KTM Freeride review︱Cross Training Adventure

Warning: this is now a very old vid with horrible resolution 🤣 Thinking of buying a KTM Freeride 350? Two riders put the Freeride through its paces to see what KTM has come up with in this trials/trail hybrid. The Freeride 350 is a lot cheaper than the KTM 350EXC but will it suit dirt riders? This is a very old video now from back when we were just filming our dirt rides - eventually we created a separate enduro channel and this became our adventure riding channel! ︱
Please note these two KTM Freeride 350 riders have very little in the way of rider skills, and pretty much no idea what they are talking about with test rides and reviews. You have been warned... But there are times when free riding I wish my trials bike wasn't so specialized. In back, a link-less WP PDS shock. The KTM Freeride controls and brakes are supplied by Formula and Braking, while Maxxis Trialmaxx tires are used front and rear. The torquey powerplant is a carbureted 250cc two-stroke single based loosely on a KTM 250 XC motor. It has electric start only, and there's no power valve. In addition to being quieter, the KTM Freeride exhaust is smaller and tucked away better. Having a seat, for starters, would be nice. It has a smaller carburetor, lower compression, and less horsepower than the 250 XC motor, but it makes great torque and will chug lower than any enduro bike without stalling. This new Freeride bridges the gap between a full-size enduro and a trials bike. It has a relatively low seat height of 36 inches and a claimed dry weight of only 204 pounds, which helps make it a great playbike. Most riders will find that the compact size inspires confidence in difficult terrain. I also race AMA EnduroCross and often wish my racebike had some more trials-like characteristics for the rough stuff. We score a decent test ride of both the KTM Freeride 350 and the KTM Freeride 250R in the perfect terrain - creek beds, tight single track, steep hill climbs and gnarly decents. This test review and comparison of the four stroke and two stroke KTM Freerides includes reviews from the infamous Rabs, who managed to bend both KTM Freerides during his test ride. The KTM Freeride bikes concerned were a 2014 Freeride 250R and a 2013 Freeride 350. Coming from a trials background, you can appreciate the capabilities of a purebred competition motorcycle. In short, the Freeride motor feels very trials-like. It makes mellow usable power early in the range then signs off quickly. With the new Freeride 250R, I feel as if KTM has designed and built the bike of my dreams. Time to take a ride into the future! The KTM Freeride chassis is unique. It uses a perimeter frame made of chrome-moly steel and aluminum. In front, there's an inverted 43mm WP fork.
Let us know if we used your music in other vids but forgot to credit you. Many thanks to the following artists for their copyright free music in various vids:
Music: www.purple-planet.com
Music: audionautix.com/
Music by Tobu: tobu.io
Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free...
Music: soundimage.org
Check out our other owner review vids below:
FE570 sex beast: • HUSABERG FE570 SEX BEAST
FE570 vs KTM 690 vs TE610: • Video

[@chrisharris1641]

I must want one again because I’ve watched this video over and over 😂. Since the first .

[@Spanky974]

Really cool vidéo ! you guys are doing a great job, good music choice, beautiful place to ride, the bike seem really fun to ride ! congrats !

[@spattison128]

Just ordered mine. Reckon it will be great around the mountains north of Killarney. Great Vids fellas.

[@lewisgallagher2645]

Greate video just ordered mine

[@ktm398]

gonna get me one of these!

[@cedricboivin9422]

Jeez, 10 years

[@topari01]

Thanks for posting. What sort of fuel range are getting for the type or riding you are doing ?

[@Salpeteroxid]

I live in Sweden and I envy your nature.

[@schlooonginator]

I know nothing about motorbikes other than there are trials(popular in europe) and motocross type dirt bikes which are popular here. Oh and there are those on/off road enduro type. This...now this looks like a motorbike I would have dreamt of! An enduro with trials flavour! Awesome. This looks like a real world off road bike. The motocross type that are popular here are fine for trails and logging roads but forget it if there is anything really technical but these look awesome. Too bad there are so few places I could legally ride one. Have a hard enough time on my mountain bike!

[@just-fun-stuff6753]

Is it easy to do wheelies with that bike ? What about the maintanance ? Every xx Hour ?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

thanks rex. could be too small for me too, i'm gonna ride one with raised bars first and see if i can fit on it. at 6 foot 4 i would ideally need the bars inches higher to stand comfortably. :-(

[@nanie29]

thank u sir nice video!

[@myktmfreeride350]

What a hot clip. :-)

[@DarthBrianSoo]

Can the Freeride 350 do touring and/ or Adventure riding??? Will the bike/ engine breakdown???

[@DetroitAdjacent]

thanks, luckily I have some publication and dealer connections. and a good knowledge of bike performance doesn't hurt. i had though you worked for a small publication and just made a home video

[@virasathusain8811]

I like dirt bikes and I like this

[@JacobHayden]

Great video and review of bike I want 1 for learning how2 ride offroad better and riding wheelies so I dont tear up my other bike plus its lighter and has a smaller stance than my bike

[@rex4x4]

Fantastic video ... Too small for me but still a nice bike :-)

[@crosstrainingadventure]

a mix of first gear hill climbs and easy tracks, i figure we would have run the tank out at around 80km. but at a guess i reckon easy open trails would see 110km before it spluttered to a halt. one of those acerbis 2.1L handlebar tanks wouldn't be a bad idea...

[@crosstrainingadventure]

hope it works out for you. i do know a guy on the advrider forum who has "sponsorship" from ktm. they let him borrow new models to test and give him small things like engine oil. this is exchange for his home produced youtube video reviews of each model, but like most bike magazines today, he has to always give glowing reviews or he won't get any more to test ride.

[@Downhill_Phil]

Hi, can you tell me what backpack do you wear @ 2:45 ? And is it for drinking or gas? Thank you! :)

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Jokerface100 i haven't ridden with that guy for ages and can't remember the brand, but it was just for water and carried 2 liters.

[@Downhill_Phil]

secretgardenproject Thank you! I dont need more information! :)

[@ryanwarnes1241]

Hi Freeride owners and test riders. Do you think the 350 freeride is ok to ride on dirt roads at 80km/h? I would love to get one for the tight stuff but am a little hesitant with fast flowing fire trails and dirt roads. What are your thoughts?Nice review too...

[@crosstrainingadventure]

personally i would only want to do it for 5 mins max with the stock gearing. it would be revving a lot!

[@44JL]

There is a "offroad" bike magazine in germany that gets sponsorships from 4 different bike dealers and none of their drivers can ride a 350 ktm exc over a really small log. I think thats a good example of what it takes to be a critic..

[@McAleerPhotography]

Top speed? Would it be good registered on road??

[@NavyScrubz]

Had you ridden the updated version with the updated gearing and other small improvements?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

after an initial interest here it seems very few guys are buying freerides now... if we get access to the new model we would be keen to try it.

[@NavyScrubz]

I read the improvements are from the 2014 models onward. As a shorter female I'm seriously looking at it as my next bike to step up from my tt-r230. Lighter and more manoeuvrable, taller but not too tall. And hopefully more powerful but not hugely so. Hard to find second hand though.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

i think it would be a great step up from the TTR.... much lighter and more nimble. it might be weird getting used to having almost no engine brake with the two stroke but that fades with time. if the freeride is still a bit tall we did this video on our enduro channel which might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/haDJk36ea6d8m5I

[@NavyScrubz]

Thanks for your input! I'm looking at the 4t not the 2t. I'm not sure they're selling/importing the 2t anymore even. I sat on a new one at KTM Newcastle and it was still comfortable enough for me to get feet down even without boots on so the height is ok. My 230 is starting to feel too cramped and boring. Just at $11,000+ new it seems a little steep compared to some and for what it is. That's why I was trying to find second hand, seen interstate for 6500-8000. Is new worth the extra $$$

[@manmedel]

"machine wheelies" greetings Medel

[@crosstrainingadventure]

the shorter guy was clutching up in second. the tall guy never uses the clutch and was in second or third. not enough space here to cover wheelie technique but plenty of good vids around on this...

[@DetroitAdjacent]

How do you become a bike critic? I would like to know because I am a skilled rider and my language skills are well. I also don't hate the idea of riding many cool bikes.

[@nanie29]

is that all stock bike?

[@robertz3683]

Hi! can you get this bike road registered? An if you can, can you get it on your Lams permit?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Robert “Roberto Rides” Z probably robert but a ktm dealer could tell you for sure

[@robertz3683]

Thanks

[@ktm398]

well in the video they say it's straight off the showroom floor without any mods...

[@jackitfast]

the bike looks like it would be a good trail bike? It's street legal & in America many places make you have registered bike like dualsports for trail riding. So many people just buy bikes like XR650l & DRZ400 and such. This are heavy bikes. The time of riding your motocrosser & old dirtbikes are over.

[@calebhanlon4060]

(i love Australia) I got a ktm 520 exc

[@mare6638]

wtf price in my country for this pitbike is 7,800€

[@therbertme]

ADV OZ you gotta stop putting yourselves down with these disclaimers - "we're gumby riders with pretty much no idea what they are talking about" etc. Clearing you've got 1000s of hours challenging riding and study widely. With 100s of videos under your belt you're a solid communicators too. It's like you're tall poppying yourselves or afraid to say something that might turn out to not be 100%. Time to own your opinions and back yourselves. Also you've pulled back on sexism in videos lately which is great, thanks for that.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

ah but it's all good fun tim, i'm usually doing the tall poppy thing as a bit of irony. i certainly know more than some gumbies but i am always happy to defer to experts in various areas. :)

[@tommannix199]

Bragging is frowned upon in Australia. They're clearly taking the piss. These blokes CAN ride. Talking yourself up down here lands you in wanker territory pretty quickly...

[@ktm398]

:-D unless english is his second language and he's referring to another language?

[@LarryAlexander-sw3qm]

On road version

[@crosstrainingadventure]

we aren't critics and we are just average riders, we only got a loan bike for the day because we have bought a few bikes from this ktm dealer. i think the only way to become a critic is work for a bike magazine and be prepared to say lots of nice things and nothing bad about the bikes. rider skill doesn't appear to be that necessary from what i've seen... :-D

[@NZ2STROKE]

We took on of these for a weekendand they are horrible,underpowered,bad suspention and terrible ground clearance and arent even that light,might as well go buy an old xr200 for $500

[@xbradwilliams]

might be interested here is hondas version of the ktm 350 free ride i introduce u to the honda 350 freeride !! /watch?v=t8DUoOb2HW4

[@DetroitAdjacent]

please message me a reply if you get a chance

[@Superf103]

No sound engine too bad

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Extremely old vid, I knew nothing about video editing back then.

[@LiquidYogi]

No your language skills aren't well. Not well at all.