KTM 65 SX

The overall stance of the KTM 65 SX clearly says that it has been designed clearly for children and not full-blown adults, which is quite evident from the compact stance and size of the motorcycle. However, staying true to the design ethos of the true-blue off-road motorcycles, the KTM 65 SX carries a basic design that looks minimalist in terms of the body panels and components it wears.

The KTM 65 SX hasn’t got a functional headlamp at the very first place, and instead, it wears a simple white plastic cowl, which forms the frontal fascia of the motorcycle. The front fender attached to the bottom of this front fascia has a sharp beak at its front, which slightly tapers down towards the front. What adds some nice visual appeal to the front of the motorcycle is the cool looking decals on the front forks as well as small protectors mounted ahead of them. 

The outright sportiness of the KTM 65 SX is pretty evident even when you view the motorcycle from sideways. Surrounding the tiny fuel tank are sharp fuel tank extensions, which are pointed towards the front. These extensions, along with the slim body panels on the sides, do make the KTM 65 SX look very sleek and athletic.

The single-piece seat of the KTM 65 SX looks small and has an almost flat design for it, which is good enough only for a small person. What makes the motorcycle look aggressive are the exposed tubes of the frame which are finished in orange as well as the thick exhaust muffler which has been placed under the sideways of the seat and gets a white plastic cowl over it.

The high ground clearance, as well as off-road spec tires, does play a major role in giving a towering stance to the KTM 65 SX. With no instrument panel as well as fully functional switchgear at place, the flat handlebar of the KTM 65 SX offers a very clear and no-nonsense view of the terrain ahead, which is a must to have trait while riding over off-road terrains. 

With the 65 SX, KTM has shown that small entry-level motorcycles need not be too basic in terms of equipment it offers. The motorcycle sits on a very durable 25CrMo4 steel frame. The KTM 65 SX is fitted with class-leading fitment, including upside-down hydraulic telescopic forks at the front as well as an aluminium swingarm (suspension travel of 215mm) with a fully adjustable monoshock at the rear (suspension travel of 270mm). Given the compact nature of the motorcycle, the braking setup includes small components, including 198mm front disc and 160mm rear disc.

The compact KTM 65 SX sources its power from one of the smallest engines KTM makes for its motorcycles – a two-stroke, single-cylinder, water-cooled, carbureted, 64.9cc engine. While the power and torque outputs of this engine have been kept under the wraps, this engine is supposed to offer class-leading performance, given the fact that it weighs in at just 53 kg.

In order to keep the overall weight of the motorcycle extremely low (which KTM has managed to achieve by touching the weight at just 53 kg), the KTM 65 SX is devoid of modern electronic riding aids.

For a beginner, who is aged below his teen years and wants to ready himself/herself for the world of enduro and dual purpose motorcycles, the KTM 65 SX serves as a perfect entry-level motorcycle with ample amount of performance and brilliant chassis under its skin.