2014 Ktm 250 Sx-f on 2040-motos

KTM Other tech info

Type:Mx Phone:(866) 249-8554

Moto blog

Day 1 Dakar 2014: Barreda Draws First Blood

Team HRC’s Joan Barreda on the Honda CRF450 Rally, got off to a storming start in day one of the 2014 Dakar rally, clocking up the fastest time of all the 175 riders at the first time-check. The former Husqvarna rider who moved to Honda in the middle of the season inaugurated his 2014 Dakar with an acrobatic performance. The motorcycle competition was expected to be wide open, and that is indeed what the classification shows after the opening stage. It was a very early start for the Rally Dakar. The pack of riders headed off at four in the morning on a long 251 miles that took them towards the vibrant city of Rosario for the start of the 112 mile special.

Bodachs on bikes

With the Gaelic for ‘old man’ being Bodach it was only right we call our annual has been Scottish Racers run out 'Bodachs on Bikes'.  The gang now includes names from the past like Morrison, MacPherson, Simpson and Duffus with a Robert Burns and Big Gordo thrown in for good measure. Island hopping was on the agenda this time round, so for £60 we acquired a Caledonian Macbrayne Hopscotch ticket allowing us three ferry crossings between the mainland, Skye and Lewis.  Having heard lots of good stuff about the new KTM 1190 Adventure I thought this could be the perfect bike for the journey so managed to book Loughborough’s Redline KTM’s demo out for a week.  My first stint was an uneventful 400 miles north but with an average of 250 miles range per tank and 80s club classics on the i pod it felt like I was there in no time.  I also kept myself amused scrolling through the easy to navigate countless combinations of engine performance, traction/anti wheelie and suspension settings clearly displayed on the dash.  There seems to be a setting for everyone; luggage or no luggage, big guy or small guy, brave or scared ( no rider aids or full rider aids).  After assembling in the holiday town of Helensburgh on day two, we rode up around the coast on the A82, A85 and A828 to Ballachulish.  A quick puddle jump across Loch Linnhe then saw us heading round the A861 to Strontian before going north to Mallaig.

KTM RC8R: The first month

First impressions are everything so the gearbox niggles on the first RC8s meant I didn’t become an instant fan. There was never a problem for normal road riding but when the pace was increased on track days false neutrals were found and gears were missed. Ironically I might have been able to help here as KTM signed me up for pre-production shakedown testing before I got sidelined with appendicitis.