Ask the Editors: Help Me Choose a KTM!
Biggreg98
We definitely have some good news for you- all four of the KTM ATVs ever produced come standard with fully adjustable (and rebuildable) suspensions in the form of high-quality Ohlins shocks.
Our advice would be to immediately send your ATV’s shocks off to a reputable builder with your precise body specifications and the type of riding you plan to do so that they can be set up properly. Your weight is a bit higher than the target demographic’s average so the first thing a suspension builder will do is install heavier springs to prevent bottoming.
Internal valving (shim stacks) will also be set up so that the shocks remain active enough to pick up trail clutter without blowing through their travel. Of course, with both high and low speed compression adjustability, preload and rebound at your disposal, fine tuning them to suit the exact conditions you are riding will always be an option for you as well.
Finally, our top choice of the four packages offered (450XC, 525XC, 450SX, and 505SX) would be to try and locate a low-hours example of the 525XC. Not only was this the largest engine package offered, the single-overhead cam (the SX series boasted dual cams) made for power delivery that began slightly above idle and pulled well into the top of each gear. It is a powerband designed for versatility and can be made to suit just about any riding style with a few affordable customizations such as gearing changes and an exhaust.
