Hard enduro racing is getting bigger and bigger these days, and KTM is right there in the thick of it. To celebrate its success, we now see the launch of the new KTM XC-W HARDENDURO model.
As you might guess from the name, this is a reworked version of the XC-W 300 model, which is a starting point for many race builds in this series (of course, many Husqvarna riders are also running basically the same bike, but with a different colour of paint). From what we can tell, there are no changes to the powertrain, or at least no major changes.
However—much of the rest of the bike has been beefed up to handle a beating in the rocks. The suspension has been replaced fore and aft; KTM didn’t give many details on what changed, but there is a new closed-cartridge setup, gripped by orange-anodized CNC-machined triple clamps. Unsurprisingly, that orange frame continues all through the bike, with orange Supersprox stealth rear sprocket. orange-anodized drainplug, and orange-anodized clutch slave cylinder protection. Of course the frame is orange and the model-specific graphics also come in that hue.
Nobody is going to mistake you for a Kawasaki rider on this machine!
Back to the actual hard parts: There’s a set of wraparound handguards, and a composite skidplate to keep you from holing your engine case as you bust through the tough stuff. There’s a set of factory wheels, based off D.I.D. rims. Both front and rear brakes get disc guards, and unlike some enduros, there’s a rad fan so if (when!) you’re stuck in a tight spot, your bike will run cooler.
One somewhat amusing note in the presser says the bike comes with “Front and rear pull straps.” Haha, and why would you need a front pull strap? Watch the Erzbergrodeo, and you’ll know why. Sometimes, brute force is all that will get you over/around/through the obstacles in this sort of competition.
KTM didn’t give us an MSRP for these machines, but they did say they’ll be in Canadian dealerships in July, and you can bet your dealer can give you a price tag, if you’ve got the means to pay for it.
