2021 KTM 450 SMR
R I D E R E V I E W
P72
out and allows you to dial in masses of braking
power, as well as giving you an idea of what the
front tire is doing.
Speaking of tires, the Bridgestone slicks are
absolutely superb. I've done the majority of my
supermoto riding on Metzelers that have a softer
carcass compared to the Japanese Bridgestones,
but the latter have outstanding acceleration stabil-
ity that launch you out of corners. The Bridge-
stones don't have the same squishy feel as the
Metzelers, but the grip is certainly there.
One of the biggest differences is in the fork
action and the brakes. The WP Xact fork has a
smoother action with more feel under brakes
than the AER 48mm fork fitted on my 2019
Husqvarna. The rebound is slightly more con-
trolled when you get off the brakes and throw
the KTM into the corner and keeps the front
tire planted. However, the rear spring is too soft
for my 190-pound frame. I went up two spring
rates on my Husqvarna as I had the same issue
of the back end squatting excessively when
the throttle is initially cracked, and you start
feeding in the power. The KTM thus runs wide
and it's hard to finish the corner as you'd like.
Of course, this is a problem for riders of my
weight, but if you're lighter, you may not experi-
ence it as much.
One of the biggest standout features
was the front brake. The Husqvarna
FS 450 runs the Magura master-
cylinder, whereas the KTM runs a
Brembo radial master-cylinder which
offers much nicer feel at the begin-
ning of the lever stroke. Braking power is
pretty similar, but it's the tangible
feel from the Brembo that stands
The SMR will
teach you how
to confidently
slide into a corner
without going
over the bars.
