I first got to ride the MY24 KTM 250 EXC-F at the international launch in Lesotho, the place where they run the infamous Roof Of Africa. Before arriving I thought The Roof was mostly hard enduro stuff with a little transport thrown in that was wide open. I thought we would follow the format of the legendary race. I was wrong.
The loop they had setup for us was predominantly a third and fourth gear 150km lap with big climbs, long descents and plenty of creek beds. It was a high-speed chase through the African wilderness, not somewhere you'd expect a 250F to thrive but the MY24 KTM 250 EXC-F did.
I've always viewed the 250cc four-stroke as a slightly underpowered trailbike that doesn't really excel in any one particular area except for maybe being easier to hold on to in the tight
