KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

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KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Photo: Jahn

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

26th pictures

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
mps photo studio

1/26
KTM 350 EXC-F endurance test final balance after 100 operating hours.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Jahn

2/26
The enduro rider is delighted: even after 100 hours there is hardly any wear on the engine parts.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

3/26
The clutch is hardly impressed by the often rough handling.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

4/26
The discs are only slightly discolored.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

5/26
Incidentally, the 350 has a disc spring.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

6/26
Searching for clues: The camshaft bearings have hardly suffered.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

7/26
Solitude on the Pyrenees tour.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

8/26
The slight grooves are harmless.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

9/26
All attention: the seats of the sensitive titanium valves are hardly smashed.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

10/26
The sealing surfaces in very good condition.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

11/26
Don’t worry: even if the coating on the piston has suffered, its dimensions are still in the green area.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

12/26
Low: the deposits on the piston crown.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

13/26
The grooves on the cylinder liner are insignificant.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Bilski

14/26
Middle class: With a displacement of 350 cm³, KTM hit the golden mean for most pilots.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Jahn

15/26
KTM 350 EXC-F.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
wagner

16/26
Fine petrol filter in the tank nozzle (price: 30.25 euros) is advisable in all cases for engines with injection systems.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
wagner

17/26
The fuel pump relay chafed open on the frame tubes and probably paralyzed the fuel supply.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Mayer

18/26
Second place: Nikolaus Enduro Neunkirchen.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

19/26
Also ensures smooth running in the 350 engine: balance shaft.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Jahn

20/26
Universal talent: the handy 350 series thrives on demanding enduro routes.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Sdun

21/26
Sticker kit from try-it. Verdict: very good.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
mps photo studio

22/26
Ohlins steering damper. Verdict: sufficient.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
wagner

23/26
Handlebar riser from KTM. Verdict: very good.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
wagner

24/26
Akrapovic heat shield. Verdict: very good.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Sdun

25/26
Akrapovic exhaust. Verdict: good.

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance
Sdun

26/26
Akrapovic manifold. Verdict: very good.

motorcycles

KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

Endurance test final balance KTM 350 EXC-F
The middle class enduro after 100 hours of operation

With the concept of the 350 cm3 mid-range enduro, KTM mixed up the off-road scene with the 350 EXC-F at the beginning of last year. A test over 100 hours of operation shows whether the technology of the cubic capacity hybrid is stable in the long term.

Peter Mayer

05/23/2013

In this article:

  • Whole range of off-road sports
  • Marathon tour after hibernation
  • Balance after 100 hours
  • Costs and maintenance
  • Defects in the test
  • KTM takes a stand
  • Accessories put to the test
  • Used KTM 350 EXC-F in Germany

It is the lightest, the strongest, the handiest, the strongest in traction, the most universally tuned and the liveliest – MOTORRAD used strong words for the conclusion about the KTM 350 EXC-F in a comparative test (issue 21/2011). The production figures showed that the Austrians were also convinced of the qualities of their middle-class concept. With a total of 8,000 machines, exactly half of all KTM four-stroke sports enduros with 350 cc engines rolled off the assembly line in the 2012 premiere model year.

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KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

Endurance test final balance sheet KTM 350 EXC-F
The middle class enduro after 100 hours of operation

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Whole range of off-road sports

The only question that arose was the very banal question: will the technology hold up? The answer should be an endurance test over 100 hours – depending on the level of commitment, about twice the annual performance of an amateur driver. From enduro tours through the Pyrenees and Mecklenburg to a course and the enduro weekends of the MOTORRAD action team as well as many laps on motocross slopes to deployments at multi-hour enduro events, the endurance test machine covered the whole range of off-road sports away.

First and foremost, workshop manager Gerry Wagner – as with all MOTORRAD endurance testers – protected the Austrian from overly committed inspections with seals on the cylinder head and engine housing. Because all inspections were carried out by the German KTM branch at the prescribed 15-hour cycle.

First of all, the input measurement confirmed the performance already measured in the comparison test. After all, 47 hp – only four hp less than the 450 EXC – put the 350 engine on the role of the MOTORRAD test bench. And with 109 kilograms (without petrol) the EXC-F confirms its slim line and is – incidentally – a few pounds below its most important competitors (Husaberg FE 390, model 2012: 117 kg, Beta RR 4T 350: 115 kg, Husqvarna TE 310: 112 kg).

Marathon tour after hibernation

Which didn’t play a role in the first competition. Because at the rainy Nikolaus Enduro 2012 in Neunkirchen / Saar, MOTORRAD editor Peter Mayer and buddy Helmut Alexander rummaged through the mud for three hours and took second place in the team classification. The KTM proved to be thermally stable despite boggy stop-and-go traffic.


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance


Mayer

Second place: Nikolaus Enduro Neunkirchen.

She then ended the extended hibernation with a marathon tour. The Austrian was chased a tight 800 kilometers on the MOTORRAD action team’s Mecklenburg tour. The engine put up with the sometimes high revs on the sandy terrain, unimpressed. Oil consumption was not measurable. Just like shortly afterwards on a 400-kilometer off-road tour through the foothills of the Pyrenees

Nevertheless: The most extreme demands on the material clearly represent use on motocross tracks. Overall, around half of all operating hours were unwound on these areas. Although the KTM can cope with motocross excursions quite well compared to the mostly much softer sport enduro competition, one number of harder springs on the fork (4.6 instead of 4.4 N / mm) and shock absorber (72 instead of 69 N / mm) the reserves for this purpose. A good choice, especially since the sensitivity of the suspension for enduro use does not suffer. On the contrary. The taut spring elements keep the machine better balanced over waves. Edges are not one of the strengths of WP Suspension parts anyway. The response behavior could be more sensitive at the front as well as at the rear. The service carried out on the suspension elements after the test half-time did not change anything.

Which obviously did not slow down MOTORRAD off-road expert Didi Lacher. In the four-hour run for the ADAC Pirelli Enduro Cup, the man from southern Baden won the class with the 350. However: After crossing the finish line, the engine of the EXC-F could no longer be brought to life in the paddock. A phenomenon that had already occurred at KTM a few weeks earlier and which seemed to have been remedied with the replacement of the fuel pump. When a relay worn by the frame was replaced during the repeated inspection, the 350 was running again.

In this respect, it cannot be ruled out that the first failure was also due to the mechanically damaged electronics part. Or even just on dirt particles in the gasoline. With the introduction of gasoline injection, off-road engines also react sensitively to dirt particles that get into the fuel when refueling under the often inhospitable conditions. Be that as it may, after the parts had been replaced and a filter in the filler neck (KTM Powerparts, 30.25 euros) provided clean petrol, the KTM ran smoothly until the end of the test.

Workshop manager Gerry Wagner had little reason to complain when the engine was dismantled. Although the service guidelines provide for the replacement of pistons, valves, connecting rods and crank pins as well as all bearings after 105 hours, these parts are in very good condition after the test distance of 100 hours. The gearbox and clutch are almost as good as new, the pistons, cylinders and valve train show harmless signs of use.

Not even the sensitive titanium valves have smashed into their seats after this distance. A picture that fits the remarkably high-quality workmanship of all engine parts – and perhaps even adds another to the superlatives from the MOTORRAD test. Because with this record, the Austrian could possibly be one more thing: the most reliable.

Balance after 100 hours


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance

The grooves on the cylinder liner are insignificant.

Cylinder head:

All valves close tightly, the valve sealing surfaces show a uniform wear pattern, the sealing seat width corresponds to the specifications. All valve guides are slightly widened in the shape of a trumpet. The camshafts and their bearings are in good condition.

Cylinder / piston:
The compression has hardly decreased and the piston rings are only slightly worn. The graphite coating on the piston is clearly worn. The cylinder is dimensionally and dimensionally accurate and has only slight traces of wear.

Crank drive:
The crank mechanism with roller bearings is in good condition, as is the piston pin.

Power transmission:
Only minor signs of wear are visible on the cage and hub of the clutch, and the claws and gear wheels are in very good condition.

Frame / chassis:
The steering head and swing arm bearings are in order, the coating of the frame is in good condition with the exception of a few signs of wear corresponding to the use.

Costs and maintenance


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance


Bilski

Low: the deposits on the piston crown.

costs
Spare parts for 100 hours of operation

6.6 liters of oil: 265.60 euros
6 oil filters: 40.68 euros
1 air filter: 16.42 euros
1 spark plug: 25.53 euros
1 set of rear brake pads: 51.76 euros
5 chain sliding guards: 46.93 euros
1 chain set: 159.87 euros
1 service fork / shock absorber (including material): 217.46 euros
2 sets of insulation material for silencers: 129.24 euros
2 fuel strainers: 18.45 euros
Small parts: 177.47 euros
Total cost: 1149.41 euros

Maintenance + repairs

Engine oil, fuel filter, oil filter replaced: 9.8 hours
Engine oil, oil filter, air filter, chain sliding protection, silencer wool replaced: 29 hours
Engine oil, fuel filter, oil filter, fuel pump (guarantee), chain slide protection, front light bulb replaced: 41.2 hours
Fork and shock absorber overhauled (oil change, new sliding bushings): 50 hours
Engine oil, oil filter renewed: 57.9 hours
Engine oil, fuel filter, oil filter, shock absorber bearing bushes replaced: 72 hours
Engine oil, fuel filter, oil filter, chain kit, chain sliding guard, spark plug, gear lever, speedometer battery renewed: 83.8 hours

Defects in the test


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance


wagner

Fine petrol filter in the tank nozzle (price: 30.25 euros) is advisable in all cases for engines with injection systems.

Fuel pump and relay
The endurance test KTM caused confusion in the first third of the test. Repeatedly the engine of the EXC-F did not start when it was running hot, only to resume work the following day without any problems. First, a defective fuel pump was found to be the cause of the damage and the part was exchanged on goodwill. When the same symptom reappeared, a second inspection revealed a relay frayed by the frame (photo left). After the part (price: 8.69 euros) was exchanged, the 350 ran from then on without any problems. In this respect, it cannot be ruled out that the first failure was also due to the mechanically damaged electronics. A fine petrol filter in the tank filler neck (price: 30.25 euros) is advisable in all cases for engines with injection systems.

Engine protection plate
The quick-release fastener on the plastic engine guard (KTM Powerparts, 100.14 euros) is no match for hard landings with the frame beams coming into contact with the ground. The part tore off several times and was ultimately fixed with a screw and washer. The disadvantage: In order to remove dirt between the floor pan and the motor, the protector now has to be unscrewed instead of clicked off.

Electrics
The powerful vibrations of single-cylinder sports engines, tough off-road use and sensitive electronics are reluctant to get along. Protected and careful laying of the cable harnesses and components is an indispensable must for the reliability of the electrical system. The speedometer cable tore off after just ten hours. A little later, the cables at the plug connections to the headlight also broke. After that, the fuel pump relay (see photo at the top) chafed on the frame tubes, probably paralyzing the fuel supply. At the end of the test, the grommet of the cable harness and two cables underneath were also damaged by external influences.

KTM takes a stand


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance


KTM

KTM Germany managing director Norbert Zaha on the abnormalities of the 350 EXC-F during the endurance test.

KTM takes a stand

… the cause of the defective fuel pump.
After extensive tests of the replaced fuel pump in the factory, we assume that the cause of the defect was the chafed main relay and not the fuel pump when the first problems with the vehicle occurred.

… to the often dirty filters in the fuel line.
The fuel filter for the filler neck offered in KTM accessories prevents particles in the fuel from getting into the tank, but it also makes refueling more difficult. This can be a disadvantage when using a quick tank system in competitions. As an additional measure against dirt particles, a small fuel filter was retrofitted in the fuel line in the 2012 models. As of model year 2013, this filter is built into the coupling of the fuel line as standard and should be replaced during service.

… to the torn out quick release of the engine guard.
The entire holder for the quick release of the plastic engine guard has now been changed to withstand higher loads.

… to the sensitive cable connections in the electrical system.
KTM is not aware of any problems with sensitive cable connections, the electronics of the EXC models are reliable and solid. However, there are changes to the 2014 EXC models. The wiring harness, connectors and brackets of the ECU have been redesigned and simplify the electrical system.

Accessories put to the test


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance


Sdun

Sticker kit from try-it. Verdict: very good.

Sticker kit from try-it
The endurance test KTM gave the individual look to a sticker kit from try-it (www.try-it.de) for 180 euros. The stickers from the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer are easy to apply, fit perfectly and have proven to be amazingly abrasion-resistant. At the end of the test, only a narrow strip was worn through at the heavily used area of ​​the tank lining.
Verdict: very good.

Ohlins steering damper
With a steering damper integrated into the upper triple clamp, Ohlins offers a technically complex way of preventing the handlebars from slapping on off-road bikes. The calming effect of the expensive part (1250 euros) was, however, limited. Only in extreme cases (hard ruts etc.) did the S3 seem to suppress strong deflections.
Verdict: sufficient.

Handlebar riser from KTM
The delicate dimensions of the EXC model line are one reason for the agile handling of the orange bikes. However, taller pilots feel a little ergonomically cramped on the Austrians. The 20 millimeter high handlebar risers (KTM Powerparts, 30.25 euros, www.ktm.com) ensure a much more relaxed standing position and more freedom of movement.
Verdict: very good.

Akrapovic heat shield
Scorched insides of the boots are not uncommon for pilots of four-stroke off-roaders. The solution was the carbon heat shield (KTM Powerparts, 80.81 euros, www.ktm.com) from the Slovenian manufacturer Akrapovic, which was sold exclusively by KTM. The not exactly cheap part did its job effectively and also survived the test optically in top condition.
Verdict: very good.

Akrapovic exhaust
So much in advance: with the standard silencer, KTM is happily showing its responsibility. The original system is well below the limit values ​​applicable in enduro sport. In this respect, the – still justifiable – louder titanium exhaust system from Akrapovic (KTM Powerparts; manifold: 858.76 euros, silencer: 585.66 euros) scores with great looks and weight savings (1.3 kilograms), but above all a more spontaneous response low speeds. However, the system cannot deliver more peak performance.
Verdict: good.

Used KTM 350 EXC-F in Germany


KTM 350 EXC-F long-term test final balance


1000PS marketplace app

Used 350 EXC-F can be found at fair prices.

If you look at the availability of the KTM 350 EXC-F, it looks better than many a naked KTM bike. There are many examples of the 350 EXC-F and its coveted Sixdays version to be found on the used market. Here is an overview: used KTM 350 EXC-F in Germany.

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