DIRTHAMMER SAYS

Tuscaloosa, AL

The best innovations often come when an enterprising spirit decides to ignore conventional wisdom. In the case of this 2020 KTM 300 XC TPI, the Austrian dirt bike company decided it would take a shot at reinventing the wheel, and threw fuel injection at a two-stroke off-road motorcycle engine.

The results are, in a word, magic. You get the ballerina-light rotating and right-now torque delivery of a two stroke with the consistent fueling of a four-stroke. Best of all, the electronic fuel injection manages to give the normally peaky two-stroke a linear torque curve, with stump-pulling guts down low and the characteristic banshee wail up top.

The KTM 300 XC TPI is a 60-odd horsepower enduro race bike that weighs in under 250 pounds. The chassis is designed to get you up and over whatever is in front of you, and do it fast. The XC is the pure-bred race bike among KTM's enduro and cross-country bikes. Where the XC-W prioritizes lower-end grunt, the XC aims at wide-open rips. If you're looking for a fast hare scramble bike, this is your mount.

Thanks to the minimal weight and friendly fuel-injected power delivery, the XC is pretty forgiving, but do not mistake it for a good first enduro bike. It requires commitment to ride safely, and it gives no quarter if you get out over your skis.

This 2020 KTM 300 XC TPI has a fresh service, a new set of wheels, and 192 hours on the clock. It is in excellent shape for its age and hours, and is absolutely ready for another season of heavy off-road use. Whether you're looking for an inexpensive first woods race bike, or you need a new practice bike, this thing is an excellent candidate.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW