2016 KTM 350XCF: Just Keeps Getting Better!

[mxengineer4]

mxengineer4, Got to ask about your Ohlin's on your 350. Are you running the shock? What was the biggest advantage to the Ohlin setup?

I had full Ohlins on my 15 350XCF and it worked really well - plush and controlled.  The all new 16 Ohlins shock is better than stock but I have not achieved the same level of overall plushness I had with my 15 350XCF Ohlins shock.  For me I get too much feedback on acceleration chop - feels too stiff at both low and especially high speeds.  I feel like Sweden has a little more work to do.

[Trailblazer7]

Good morning everyone. Ended up selling my '12 KTM 350 SX-F a couple weeks ago following a fairly low speed get off in which I broke my right scapula in two places. I will add that I was wearing the new Leatt 5.5 body protector and 5.5 neckbrace at the time. The right shoulder pad slid down the side of my arm upon impact so didn't help much. The paramedics had to cut it off of me. Leatt has offered me a 35% discount on a replacement. Anyhow, while I'm on the mend I'm already looking forward to buying a new KTM. I'm 6ft 190lbs and trying to decide between a 350 XC F or 450 and would like to know if anyone has had an opportunity to try them both out, and what the conclusions are? I live in Ridgecrest, CA (high desert of So Cal) so ride mostly desert terrain, but do like riding MX tracks as well. Was also looking at the '16 450 FE (AER 48 forks). Thanks

Edited April 21, 2016 by Trailblazer7

[Trailblazer7]

Picked up a new '16 350 XC-F yesterday for $10,500 OTD. The 16's are pretty hard to come by here in SOCAL so I went ahead and bought one. Can't wait to be fully recovered from my shoulder injury so I can go riding. In the meantime, fixing her up with the P3 Carbon heat shield, skid plate and disc guard, and some other aftermarket stuff. :-)

Edited April 24, 2016 by Trailblazer7

[mxengineer4]

Picked up a new '16 350 XC-F yesterday for $10,500 OTD. The 16's are pretty hard to come by here in SOCAL so I went ahead and bought one. Can't wait to be fully recovered from my shoulder injury so I can go riding. In the meantime, fixing her up with the P3 Carbon heat shield, skid plate and disc guard, and some other aftermarket stuff. :-)

Congrats on your new 350XCF!  You will enjoy your new bike!  I installed the optional map swtich (in the airbox) and run the aggressive map (#2) mostly but like the soft map (#1) for woods riding.  The engines are tight when new and run better every ride and it makes lots of power way up top too so let it rev.  Post some pics once it is blinged out!

[Trailblazer7]

Thanks for the advice, and will do on the pics.

[obgod3]

Pick mine up tomorrow...only cause my dealer is closed today.

What part do you need to change the mapping, same one from the SX?

[obgod3]

And its home....

 

[mobgma]

If you are on the fence regarding the swing arm protector, check this out. I think it looks great with the black frame. I have the black plastic skid plate too, just is not on in the pic. 

 

[Genesis Sports Nutrition]

If you are on the fence regarding the swing arm protector, check this out. I think it looks great with the black frame. I have the black plastic skid plate too, just is not on in the pic. 

 

That looks sweet!! What brand is that?

[mobgma]

That looks sweet!! What brand is that?

2016 KTM Power Parts. It's a kit or whatever. They sell you a new brake line holder also (slightly shorter) that you need to accommodate this. Super easy install too (dont need to remove wheels or nothing.

Edited April 28, 2016 by mobgma

[obgod3]

Got my numbers on it, 3 days old and I'm headed to the desert tomorrow. Sag was easy to set, one turn down of the spring and it was there. So far just riding around the house and the park the forks kinda feel ok...the real test is this weekend.

Bark Busters went on tonight

Computer is on

Speed Bleeders

Edited April 29, 2016 by obgod3

[Genesis Sports Nutrition]

Got my numbers on it, 3 days old and I'm headed to the desert tomorrow. Sag was easy to set, one turn down of the spring and it was there. So far just riding around the house and the park the forks kinda feel ok...the real test is this weekend.

Bark Busters went on tonight

Computer is on

Speed Bleeders

Wow,those number plate decals really clean the whole look up nicely.I look at mine and its like the designer took a little nap after the radiator shrouds and never bothered to finish it.Kinda "plain Jane".Is that decal works?

[obgod3]

Wow,those number plate decals really clean the whole look up nicely.I look at mine and its like the designer took a little nap after the radiator shrouds and never bothered to finish it.Kinda "plain Jane".Is that decal works?

Yep decal works, I actually had picked another blue but Sean over there got me straight with the correct Factory KTM Blue. I'll probably put the factory graphics on the fenders and shrouds soon also. I like the blue combo

Edited April 29, 2016 by obgod3

[Genesis Sports Nutrition]

Yep decal works, I actually had picked another blue but Sean over there got me straight with the correct Factory KTM Blue. I'll probably put the factory graphics on the fenders and shrouds soon also. I like the blue combo

Yeah,that looks sharp.Its not too "busy",I like a nice clean look.Let us know what you think after a full day in the desert.Also if anyone is interested I have the pro circuit linkage for 16 350 xcf/sxf that everyone is raving about,I might be selling.My tuner says his set up for this bike has been beta tested for stock linkage specs only and would rather I didn't put it on the bike.

[mobgma]

Yeah,that looks sharp.Its not too "busy",I like a nice clean look.Let us know what you think after a full day in the desert.Also if anyone is interested I have the pro circuit linkage for 16 350 xcf/sxf that everyone is raving about,I might be selling.My tuner says his set up for this bike has been beta tested for stock linkage specs only and would rather I didn't put it on the bike.

Did you just put it over the stock decal on the number plate?

[mobgma]

Yep decal works, I actually had picked another blue but Sean over there got me straight with the correct Factory KTM Blue. I'll probably put the factory graphics on the fenders and shrouds soon also. I like the blue combo

Sorry I should have asked you. Did you just put the Decal Works graphic over the stock KTM decal that partially covers the number plate?

[FaintReality]

2016 KTM Power Parts. It's a kit or whatever. They sell you a new brake line holder also (slightly shorter) that you need to accommodate this. Super easy install too (dont need to remove wheels or nothing.

By any chance, can you provide the part numbers?

Thanks in advance,

Dave

[mobgma]

By any chance, can you provide the part numbers?

Thanks in advance,

Dave

...okay fine.

 

See the below. I grabbed it from a USA catalog and Canadian one. Not sure if different. if you have a 16 SXF and probably a XCF, you need the brake line guide they mention in the second picture.

 

Edited April 30, 2016 by mobgma

[mobgma]

Couple guys in another thread mentioned eBay seller mxprodecal2. You have to shoot him a message since he does not have any eBay ads for the newer 15 FE & 2016's.

You can buy the 15 or 16 Factory kit from KTM. 

 

[obgod3]

Ok so I took my new to me 350 out for its maiden ride this weekend. Headed out to western Colorado, so a mix of sand washes, single track, some rocky trails and climbs, in all I got a little of everything including tight trails.

OK so it took a little getting used to the bike, suspension, throttle response, handling.

So my perception of the suspension. I'm 195 pounds and I think the springs are just fine, no issues, I was able to set the sag with one rotation of the collar and the static sag was perfect out of the box. I thought the bike feels very planted, almost like the suspension is hugging the ground. In the sandy washes and smoother trails the suspension is great imho, I wouldnt change anything other than maybe a click here or there. In the rocky stuff it feels just a tad harsh, I didn't think it was a big deal because if I rode faster the effect was much less. Now we have rocks, real rocks, round rocks, big rocks, flat square edge rocks. Overall I wasn't thinking I needed massive changes, maybe some clicks or at the most a little valving change which I'll probably do. But in no way do I think this bike needs a major overhaul of the forks, to each their own. I rode faster than I ever have. One thing I want to say is how fantastic this bike handles out of the box, it is crazy. It is very quick steering and handling, I found myself early on oversteering the bike. It really only needs small inputs to make it turn and it turns like crazy, it really surprised me. Overall I walked away very happy where I'm at with it, I'm sure a few small and not expensive changes are in the future but I'll still ride it for a while before making any of those changes.

Engine, wow, just wow. This thing goes. The throttle response is lightning quick. I think it has more bottom end than the older 350's for certain. But I think this bike wants to be ridden in the mid-upper RPM's and thats not really my riding style but the more I rode it the more I wanted to ride it up there and I found myself ringing it out a lot. It was so much fun I couldn't help myself and it is supper fast. The engine imho can be ridden anywhere in the RPM range and I did so from highly rocky technical to fast washes and sweeping trails, the engine doesn't miss a beat. I stalled it a good amount, more rider input than anything and as the two days went on I found myself stalling less and less. Didn't bother me because I'm quick on the trigger (Starter) so it wasn't a big deal. As far as the gearing and for what I ride here out west, very different than back east, it is toss up. In many cases this weekend the 14-50 was perfect and in a few cases not so much. I found on some trails there seemed to be a gap I couldn't find a perfect gear for, but in other terrain it was terrific. Again I'll ride it some more before I make a decision and it could be I keep a set of gearing and switch it out for different terrain because imho there will be no one perfect gear set for all the terrain I ride. A Rekluse is in the future but I'm waiting a bit to ride it more. The bike climbs like a homesick angel. One big thing, this engine is smooooooth, very little vibration and just silky.

Bars, yep those rubber mounts will move when to drop the bike, one of the guys I let ride it looped the bike and the bars moved a bit and were slightly off set. I didn't care really since it didn't change how I ride and the only time I noticed was when I looked down at them and I don't do that much anyway...I prefer to look ahead

, but what I did like is compared to an older bike is the reduction in vibration. Buddy of mine has the same issue with his BRP's.

Overall I am super happy with my decision, I rode this bike faster and better than I have ever ridden any bike and with great confidence. The bike is planted and goes where it's pointed. Over time I am sure there will be some minor changes but if I didn't do one thing to this bike I could ride it anywhere anytime without issue.

I appreciate all the information folks put out there on this forum about the bike, I probably wouldn't have bought it without that information and I am very happy with this decision. Best bike I have ever owned....

OK time to plan the next ride...