I thought that I would do this test of the 2007 KTM 525EXC a little bit different than what we have done previously. My dear departed 2002 520EXC was a heavily modified machine, there was not a lot left on it that was standard and I had spent a fair bit of time fiddling and I thought I had it as good as it was going to get. I had the opportunity to add a comprehensive list of Genuine KTM Hard Equipment to my new bike which brought it into line with the old one. I also had the suspension revalved and sprung to suit my weight so that the bikes would be on equal footing.
The new EXC's sure do stand out with new black Excel Rims, new wave brake discs and the flashy graphics.
For 2007 there has been more than just cosmetic changes though. The motor now sports a 2 piece clutch cover which allows access to the clutch without having to remove the entire cover which was a fiddly excercise. I am not sure wether it makes the cases slightly wider or not but it does seem easier to grip. Updates have been applied to the stator as well as the head. The fuel tank now holds 9.5 litres, up from 8.5 which was never enough. There is a new 1/4 turn fuel cap too. The front forks have sport modified internals for a smoother action, and the rear shock has had some tweaking done to it's internals to make for a much smoother action.
ERGONOMICS
I took my shiny new 525 out to the Cobaws for it's maiden voyage. Anyone who has ridden there knows that this place is hard on both bike and rider. I left the carpark and headed straight off into some single track and the first big difference between old and new that I noticed was the '07 was a hell of a lot slimmer and " felt" lighter. The bike weighs pretty much the same as my old 520 - about 115kg, but with the slimmer ergo's and redesigned tank and seat the weight seems to be carried better on the new 525. It is actually hard to pick where the extra litre is held in the tank, I reckon it sits a little bit higher and is ever so slightly wider below the radiator shrouds. Either way it is snuck in there beautifully!
Gripping the bike with my knees was easy and transitioning from sitting to standing was done easily.
The KTM's cockpit has always been roomy but was even more so due to the extra adjustability offered by the 6 bar positions on the very trick Factory SXS Clamps as well as the rise offered by the PHDS System.
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MOTOR
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KTM hit the nail on the head way back in 2000 when they first released the current generation Racing Four Stroke motor. This thing produces mumbo right off idle in an amazingly smooth and linear fashion.
Torque is where it's at and this motor has always had it in spades. Gear selection on uphills is just not critical - it has that much grunt. Wide open fire trails are an absolute blast, powersliding is smooth and controllable. In the tighter stuff where too much power can be a bad thing the ability to lug the motor in a gear too high really helps to keep you moving.
The addition of an Akropovic titanium muffler made the bike breathe easier and amplified the already abundant torque of the bottom end.
I have always been an advocate of the excellent standard muffler on the KTM's as they make good power, allow the engine to breathe well and are quiet which is very important these days. Why every other enduro bike manufacturer cannot follow suit and make a decent muffler beats the hell out of me!
The Akropovic Titanium muffler enhances the bike's performance without the harsh noise increase of most of today's aftermarket mufflers.
SUSPENSION
From the woeful standard setup in 2002, each year has progressively improved and the suspenders on offer in 2007 are the best so far. The standard fork springs have gone up a rate this year to .44's which was always necessary for anyone who weighed over 80kg.
Choice Suspension's Anthony Giles chose a set of .46 White Power front springs and a White Power PDS4 rear spring to suit my weight. A revalve was done on both ends to suit my riding style. The fork action was plush, soaking up all hits with ease and with no deflection.
Front end grip was awesome and turn in was sharp and precise, helped by the 17.5mm offset SXS Clamps working well with the modified fork setup. The rear shock must have worked really well because I didn't notice it. The rear wheel stayed put and the shock soaked everything up in a very progressive manner.
FINAL SAY
What has 5 years of R&D at that little orange factory in Mattighoffen done for us? Each year this machine has gotten progressively better, ergos are more comfortable, reliability is now proven and the suspension continues to improve in leaps and bounds - pun intended! The power is the most usable in it's class too. There have been the odd backwards steps though, like the 8.5 litre fuel tank which left us all scrabbling for something to give us a range over 100k's.
I used to keep telling myself that I had no need to update from my trusty old 520. The latest machines didn't look too different and nothing stood out to me as a giant leap forward. Well, in hindsight I was wrong!
