1701 DT final

R I D E R S R I D E - 2 0 1 7 K T M 1 5 0 X C - W
KTM Durban spent many hours testing jetting and
power spring settings and finally they got it right .
Calvin raced the bike at a WfO Enduro in the
KZN Midlands and was very impressed with the
performance all round.
Roof setup:
The first changes made was to replace the rear
sprocket to a 52 tooth from the 50, fit a radiator fan
and braces, bash plate and hand guards, as well as
disc brake protection.
Last and most important was the exhaust cage as
this is a weak point on the bike. The pipe and is too
soft for extreme enduro’s. If one is racing off-road
then a carbon guard will do.
Experience on the Roof?
Calvin really enjoyed the bike and compared it to his
last years roof on his 200 XCW.
Once again, he said how easy the bike was to ride
and felt the bike was so light and balanced - easy
to control. It’s also very easy to pivot and pick up
over the rocks. He was impressed with the power
delivery up the hills and did not have to work and fan
the clutch. As far as the acceleration, it is very quick
through the gears and was fun to race in the tech
stuff. He said you don’t get tired and can ride all day
long. The biggest plus Calvin found that the new WP
Xplor suspension is far better than the 2016 model.
He found that he could race down the steep rocky
passes and because the bike is so light (Just on
100KG’s), it flies over the rocks.
As for comfort, the seat is great and all-round the
bike is easy to ride and very comfortable.
To sum it up, the 150 has proved itself at the Roof,
taken top spot in the bronze spot with Heinrich
Zellhuber and Calvin top spot in the silver, and to top
it up it came in amongst the top gold riders.
A true pocket rocket, a serious enduro weapon for
the lighter rider up to 75 kg mark.
The 150 had to fill big shoes from the 200 and it’s
done that with easy margin and from the rider himself
- a better bike than 200…
www.ktm.com
DIRT & TRAIL MAGAZINE JANUARY 2017 21