2019 KTM Freeride 250 F review

The 2019 KTM Freeride 250 F is a jack-of-all-trades trail bike.

In part a trials bike, part enduro bike and part trail bike. And as the saying goes… it’s a master at none, but it sure as hell is pretty damn good at all of them! In fact, with a good rider aboard, most would be amazed at how quickly and efficiently it can cover a huge variety of terrain.

The 2019 KTM Freeride 250 F will happily rock hop, cruise through single track with aplomb, flow nicely in sandy whoops – as long as you don’t push too hard – and skip along fire roads with ease. This is all done whisper quietly thanks to the dual mufflers and without the rider even beginning to raise a sweat.

I for one just love a quiet trailbike. They just seem to make the day go better, with less fuss, less fatigue and importantly, without annoying the wider public. The 2019 Freeride 250 F is that to a tee.

The engine in the 2019 KTM Freeride 250 F is based on the liquid-cooled, fuel-injected KTM 250 EXC.F. So, a proven performer, but it has the first three gears lowered and is in a milder state of tune. Contributing to its tamer power output is the small plug cylindrical air filter held in place by the seat.

The power delivery is smooth, linear, very tractable and suitably effective.

However, in on/off throttle situations at low speed and low revs our test bike was quite snatchy, which was not ideal. But if the throttle is never closed – the revs kept a whisker above idle before accelerating again – the fueling is almost perfect. This makes for an easy to apply and controllable power delivery.

It’s a brilliant design. The whole seat is hinged from the front – it all folds up and forward – and you can lift the filter straight out. In dusty conditions you could swap out a complete filter unit in about five seconds or less.

While the seat is up you can access the fuel tank filler. With the seat back down, you possibly have the cleanest and smoothest sitting/standing ergonomics on a dirt bike today. The Freeride is slim between the footpegs and up both sides. It doesn’t flair out to radiators because it only has one centrally mounted in front of the engine and aided by a fan.

The chassis is an interesting combination of an alloy upright that supports the swingarm pivot, rear of the engine and top shock mount, and a steel tube front half that has the backbone, steering head and engine cradle.

CNC machined triple clamps hold the 43mm WP upside-down Xplor forks that have adjustable compression and rebound damping with 250mm of wheel travel.

The action is well suited to the bike and very compliant. They are a little soft to be pushed hard but about right for the average trail rider who is not trying to be a racer.

Related links:
Launch: 2014 KTM Freeride 250 R
2019 KTM EXC enduro range

The rear shock on the $11,495 Freeride is a WP PDS Xplor unit that is fully adjustable for spring preload, high- and low-speed compression damping, rebound damping and has 260mm of wheel travel.

The shock is similar to the forks: very compliant, modestly bottom resistant and generally has a nice, comfortable feel. As an example, I’m 100kg and 193cm tall, but would still happily flat land a jump from a metre-high bank – but not too much more…

So overall, it’s no motocross bike and softer than an EXC, but still very capable for the more relaxed rider who wants to explore.

The brakes have stepped up a lot from early Freeride models and while still not quite at KTM EXC race bike levels, they are good. Up front a small four-piston caliper bites a 260mm disc and has great feel and enough power to do low-speed stoppies.

The rear has a small two-piston caliper and 210mm disc, it performs well with decent feel and strength.

Of course, no brakes work effectively without traction. And in truth, I had my doubts on how much grip the Maxxis Trialmaxx tyres would provide. However, the soft compound rubber in a conventional trials pattern offered good grip, particularly on anything hard-packed.

Even in sandy conditions, they are fine. Obviously deep mud will not be their forte, but given the tractable nature of the engine they would probably surprise there too. A side benefit is they rip the ground up far less than a full knobby, which is a sensible endeavour at the very least!

The 2019 KTM Freeride 250 F is an excellent, versatile, capable low-intensity trail bike. It is well appointed, is electric start, has reasonable lights, a multi-function dash and excellent build quality.

It is probably the most effortless trailbike to ride even on some quite challenging single track as long as you don’t go too fast. It enables learner riders to tackle increasingly tricky terrain without punishing their small errors.

For those that don’t ride regularly or aren’t hardcore types but want a confidence-inspiring mount that isn’t too extreme, the Freeride is for you.

The only downside is the quite tall 915mm seat height, which will be tricky for shorter less competent riders. It will happily take on modest trials work, but also leave you with a decent seated position for trails

Related link:
2019 KTM Freeride 250 F in Bike Showroom

In a former life I was a hill country farmer, and the Freeride 250 F it would have been perfect for mustering – especially those sheep who thought they were mountain goats!

Even a pro motocross rider would enjoy the Freeride as a fun way to log hop and brush up on their balance skills. Really, there is no down side to having one of these in your shed.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, two-stroke single-cylinder
Capacity: 249cc
Bore x stroke: 78.0mm x 52.3mm
Fuel system: Fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: Not given
Claimed maximum torque: Not given

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, hydraulically operated

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Perimeter steel-aluminium composite
Front suspension: 43mm WP upside-down Xplor fork with compression and rebound damping, 250mm travel
Rear suspension: WP PDS Xplor shock with rebound, preload and compression adjustment, 260mm travel
Front brakes: 260mm disc with four-piston caliper
Rear brake: 210mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Tyres: Front 80/100-21, rear 110/90-19

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 98.5kg
Seat height: 915mm
Wheelbase: 1418mm +-10mm
Ground clearance: 325mm
Fuel capacity: 5.5 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $11,995
Colour: Orange/white/black
Test bike supplied by: KTM Australia/New Zealand