location for one of Spain’s biggest events as well as their off road experience days, plus home to a new motorcycle museum. Testing started early, with a lot of bikes to fit into a long day’s riding. We started with a bike which has already been put to the toughest test at the infamous 2019 Erzbergrodeo, the 300 EXC TPI. In last months issue, we told you about all of the upgrades undertaken on the bikes, so we won’t run through all of that again – suffice it to say that KTM has seriously put these bikes under the knife for 2020. Riders like Taddy Blazusiak and Jonny Walker, present on the MY2020 EXC launch, were each part of the development process from the very earliest TPI bikes to the latest models. Their constant demands, as much as any, caused a great deal of work in the software development for these new models which have the latest versions of ECU engine mapping. If you’re looking for a single new part on the 2020 TPI models which customer feedback contributed towards, then the newly designed oil tank with more flexible mountings for enhanced durability is one. The outlet is also now fitted with a mesh filter to protect the oil pump from dirt intake. Another element is the reworked wiring harness which concentrates most of the electrical components in a single area below the seat. Finding the electronics are more easily accessible or the routing of the throttle cable is improved matter to the customer and, as usual, KTM has listened. at the heart of off-road motorcycle sport. The 300 EXC TPI engine stands as favourite with traditional and extreme enduro riders because of its versatility and you really feel that from the get-go with the new model – each increment of the throttle twist grip delivered a precisely different amount of power across the varied Bassella terrain test course. 300 EXC TPI Familiar to so many, the 300 is KTM’s biggest selling enduro model and proves the point that two-strokes, and in particular, the Transfer Port Injected models are very much 26 DIRT & TRAIL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2019
The 2020 EXC range extends again to the SIX DAYS models along with a new, limited-edition, KTM 300 EXC TPI Erzbergrodeo edition with a production run of 500 units and with a premium list of PowerParts fitted. DIRT & TRAIL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2019 2 7
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