This could be to blame for the handling ills experienced by Langston and McGrath. KTM has invested a great deal of time and money in their rear suspension system, however, and it would be hard to justify going in a new direction, now. Nevertheless, if Jeremy McGrath and Grant Langston can't seem to get around a race track quickly, and consistently, on the current version of the 250SX, some redesign may be necessary.
 

DEANSFASTWAY

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May 16, 2002
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Rick3: Didnt really look like Ryan Hughes needed a linkage or a bike makeover when he spanked their butts at Hangtown ,Langston also. But that was on 125s. And McGrath went really good before he got hurt .Dowd is kicking tail on the thumper and when you go to an offroad event KTM is a major player at least on the East .Maybe they need to recruit some more riders for the 250s , Im an outsider so I dont know. Looks like Husky had some problems fielding a team FBF and gave up but KTM has a much larger network and more $$$. Maybe KTM can bring in some Euro riders that can ride up front and are used to riding a PDS bike , or maybe they need someone to put more development into their PDS setups? Is it the suspension? Or the tuners or the rider? Who knows?
 

ktm033

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Mar 19, 2001
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was going to say the same thing about Hughes Dean, Joel Smet hasn't had a problem either. Don't think Dowd is on a four stroke this year, I believe he switched to a 250 SX.
 

dirt bike dave

Sponsoring Member
May 3, 2000
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Lack of development on a new bike is one thing, but saying kTm should change to a linkage rear is quite another.

My guess is Langston would still be in the 250 class if Bubba had not gotten hurt. It's hard to blame the bike for Grant jumping classes to improve his title chances. kTm's biggest problem in the 250 class is RC, not RC's linkage.

Dowd's results on the 250SX seem comparable to what he was doing on the 520 last year. Dowd could ride the 450SX if the thought it was better than the 250SX, but he's riding the 2 stroke.

BTW, Suzuki and Kawasaki have had injury problems and have not been doing much winning in the AMA 250 class lately.
 

marcusgunby

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Jan 9, 2000
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No one has come to grips with the 250sx-its got too much aggressive power and a funky chassis-i dont think the PDS is solelyto blame(did i just say that???) but i dont think it helps.Jamie Dobb and Gordon Crockard couldnt tame the beast and nor could Langston or MC.The settings from the 125 wont work on the 250-strange as its not that much heavier.The 4 strokes work well so thats also a bit weird.
 

the_tree

Member
Feb 24, 2003
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Think it's mostly just the riders and not the 250s. Langston has had mega injuries for the last 2 years (knees) and that will affect his mental preparedness. Even in the 125s last year, he couldn't finish the whole season either (but then again a good portion of team Suzuki didn't either). Think McGrath just burned out and didn't want to start from scratch on a new and unfamiliar machine. With the budgets of the factory teams and knowhow of all the tuners out there, they could make a KTM run/handle like a Honda or vice-versa.

Pastrana had some major head banging going on with his Suzukis and Tortelli with his Hondas before. Don't think suspension caused that either.

Hughes on the other hand has had a year to heal, is lean, mean, hungry and going for it in a mature manner. Who knows, after this year McGrath may unretire.
 

bclapham

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Nov 5, 2001
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when they first developed that bike in europe, Dobber and Crockard were really poor, i remember Dobb saying it wouldnt shift properly under power. that was last year. Now for this year, Crockard is only on a semi factory CRF450 and is getting podiums, yet Dobber (whom btw is a ex world champ on the 125 sx) is on a full works 250sx is still struggling for top 10s!

i will also add that at Glen Helen, the works ktm450 SX that Dobb was riding didnt look to have the same grunt as the yz450fs that reed and ferry were on going up them big hills. and what happened to the ktm 250f this year????

i think factory KTM should give our own Jeremy a call, seems like MXA liked his KTM stuff.

i will finish by saying that when i rode a 02 125 SX i liked it. at 6'2" its nice to get on a bike that didnt feel like an 80. i have the riding finesse of a 3 legged pig so i suppose precise handling and suspension wont help me that much!:) but i wonder how this RM ive got will work out!
 

ktm033

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 19, 2001
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My recommendation to KTM, don't gain the link, lose the quality bars, sprockets, chain, hydraulic clutch on the bikes you sell, put the crap on them that the Japanese put on their bikes stock. Keep your retail prices where they are at, they are in line with the jap bikes anyway. Take the extra money and pay either RC or Chad Reed an insane amount of money to race orange in 04, with championships in hand the Japanese companies will be scrambling to develop their own linkless suspension, the magazines will be raving about KTM's handling advantage and the battle will be won. Simple.
 
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