Off-Road Racing Powerhouse
Photos by Simon Cudby and Jimmy Lewis
To bring all of the front-line changes of the SX models straight to the XC line with no delay, KTM have shown how serious they are about the XC platform. Usually a manufacturer waits a year or so before building an off-road bike on a similar, albeit often neutered, version of the full-on racer. In the introduction of this bike KTM even said that this is the model line that the company has been built on in the US. Off-road race ready right from the showroom floor.
To go from a motocross racer to an off-road racer there are a few changes that are easily done like adding a larger tank and handguards, maybe a kickstand. But then there is the 18-inch rear wheel and suspension valving changes that would really cost a lot of money if you were converting a bike to off-road trim (and sometimes transmission changes, but on the 450XC and 450SX the gear boxes are the same.)
Like the entire SX and XC line the engine and chassis were developed from a clean sheet and on the same time line. The KTM design team had free range on the project and was very influenced by the race teams both here and in Europe. With constant development from the computer models and then underneath test riders on tracks, modeling was quantified and results were modeled after. Losing weight , better handling and more power were the goals.
The chassis is smaller, slimmer, lighter, having a more flat profile. There has been much made of KTM’s decision to stay with the WP 4CS front fork instead of going over to the WP air-spring fork that will come on the European spec SXs but KTM made it clear it was confident in its experience with the 4CS and their improved setting from years previous as well as not having as much development time with the new air fork to switch over just yet.
The 450 XC is a big bike in the woods. It isn’t that it is heavy feeling, as it is not for a 450, it is just powerful and fast. Yes, unless you are a big and heavy or a very strong rider the 450 may just be too much in the tighter confines we were riding it in. Unleashing the beast in the more open conditions, like deserts or GP-style racing is where this bike belongs. The power is wonderfully smooth and torquey, and willing to chug way down and pull back to life by just rolling on the throttle. But when you do this the bike moves very fast and resists turning and maneuvering as easily as say, the 350 XC-F. The bike feels small and short yet roomy and easy to move around on. It has a very planted feel to the ground and was pretty forgiving as long as you were not on the gas too hard.
We really want to test this bike in more open conditions so we did spend a fair amount of time on it out on the motocross track where it did just fine.
The engine’s performance is identical to the KTM 450SX so you will not be disappointed in that area. What really surprised us was how well the suspension worked on the track, especially for some of the slower riders. It was much more plush and supple than the SX but it didn’t do anything bad. The chassis never got wallowly and it didn’t really bottom any more than the SX. It may have been riding lower in the stroke a lot of the time but then the bike was even more stable for the riders who needed more confidence. To see how amazing this feeling was we took the SX out on the woods loop where it was downright horrible and deflected and jarred the rider. It had no crossover ability which made the XC that much more impressive. The secret? Well we were told that there is a less high-speed compression and rebound damping built into the valving and for sure this really works, especially on the fork.
For sure compared to past WP 4CS forks there seemed much less harshness especially in the initial part of the stroke but the addition of the rubber mounted bar may really help—we know it hides vibration.
The 450XC-F was a little out of place in the tighter woods but was a real gem on the MX track. And I feel for a lot of riders who do a mix of riding, it is the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles where you are not compromising but in fact getting the best motocross bike for a average rider’s skill level. The suspension is a lot more where a regular guy needs it to be for track riding. Then the bike is still capable of trail rides without any changes. And yes. It is potent if you are racing faster off-road races or GPs.
