Bike Prep -Taddy Blazusiak’s KTM 250 EXC-f
© Lynn / Enduro21.com
Taddy Blazusiak didn’t become the greatest endurocross rider on the planet by accident. It came as a result of hard work; hours of dedication and of course a great bike.
During his bid for his fifth consecutive SuperEnduro World Championship, we took his KTM 250f aside in Brazil to find out what makes the perfect endurocross weapon.
Frantisek Michal – Taddy’s mechanic and right hand man – is the guy responsible for spinning the spanners on Blazusiak’s KTM 250 EXC-f. Here’s his insight into what makes it a winning machine…
“Taddy is an aggressive rider and likes to attack the track when he rides. Last year we used the 350f motor but we’ve now switched to the 250f. Yes it’s smaller, but he finds that he can push the limit better.
We run the motocross model with a standard five-speed motocross gearbox. The dual switch ignition mapping allows us change the characteristics of the engine. One has more torque while the other has more RPMs.”
“Gearing usually depends on the track. Our base setting is 13-53 but when the course is a bit faster and less technical we’ll run 52 teeth on the rear sprocket.”
*In Mexico, they opted to change to 13-52 after practice.
“Taddy is one of the most aggressive riders I’ve worked with. He hits obstacles hard and fast. The front end of his bike takes such a beating. The 52mm Cone Valve WP forks are set stiff.
That gives him more feeling with the track. But to get the best out of them you have to ride as fast as Taddy!”
“Braking discs and Brembo callipers provide the stopping power. The front end features a wavy 270mm disc. Both callipers are factory parts from Brembo. The front 530 calliper has a special pump that gives better feeling on the lever.”
“In the US endurocross series we run a bike with linkage but in SuperEnduro we run PDS. That is the biggest change we make between both championships. For me the work is the same but for Taddy he essentially raced two different bikes back-to-back when the final rounds of the US series overlapped with the start of the SuperEnduro season last November. That was tough thing to do.
Regardless of whether it’s PDS or linkage on the rear, the Neken triple clamps are set at 20mm offset.
“Even though Taddy is originally from a trials background he likes a neutral setup. The Rental Fatbars are positioned at about the same angle as the fork legs. The mapping switch is positioned close to his left thumb in case he decides to change the setting and the electric start is on his right.”
“Endurocross can be hard on a bike so we do our best to protect it. The carbon fibre Akrapovic sump guard keeps the engine casings and frame from getting smashed but also allows the bike to slide over tyre jumps without getting stuck. An aluminium guard on the rear and a carbon fibre cover on the front helps to prevent the discs from getting damaged on rocks. Hand guards protect his fingers and levers but I also cut them back so when he crashes they don’t catch on the levers.”
“We use the full titanium Akrapovic exhaust system. The header pipe has the piggyback system and the internal diameter is slightly smaller to encourage a more responsive power delivery. The Six Days silencer meets the noise testing limits for SuperEnduro.”
Clutch Housing
“The anodised orange Kite clutch housing isn’t just for show. The billet aluminium piece is stronger than standard so if the chain did come off it won’t break easy. It’s also slightly bigger and holds more oil. Taddy uses the clutch a lot in endurocross so the extra oil lets it run cooler, preventing slippage.
It also gives a softer feel on the lever.
The SuperEnduro World Championship continues with the penultimate round of the series this Sunday in Barcelona, Spain. Enduro21 will be there to bring you the action…
- KTM 950 Supermoto Review Motorcycle Trader New Zealand
- KTM 450xc dual sport kit Enduro360.com
- KTM 450 EXC Enhancements — Old Boys Toys
- Ktm 50 Senior
- KTM 950 Super Enduro R motorcycle test ride thisisbristol Bristol Post
