2019 KTM EXC-F And XC-W Off-Road Models Unveiled

KTM has announced its 2019 EXC-F and XC-W enduro models, all of which receive updates to the suspension, battery, seat cover, and appearance. As far as model-specific changes, the 150 XC-W has the most with a number of revisions to the engine. The other big news on the Austrian manufacturer's two-stroke XC-W off-road line is that it's bringing the 300 XC-W TPI to the States in 2019.

Every 2019 model EXC-F and XC-W has a slightly stiffer setting in the WP XPlor 48 fork that is designed to keep the front end higher and decrease the chances of bottoming out. Out back, the WP XPlor PDS shock has an updated main piston and revised settings to achieve improved damping characteristics for increased comfort and bottoming control and to match with the new fork setting.

The bikes also come with a new 2-ampere-hour lithium-ion starter battery designed to ensure better starting, especially in cold weather. Other revisions include a new seat cover with foam padded stripes for better comfort and grip, new graphics, and lastly, the frame color is now orange instead of black.

The changes made specifically to the 150 XC-W include a CNC-machined, reworked exhaust port aimed at more precise timing and improved interaction with the power valve, which is made of a new raw part and is CNC machined as well. Other revisions include a new diaphragm steel (DS) clutch, a new clutch cover that is narrower and reduces the width of the engine by 10mm, and a six-speed transmission now produced by Pankl.

KTM released its transfer-port-injected (TPI) two-strokes last year and we had the opportunity to test the 250 XC-W TPI and 300 XC-W TPI models at Erzberg in Austria shortly after. Both bikes are largely unchanged for 2019 aside from the suspension, battery, and seat cover changes listed above, but the big news is that the 300 will be coming to the US this year, as only the 250 came Stateside in 2018. Both TPI bikes feature an optional map switch that allows for the selection of an alternate map that provides a smoother power delivery, and for the 300 model, the dealer can flash a race map to be activated as the alternative map.