KTM Macina Prowler Exonic Review

Bikes from KTM, which bear the title Exonic in their name, aim to live up to superlatives: lots of carbon, lots of bling, lots of money.
According to KTM, the Macina Prowler Exonic was developed for the battle for hundredths of a second in the World eBike Series, for extreme terrain as well as boundless riding pleasure. Since the frame is the tool of the Miranda Factory Racing Team, it had to prove its abilities in the highest E-Enduro racing series - which was included in the World Cup calendar this year as E-EDR - over the last two years.

 

Geometry

The KTM Macina Prowler is available in three frame sizes - M, L, and XL. The reach for size M starts at a short 432 mm, L measures 450 mm, and XL 467 mm.
Almost parallel to this, the seat tube length is 430 mm for M and 450 mm for L. In the largest size, it measures even more, namely 480 mm.
The head angle comes to 64.1 degrees, the effective seat angle is 75.3 degrees. 

The suspension design corresponds to a single pivot with lever linkage of a 250 x 75 mm long shock with 170 mm maximum travel. Accordingly, the average leverage ratio comes to a low 2.27:1.

The curve of the leverage ratio is degressive until just after the recommended sag value of 30%, making the suspension easier to compress in the initial area. After that, it falls off progressively.
The progression from the sag point is only 13.5%, from the starting point of the suspension only 4.9%.

Anti-Squat starts at a high 132% and measures still 125% at the sag point with a flat declining line. This is supposed to make the system better resist influences from pedaling movements.
Similarly flat is the curve of Anti-Rise, measuring 109% at 30% sag. 

Anyone who has trouble identifying these charts is welcome to consult our Suspension 101 for additional information.

Tech Specs

As mentioned before, the KTM is equipped with numerous luxury parts.
The suspension work is handled by Fox Factory components. A 38 with FIT-4 damping at the front features adjustable rebound damping, a compression adjustment with Open, Medium, and Firm mode as well as a fine-tuning of the compression in Open mode.
The DHX2 2-Position shock at the rear comes with adjustability of the high- and low-speed rebound as well as high- and low-speed compression. The 2-Position lever allows for the engagement of a platform for improved climbing function.

The DT Swiss HXC 1501 Spline wheels are specifically designed to meet the high demands of E-Bikes.
As part of the Hybrid series, a special 240 hub with Ratchet EXP OS freehub with 30 teeth is used. The hookless carbon rim has a 30 mm internal width, and the spokes are reinforced Hybrid 2 Straightpull versions. Nonetheless, the wheels are said to weigh only 1,851 grams together in the 29" front wheel and 27.5" rear wheel configuration.

If our test bike is still equipped with the conventional Sram AXS transmission, it is now delivered with XX Eagle Transmission including shift pods.
Also, the RockShox Reverb telescopic seatpost is equipped with wireless AXS technology.
The braking is handled by Magura's MT7 4-piston brake with a 203 mm disc at the front and a 180 mm disc at the back.
What is somewhat surprising given these premium components, but becomes more logical again due to the tires in Super Gravity version and the large battery: The total measured weight comes to 24.85 kg without pedals.

Before taking the plunge over a three-meter high drop with the KTM Macina Prowler, one must take a closer look at KTM's recommended usage area. With category 4, enduro use is on the menu, and despite 170 mm of travel and a coil shock at the rear, intense sessions in the bike park are at least theoretically off the table. Regardless of travel and equipment, according to KTM, the recommended use extends to 100% Enduro, 100% All-Mountain, 100% Marathon, and 50% Tour.
Even if the suitability for marathons for an e-bike is not entirely understandable, we assume - after the KTM Macina Prowler is used by the successful Miranda Factory Racing Team in the E-EDR World Cup - that it is primarily at home in the enduro category.

Before you start, the bike naturally needs to be adjusted to the rider's weight. Naturally, this is somewhat more cumbersome with a coil shock than with an air suspension setup and may require the purchase of a spring with a different stiffness.
In the case of the Prowler, it is especially important to maintain the recommended sag point of 30%, as the leverage ratio curve is degressive within the first 35% of the travel and is accordingly easier to compress in this range. Below the recommended sag point, the bike would tend to bob more during pedaling.
Setting the suspension fork with FIT4 cartridge is quite simple and quick due to the manageable adjustment options for air pressure and rebound damping.

When you take a seat on the KTM Macina Prowler, you can't shake the feeling of going on a time travel five years into the past. Measured by modern standards, the reach is very short for all frame sizes, while the seat tube and top tube are very long. Also, the seat tube angle is on the flatter side at 75.3 degrees. This geometry concept is coupled with a stem that is 50 mm in length.
In detail, our size L test bike has only a reach of 450 mm in length, with a seat tube length of the same measure. The size XL frame appears even more extreme, with a reach of 467 mm being very conservative, and an even longer seat tube of 480 mm. For the majority of competitors, you would find this reach length in at least one frame size smaller today - with a shorter seat tube.
For small riders who would like to ride a telescopic post with a longer drop, the seat tube of the KTM is thus too long. It's a pity because KTM is one of the few companies that managed to fit a straight seat tube, which would allow for a very deep insertion depth of the seat post. Tall pilots could ride very long posts, smaller ones as well.
In the case of the Macina Prowler, the seat tube length is partly limited due to the placement of the linkage lever, but as you can see with the size M frame, at least 20 mm less would have been possible. With a bit more targeted use of the carbon structure, theoretically, even more could have been achieved.

Surprisingly, the installed RockShox Reverb AXS is equipped with only 150 mm of travel. For a size L frame, taller people would expect more. But perhaps KTM is aware that their long seat tube limits the options.
True head-scratching is caused by the realization that the predecessor of the KTM Macina Prowler had a longer reach and steeper seat angle, making sporty riders see the development more as a regression than progress.

With the Bosch Performance CX Race, best times tumble when climbing uphill in Race Mode, even if one isn't putting in a tremendous effort. In side-by-side riding with a regular CX motor, it has been found that noise development under load is even slightly less - but the Bosch-typical, quite high noise frequency essentially remains.
The power delivery of the Race version is enormous, but always controllable thanks to Bosch's excellent tuning. However, when starting in steep sections, one should still keep their power input on the pedals under control to prevent the rear wheel from spinning immediately. The fine-tuning via app allows the adjustment of the dynamic feature, which can regulate the acceleration behavior when starting.

The sheer power (85 Nm, 400%) of the motor actually wants to climb even the steepest sections, but then the Prowler needs to be tamed, as the front lifts earlier than with the class leaders. The only reasons for this seem to be the rather short chainstays and the quite flat seat angle.
A seat angle of 75.3 degrees was once standard on an Enduro bike, but now it's usually two to three degrees steeper. This is noticeable not only in terms of efficiency when starting, even if one moves the saddle as far forward on its rails as possible. But also when climbing. However, if you bend your upper body extremely low over the handlebars and slide forward to the nose of the saddle, even if it's uncomfortable, short trial sections uphill can usually still be managed.
In such technical terrain, the short cranks, with a length of 160 mm, also help to avoid hitting rocks or other obstacles while pedaling.

A bigger "problem" arises only when switching from Race mode back to the weaker eMTB mode. Then, because of the significant difference in power, one suddenly feels like a snail.
Riding the fat rear tire with low pressure, its deep knobs provide good traction, especially in deeper sand.
The large 36-tooth chainring is a good choice for an e-bike with a 52-tooth as the largest cassette sprocket.

By means of a control lever on the right fork crown, the FIT4 damping allows for stiffening of the front suspension through its Medium or Firm setting. Activated for fun once, then never used again, the sensibility of such a function on an e-bike eludes me, especially since the FIT4 setup does not tend to bob excessively anyway.
Speaking of bobbing: The super sensitive rear suspension bobs slightly with every pedal stroke, but this is barely noticeable off-road. Those who notice it and dislike it can switch to the 2-position lever on the Fox coil shock to activate the platform mode. This keeps the bobbing in check, and due to the tuning, still smooths out uneven terrain well. Therefore, this mode is not only useful on flat tracks but also off-road – although not really necessary – quite usable.

The Prowler has two mounting heights for bottle cages. Even on the lower one, only a very short bottle fits just barely because of the shock's reservoir. A Fidlock bottle with 450 ml capacity has just one millimeter of clearance.
To accommodate larger bottles, one must resort to the specially developed bottle cage by KTM.

Um es gleich vorweg zu nehmen: Eine Fox 38-Federgabel mit FIT4-Dämpfung ist wohl eine fragwürdige Komponente auf einem Bike mit 180 mm Federweg. Offensichtlich eine Sonderanfertigung für KTM, da in dieser FormKombination normalerweise nicht erhältlich, ist die Sinnhaftigkeit auf einem Bike mit Stahlfeder-Dämpfer und 170 mm potentem Federweg am Heck nicht leicht zu erahnen.
Auf dieses Rätsel angesprochen, argumentiert KTM mit der einfachen Bedienbarkeit, welche den mit Abstand überwiegenden Teil ihrer Kundschaft freuen soll, sowie dem raschen Griff zum "Lockout", was andererseits den Enduro-Sprint-Racer freuen soll. Diese Vorteile übertreffen laut KTM die minimalen Performance-Vorteile einer optimal eingestellten GRIP2-Dämpfung.
Dem ersten Argument ist noch etwas abzugewinnen, geht man davon aus, dass der überwiegende Teil der Kundschaft nicht versucht, nach Bestzeiten zu jagen und lieber einen Ständer an der dafür vorbereiteten Stelle am Hinterbau montiert. Wenn allerdings ein Enduro-Racer während eines entsprechenden Wettkampfs die Notwendigkeit sieht, eine Lockout-Funktion an der Gabel zu betätigen, sollte er seine Prioritäten wohl überdenken...

Davon abgesehen, ist die Dämpfungsarbeit der FIT4-Kartusche, die eigentlich bei XC und All-Mountain-Anwendungen ihr Zuhause hat, nicht schlecht - sogar ziemlich gut. Im Downhill mit einer GRIP2-Dämpfung mithalten kann sie dennoch nicht.
Im Detail bleibt ihr zum Beispiel die Feinfühligkeit von GRIP2 verwehrt. Vor allem Vibrationen bei kleinen und mittleren Schlägen können nicht auf selbigem Niveau gefiltert werden. Einzelne harte Schläge, wie bei Drops oder harten Sprüngen, kann sie gut wegstecken. Bei harter Fahrweise und schnell aufeinander folgenden Unebenheiten, wie sie zum Beispiel in Wurzel- und Steinfeldern auftreten, dringt eine höhere Schlagenergie an die Hände durch und will der Lenker mit Nachdruck umfasst werden. Auf Dauer ermüden die Hände dadurch um einiges schneller.
Nicht wirklich überraschend also, dass das Miranda Factory Racing Team mit GRIP2-Dämpfung seine Rennen bestreitet.

Je rauer das Gelände, desto gröber der Unterschied, wobei die Wahl der Komponenten dieses Gefühl noch etwas akzentuieren könnten. Der Carbon-Lenker ist brutal steif und die DT Swiss HXC 1501 Spline-Laufräder können zwar einiges einstecken, bieten mit ihrem hohen Felgenprofil allerdings ziemlich wenig Eigendämpfung.
Entsprechend wird auch bewusst, dass der schluckfreudige Hinterbau der Federgabel überlegen ist. Das eigentlich mit sehr wenig Progression verlaufende SSL Federungs-Konzept ist Beweis dafür, dass man nicht unbedingt eine starke Progression benötigt, um mit einem guten Stahlfeder-Dämpfer mit linearer Federkennlinie zu harmonieren. Selbst harte Landungen werden butterweich absorbiert, ohne scheinbar an die Grenzen des Federwegs zu gelangen. Dies sorgt für eine gehörige Portion an Vertrauen in das Fahrwerk und lädt vor allem bei größeren Sprüngen und Drops dazu ein, am Gas zu bleiben und das Bike die Aufprallenergie wegstecken zu lassen.

Der etwas höher angesetzte Schwingendrehpunkt dürfte bei der Absorption von Hindernissen etwas helfen, die Raderhebungskurve wandert selbst bei voller Nutzung des Federwegs nicht vor den Ausgangspunkt. Ein theoretisch erhöhter Pedalrückschlag fiel dabei in der Praxis nicht unangenehmer als bei anderen Designs auf.
Der lange Dämpferhub und das dadurch geringe durchschnittliche Hebelverhältnis trägt sicherlich seinen Teil zum Federungsverhalten des Prowler bei. Auch die Tatsache, dass weder Yokes noch Trunnion zum Einsatz kommen, was der Lebenserwartung des Dämpfers zugute kommen sollte, ist sehr gerne gesehen.

As already mentioned, the reach is very short relative to the frame size. Paired with the fairly short chainstays (442 mm) and the smaller 27.5" rear wheel, the bike can be nimbly maneuvered through tight corners despite its weight. At higher speeds in fast corners, I missed the stability of a longer wheelbase, but the L-frame can still not be described as nervous thanks to the 64.1-degree head angle.
Nowadays, there really is no compelling argument for the high saddle height, the drop of the RockShox Reverb dropper post is low at 150 mm for a size L bike, even lower for a size XL bike, and reduced even further for shorter riders due to the very high clamp ring. In effect, the saddle could be much lower, which would provide more freedom of movement - something I sorely missed to be able to push the bike into corners more carefreely.

I also did not find the 50 mm long stem to be optimally fitting: The shift of the center of gravity closer to the front axle reduced my comfort feeling especially in steep sections. Therefore, after a few weeks, I switched to a 35 mm length, which in my opinion better suits the character of the bike and has not harmed the balance in any way.

The heavy tires explain part of the total weight of the Macina Prowler of just over 25 kg with pedals, the rest is probably due to the heavy Bosch 750 Wh battery, which weighs about 4,300 g. There is little tuning potential besides tires and shock (which one would probably be reluctant to swap for an air shock), as the bike already saves weight with the lighter Bosch Race motor as well as the main frame, cranks, handlebars, and rims made of carbon.
You particularly notice the pounds of the Macina in steep downhill corners, where the extra weight tends to push a bit. However, the handling in such situations remains within an acceptable range.
The Magura MT7 brakes grip powerfully as usual, the 180 mm small brake disc at the rear is overwhelmed in steep sections. A 203 mm size would make more sense here.

The built-in Blocklock in the Acros headset allows a steering radius of 120 degrees, which normally does not restrict and efficiently provides protection against damage in case of a fall - top. Less top is the bulky Bosch LED Remote on the handlebar, which is visually an acquired taste. It is extra tall and is a common contact point in falls. Integrated system controllers with Mini Remote in the top tube are now a much cleaner solution, but were probably not yet available from Bosch at the time of the Macina Prowler's creation.
Grateful for the information the Kiox 300 display provides, its exposed mounting in front of the stem is also noticeable in case of falls. At least you don't have to lower your head much to read data.

The Schwalbe Eddy Current tires are actually pretty good all-rounders, which, with their aggressive tread pattern, can grip well especially on loose surfaces during uphill rides. Also, their durability is quite high thanks to the chunky square knobs, despite the E-bike drive.
When it comes to cornering grip, they can't keep up with the best. Probably due to the shape of the side knobs, they lack the necessary bite to claw into corners. Especially on hard surfaces, they start to slide relatively early, but then slide around the corner in a somewhat controllable manner, which usually can be corrected at the corner exit.

The Super Gravity carcass is generally a good choice for E-bikes, but the Eddy Currents are generally very heavy tires - with just over 1,500 grams, the 27.5 x 2.8" rear tire is quite a colossus. The 2.6" front tire, at 1,340 grams, is no lightweight either. Here, a good half kilo could be saved.
Also, the fat Plus tires on the rear wheel must be viewed somewhat critically after extensive consideration - even though I was initially a big fan, I have since returned to more normal dimensions. To fully exploit the potential of the grip, you have to ride with quite low air pressure, otherwise, the tire becomes bouncy. The limit, where the tire feels spongy in corners at low air pressure, is quickly reached; thus, you will probably always have to compromise.

So, is the KTM Macina Prowler a bike to collect best times down the hill? Looking at the results of the Miranda Factory Racing Team in the E-EDR - the highest racing class for Enduro E-bikes - one can hardly have any doubts. Laura Charles is always good for a win, Emanuel Pombo is a regular in the top 10, and Tiago Ladeira even found himself several times in the top 3, with an impressive 3rd place in the overall ranking.
And yet, with the Macina Prowler Exonic on technically demanding tracks - due to the mentioned details - I was not able to come close to my personal best times. The more technical the tracks, the bigger the time differences became; although it must be said that we are talking about a difference of a few seconds, not minutes.
On moderate tracks, where the race motor could play to its strengths, it was sometimes possible to beat my best times - despite the rattling motor noise on the coast down, which one has to accept with every Bosch Performance 4 model. Considering how many companies and riders rely on Bosch, this probably won't bother many people.

At first glance, the KTM Macina Prowler Exonic looks like an uncompromising Enduro racer, but upon closer inspection, it suffers from a slight identity crisis.
I am sure that (lighter) more aggressive tires and a GRIP2 damping cartridge in the Fox 38 would benefit the bike in almost all situations. Although one can also ride really fast with FIT4, it cannot offer the same level of control and riding comfort.
Racers, or riders who like to push their suspension with plenty of travel and the excellent rear suspension downhill, will probably have to switch, which in the case of the cartridge would be an expensive fun. And the rear brake disc could also be a bit larger.

The Bosch Performance CX Race Limited Edition motor is without a doubt one of the most powerful motors overall, and that with a harmonic power delivery in every mode. It's lighter too, and apparently a bit quieter than the standard version. Unfortunately, it still rattles when coasting downhill; a detail one has to cope with.

You have to like the classic geometry in many respects, but perhaps there are riders who are specifically looking for such a geometry. Still, I can't see any sense in extra-long seat tubes.
Apart from Enduro use, I can somewhat agree with KTM's assessment that the bike is also perfectly suited for All-Mountain purposes. The large battery capacity invites extra-long day tours, the removable battery greatly facilitates life on trips, and the extra riding comfort provided by the generous suspension travel will be appreciated by many riders.