All those who have never had the opportunity to enjoy the punch of a powerful two-stroke in a lightweight, agile offroad chassis are in for a surprise with the Freeride 250 R. However, those who have already had this pleasure know: The power of such an engine develops completely differently, the expanding combustion gases effectively pressing down twice as often on the crankshaft as a four-stroke. Consequently, KTM two-stroke Enduros, which are designed more for high peak power, still pull away forcefully from the very bottom up and that's a real pleasure. And since the engine on the FREERIDE 250 R is tuned completely in keeping with the Freeride notion - not for maximum power but for harmonious torque progression and optimum rideability - this motorcycle is an all-rounder that feels all the more at home, the tougher the terrain becomes.
When you have a bike in your range like the 250 SX-F, which has been the dominant force in the World Championship MX2 class for years, then it would be very easy to just sit back and carry on as before. Luckily, however, that's not how things work in racing, or at KTM for that matter. That's why the new 2011 generation is being launched with a completely reworked chassis, new bodywork and the next stage in engine development with fuel injection.