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can work well for riders up to 160 pounds. A 250cc four-stroke can carry a burden of around 185 pounds, but prefers lighter loads. Thus, if you weigh over 185—and especially if you weigh over 200 pounds—you should be thinking 250 two-stroke (or 450 four-stroke). ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE BEST-HANDLING BIKE? Because of its steady vibes, even though it’s heavy, the KTM 250SXF four-stroke handles better than the 125SX or 250SX (except in the hands of the talented). It is not quicker or more agile, just more predictable. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE BEST SUSPENSION? You’re in luck, because these three bikes all suffer from the same suspension woes. The MXA test crew subscribes to the theory that lighter bikes with less power put less load on their forks and shock than heavier, more powerful bikes. We may subscribe, but that doesn’t make it true. We had issues with all three. If we weren’t talking about KTM suspension, you could easily assume that 125s have the best suspension, 250 four-strokes the next best and 250 two-strokes the hardest worked. DO YOU WANT THE BEST BRAKES? This is another category where the three KTMs— 125SX, 250SX and 250SXF—share the same parts, but unlike with handling, the weight of the bikes does make a difference in braking power. KTM’s 260mm Brembo front brake is powerful enough for a 240-pound, 56-horsepower 450SXF, so you don’t need much in the way of imagination to know how powerful that same brake is on a 206.5-pound KTM 125SX. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE MOST RELIABILITY? The simple fact that the three bikes in our test share the same rolling chassis, brakes, suspension components, plastic, levers, wheels, controls and accoutrements means that reliability comes down to the engine’s top end, tranny and clutch. Barring catastrophes, the KTM 250SXF four-stroke will prove to be the most reliable. It will require less in the way of pistons, rings, gaskets and clutch plates over a racing season than the 250SX or 125SX. The caveat is that, in the case of a major blowup, the 250SXF four-stroke will become a financial burden. Whereas the 125SX and 250SX can be repaired in the
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