1981 KTM Motocross Motorcycles - 2-Page Vintage Ad

Description

1981 KTM Motocross Motorcycles - 2-Page Vintage Ad
Original, vintage motorcycle advertisement / article.
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm)
Condition: Good
MEET THE NEW 1981 KTMs
Water-cooling and earth shaking
By the ever-inquisitive staff of Dirt Bike
Among the interesting facts in the
dirt bike universe that are accept-
ed by all is the undeniable one: KTM
knows how to make horsepower. After
all, didn’t their 350 run right alongside
the Open bikes for a few years? And
the 420 has won more than its share of
desert and cross-country events.
Therefore, it must come as sort of a
shock to the competition when KTM
chooses to go the cubic-inch route.
Think about it: 495 cubic centimeters
of unadulterated horsepower. It’s as if
someone gave the company a clean
sheet and said, “Go ahead and slit
their throats.’’
The last word we got from the KTM
engineering people was this: “We are
tired of this horsepower race with the
Yamaha 465 and the Maico 450 and so
forth. We feel that we have the capa-
bility of producing 50 horsepower at
the rear wheel. This is all that anyone
should really want. Anyone rational,
that is.”
Hmmmm. Rational? Do we need a
495? Do we need a 490? Hell’s fire, do
we even need a 465?
Well, between you and us, rational
behavior never sold a single motor-
cycle in the history of mankind. So,
without much further ado, we hereby
present the 1981 line of KTM, which,
for all practical purposes, shall herein
be known as the Austrian Overkills.
495 MOTOCROSS
Leading the parade of new bikes
from KTM is the monster 495cc moto-
crosser. A massive 92 4- millimeter pis-
ton rides inside the big-finned engine.
A glance at the spec sheet shows that
the newest Open bike is getting very
close to 13 inches of travel at the rear
wheel.
No reports of actual real wheel dyno
power are available yet, but our own
Vic Krause (Mr. Know-It-All) rode a
495 at the dealer preview in Ohio and
said: “It’s the most frightening bike
I’ve ever ridden. There’s horsepower
everywhere!”
As with all of the new KTMs, red
and blue trim accents the clean white
plastic.
For those who demand a little less
power, this same basic bike is available
as a 420cc bike, with the bore being the
only major difference. Both bikes, by
the way, have primary kickstart.
Engine: KTM 495cc with magnesium crankcases
Horsepower: 53 DIN at7,000 rpm
Bore/Stroke: 92.25mm/74mm
Transmission: 5-speed with primary kickstart
Induction: piston port with 40mm Bing with power jet
Frame/Swingarm: chromemoly/
heat treated aluminum extrusion
Suspension, front: 38mm Marzocchi with
300mm (12 inches) travel
Suspension, rear: Ohlins shocks with
320mm (12.8 inches) travel
Wheels; Metzeler tires with Sun rims
Weight: 104 kg (228 pounds)
390WR
This machine has been around for a
long time, with small changes updat-
ing it yearly. This year, the new Fox
shocks at the rear are noteworthy, as is
the primary kickstart. Weight is still
heavy, with 252 pounds dry being the
number. A 40 Bing carburetes this
near bullet-proof engine. Cases are
based on the 420 bike.
Engine; new magnesium crankcases
Horsepower: 44 DIN at 7,500 rpm
Bore/Stroke. 82mm/74mm
Transmission: 5-speed wide ratio with
primary kickstart
Induction; piston port with 40mm Bing
Frame/Swingarm: chromemoly/
heat treated aluminum extrusion
Suspension, front; Marzocchi 38mm with
300mm (12 inches) travel
Suspension, rear: MX Fox Shox with
284mm (11.4 inches) travel
Weight: 115 kg (252 pounds)
250 MOTOCROSS AND 250WR
While the 250 motocrosser and the
enduro bike are basically the same
package, enough differences are there
to call them two different bikes. The
MXer has a five-speed, close ratio
gearbox and the enduro bike features a
wide ratio, six-speeder. The power
plants are the same, all the way down
to identical 38mm Bing carbs. Seven
pounds difference is all the penalty
you have to pay to have lights and le-
galities. Travel is, naturally, slightly
less on the enduro bike, but it sports
Fox shocks as standard items. Lots of
quality hardware.
Engine: new KTM 246cc with magnesium crankcases
Horsepower: 42 DIN at7,500 rpm
Bore/Stroke: 71mm/62mm
Transmission: 5-speed close ratio with primary kick
6-speed wide ratio with primary kick
Induction: piston port with 38mm Bing
Frame/swingarm: chromemoly/
heat treated aluminum extrusion
250 mx Suspension, front: 38mm Marzocchi with
300mm (12 inches) travel
Suspension, rear: Ohlins shocks with
310mm (12.4 inches) travel
Wheels: Metzeler tires with Sun rims
Weight: 99 kg (217 pounds)
250wr Suspension, front: Marzocchi 38mm with
300mm (12inches) travel
Suspension, rear: Fox Shox with
284mm (11.4 inches) travel
Wheels: Metzeler tires with Sun rims
Weight: 102 kg (224 pounds)
125WR AND 125RV MOTOCROSS
With the 125 Enduro class starting
to regain popularity once more, the
125WR makes the most serious effort
we’ve seen to date. It’s a traditional
125 all across the board and is basic-
ally a 125 MXer with a wide-ratio
gearbox and slightly less travel. Fox
shocks do the job at the rear (!) and the
dry weight is listed at just slightly over
200 pounds, lights and all. Handsome
unit.
KTM is loaded with 125s for 1981.
The RV shown here is the air-cooled
version; a more-or-less traditional de-
sign, except for the case reed. Mr. K
also rode this bike and noted that it
was extremely fast. The air-cooled
version weighs in about 5 pounds less
than the waterpumper. Ohlins shocks
and buckets of travel at both ends
complete the package.
Engine; KTM 124cc with magnesium crankcases,
air-cooled
Horsepower: 28.5 DIN at9,800 rpm
Bore/Stroke: 54mm/54mm
Transmission. 6-speed wide ratio with
primary kickstart
Induction: crankcase reed valve with
piston port with 32mm Bing
Frame/Swingarm: chromemoly/
heat treated aluminum extrusion
Suspension front: 35mm Marzocchi with
270mm 118.8 inches) travel
Suspension, rear: Fox Shox with
284mm <11,4 inches) travel
Wheels: Metzeler tires with Sun rims
Weight. 93 kg (204 pounds)
125LC MOTOCROSS
Here’s the baby that had everyone
buzzing at the dealer show: the 125LC!
It’s a water-cooled machine with the
radiator cleverly mounted underneath
the gas tank. The shape of the tank it-
self forces the cooling air down on the
radiator. This eliminates the problem
of hose routing and carrying extra
weight up on the forks. Over 12 inches
of travel abounds. Look for a test on
thisbike very soon.
Engine: KTM 124cc with magnesium crankcases with
liquid (or water-) cooled cylinder and cylinder head
Horsepower: 28.5 DIN at 9,800 rpm
Bore/Stroke: 54mm/54mm
Transmission: 6-speed close ratio with
primary kickstart
Induction: case reed valve with
piston port with 32mm Bing
Frame/Swingarm: chromemoly/
heat treated aluminum extrusion
Suspension, front: 38mm Marzocchi with
300mm (12 inches) travel
Suspension, rear: Ohlins shocks with
300mm (12 inches) travel
Wheels: Metzeler tires with Sun rims
Weight:
Air-cooled: 89 kg (195pounds)
Water-cooled: 91 kg (200 pounds)
16685-AL-8102-22