We get our first taste of the all-new (and we mean all-new) KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition.

KTM outdid itself this time. We know that the Austrians always step up their game when it comes to their Factory Edition models, but this goes above and beyond. Both the 2022 KTM 450 and 250 SX-F Factory Edition models got a complete makeover—the frame, engine, suspension and just about everything else in between got a visit from Mr. R&D. A few weeks earlier, we wrote about the 450 after riding it the first time, now it’s the 250’s turn.

…What’s changed? As we just said, pretty much everything. This is a “true” Factory Edition model, like the original “Dungey Replica” Factory Edition several years ago; this isn’t just the standard 250 SX-F with a bunch of KTM PowerParts thrown at it (although we’d have no problems with it if that was the case). Almost all the updates that the 450 got, the 250 got, as well. Including, of course, anything exclusive to the 250, like the motor, which is housed in a new frame that comes straight from the 450 Factory Edition.

The big news with the frame is there is no longer a “backbone” that runs typically from the shock to the head tube. It’s been replaced by a new shock tower that dissipates forces—jarring—down and through the sides of the frame instead of up through the handlebars and into the rider’s arms. The mainframe’s chromoly-steel construction is similar as before, but the two-piece subframe is now made from a combination of aluminum and polyamide for improved rider feel and durability.

There is a new die-cast aluminum swingarm that is 6.7 ounces lighter and more rigid. There’s also a new axle back there.

The fully adjustable suspension didn’t get drastic changes like the rest of the bike. The WP Xact AER (air) fork and WP Xact single shock did, however, get a fair number of smaller updates besides the usual setting changes that coincide with the chassis mods.

The engine, which is more compact than before and designed and molded specifically for this new frame, has been rotated backward two degrees which lowers the countershaft sprocket by 3mm. According to KTM this, along with an 8mm reduction in engine height, helps fight unwanted “squatting characteristics” when under a load, improves mass centralization and lowers CG.

When it comes to the all-new DOHC engine, KTM went searching for more torque and midrange performance. As a result, it gets a larger bore (81mm versus 78mm) and a shorter stroke (48.5mm versus 52.3mm). The engine still revs out to a mind-boggling 14,000 rpm.

Electronics have also been refined. On the left side of the handlebar is a toggle switch that operates (turns on or off) traction control, launch control and the new quickshifter built into the KTM’s Pankl five-speed transmission.

Like the 450, the 250 features a quickshifter for clutchless upshifting. Quickshifter technology is nothing new, but it is in motocross. When quickshifter mode is turned on, a sensor inside the shift drum feels pressure on the shift lever and momentarily cuts the ignition for the shift. This allows the rider to change gears from second on up without backing off the throttle or using the clutch. Downshifts, however, are not influenced by the quickshifter.

The 250’s DS clutch gets a new basket; the entire clutch system is now the same as the 450’s.

Walk around the new 250 SX-F Factory Edition and you will notice all kinds of cool stuff, still including goodies from KTM’s PowerParts catalog. You’ll see the new gripper seat cover that wraps around a more squared-off cushion and the extended radiator shrouds with added textured to improve leg traction while cornering. The front fender is wider and features little fins to help direct cooling air to the updated radiators. The starter button/map switch assembly has been updated, and the lock-on ODI grips finish things off nicely on the aluminum handlebars.

You’ll notice a new right-side engine cover with a textured surface for improved wear, and the footpegs have more surface area and are mounted to the frame differently to reduce the chances of hooking in ruts or while scrubbing over jumps. High-end D.I.D Dirt Star rims are mated to orange-colored CNC-milled hubs via high-tech spokes, which are colored black (except for the orange spoke nipples) to match the black rims. The wheels are just sexy looking. Dunlop supplies the rubber with its Geomax MX33 knobbies. And do we even need to mention the factory-issue graphics?

However, there is one notable that you can’t see, the Factory Edition put on a few pounds during its transformation, and now demands $300 more dollars than the ’21 Factory Edition and $800 more than the current standard KTM 250 SX-F. The ’22 KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition has a list price of $10,599 and, like the 450 Factory Edition, only 400 of these special models will be built. But we expect it to return close to what it is now in full numbers next year as the 2023 standard model.

Out on track is where all these changes come to life. Despite being almost six pounds heavier than the standard 2022 (a claimed 224.6 pounds versus 218 pounds without fuel), the Factory Edition still feels remarkably light. Part of this lightweight feeling, especially up front, is credited to the WP Xact Fork. This is the same fork that’s come standard on the KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas models for a few years now, but updated settings made it the best air fork we’ve ridden to date.

The plushness in the top part of the stroke is noticeably better and more comfortable when soaking up small bumps, especially when leaning over or riding the side of the tire. Previously, the fork felt vague or dead in these more chattery conditions but not anymore with this updated setting. And though it felt distinctively softer than the 450, the 250’s shock provided good comfort and confidence for everything on the fast layout of Fox Raceway, where we rode the bike for the first time. Overall, the KTM’s suspension feels more compliant than ever.

In my case, at 175 pounds, I’m admittedly on the far end of the spectrum for riding a 250, but the KTM’s suspension worked as expected or better for our first few motos. Also worth noting is that WP has incorporated new tool-less adjusters on the shock to make adjustments easier than ever. These plastic dials have been a mainstay on the WP fork and now come standard on the shock.

We noticed big-time changes in the engine department. The KTM and the other Austrian brands are known for their ultra-long powerband that carries from mid-to-top, arguably stronger than any other bike in the class. Bottom end has been a bit lacking, but if you ride these bikes up in the revs and carry momentum, you’ll probably be fine. Well, the new Factory Edition took a different approach, and you can certainly feel it. A larger bore and shorter stroke give the bike some better grunt down low while still maintaining that strong 14,000 rpm rev-limiter. You can feel a difference in the pull as the low rpm’s tractor you out of an inside rut and into the meat of the power without sacrificing that top-end scream.

The two maps are also updated to work cohesively with the new engine package. Map one is still the standard map, with map two being the more aggressive option. Previously the two felt very similar in nature, almost hard to tell the difference to an unfamiliar rider. Not anymore.

The hard-hitting character of map two brings the small-bore KTM to life with added punch down low and through the mid-section of the power curve. Prior generation KTM’s tended to feel like a Cadillac or a Porsche; very fast but in a refined, controlled manner. The other bikes, like the Yamaha, felt more raw and sometimes more fun to ride simply because of their wild power character.

Map two finally gave us a blend of what we’ve been craving from KTM. It still has much of that top-end carry but now possesses that smile-inducing pop down low. The second map was our choice for the day as we continued to charge the track with some welcomed extra oomph. Power is everything in the 250 class, and with a bolstered-up motor, the KTM feels ready to go toe to toe with the knockout hit of the Yamaha or the Honda.

As for the quickshifter, the jury is still out on that. We’re still getting used to it, but we are liking it more and more. There are times we feel it is a huge advantage, like stretching the throttle cable down Glen Helen’s long and fast start straight and up the track’s huge hills. We’ve gotten to the point where we pretty much leave the quickshifter button in the “on” position all the time now. It makes it easier to keep your momentum on the KTM, which isn’t exactly always easy to do on a 250F. The quickshifter helps reduce bogging between shifts. Yes, the quickshifter is quickly growing on us.

Traction control still isn’t a game-changer for us on the 250 SX-F Factory Edition but at least now that the engine hits harder, it’s a little more useful than it was before.

Overall, we are already extremely impressed with the new KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition. KTM surprised us with a truly new-from-the-ground-up Factory Edition, but they certainly didn’t disappoint us after riding it for the first time. The near future looks promising for the standard KTM 250 SX-F, indeed.CN

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