Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/531879
June 2015 17 O ur November 2014 review of the KTM Freeride 250R had me curious about what a long term review would reveal about this bike. Specifically, I wanted to know how oen I would ride the Freeride and more impor- tantly, how I would use it. I also wondered how some of its perceived imperfec- ons would hold up over me, like the brakes and baery. With that in mind, we purchased one a few months ago and will provide a couple of long term reports. Since then the Freeride has been racking up the hours and I am surprised at how oen I choose to ride it over my race bike. Courtesy of its quieter motor, I have been able to sneak off in to the woods behind my house and play around for hours. This has been a huge bonus for me as I can now enjoy hours of seat me that were before inaccessible to me. Going out and just playing around in the woods on the Freeride was the foundaon for our "the importance of Play" arcle on page22. This now accessible riding area has a few impressive, long, steep hills that I've since cut several trails up and down and use to refine my hill climbing techniques. The Feeride makes for a more forgiving plaorm when learning new skills and its 250cc motor is as good at climbing hills as my KTM 300 XC-W. The Freeride put the climbing skills of my 250 XC-W to shame to the point where I unloaded it in favor of the Freeride/300 XC-W combinaon. The lightweight and agile Freeride has been essenal in helping me to learn such skills as the pivot turn when nego- ang steep, off-camber switchbacks. I begin learning new techniques by first try- ing them out on the Freeride and then aempng them on XC-W 300 once comfortable. Its low seat and slim chassis make it easier to master proper clutch and throle control in dicey or awkward situaons that oen stem from trying new things. I have shown marked improvement in my Hard Enduro techniques and I owe much of it to the forgiving Freeride. I also find myself enjoying the Freeride for casual trail riding. I have a few local friends who aren't hardcore racers, so I'll oen choose the Freeride over my race bike when riding with them, spending significant me off the trail in search of fun obstacles to ride up and over. The motor is quick and responsive yet torquey enough to chug up the steepest hills I can find or rail along a quick pace. KTM did- n't have serious speed in mind when they developed the suspension system, but it is sll quite capable. Even with the compression sengs at their firmest sengs, I can run out of travel quickly at speed. Sll, I'll take six inches of suspension and the lower seat all day long when praccing new techniques or playing around. So what about any snivels we may have? I'd prefer that a kick starter come stock on the bike. I haven't had any issues with the e-start failing, but I'd like to not tempt fate. Also, when noodling along at low speeds, the fan will oen kick on. I have yet to drain the baery but sll want the assurance of having a kick starter. We're also not a fan of the baery being located at the base of the rear shock. Again, we haven't had any issues, but its locaon makes it suscepble to water, dirt and mud. The stock jeng in the Freeride is lean and will run hot. We found that the winter jeng specs improve the bike's overall performance. We were concerned earlier about the smaller sized brakes but so far they've held up just fine – the caveat being that we haven't pushed them too hard and used the Freeride as intended. Overall I've used and enjoyed the Freeride more than I thought I would. It's opened up riding areas in my suburban neighborhood and provided a forgiving plaorm for expanding my skill set. It's also a capable trail bike for playing around with your buddies. KTM hit the nail on the head with this versale lile bike, and I think I'll hang on to it for a while.