RIDE REVIEW I 2022 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION
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offers more side edge than the rounded
one from years past. A factory-style grip-
per seat cover with ribs provides added
traction in the cockpit.
Footpegs are also redesigned with a
new shape and position. KTM's pegs
have been a point of contention for some over the
past few years, and right away, this platform feels
much more stable. Finally, the electronics up front
look like something you'd find at the Apple store.
On the left side of the handlebar is an ultra-com-
pact map-select switch that controls dual maps,
as well as turns on or off traction control, and the
bike's new quickshifter system on the fly. Right
away, we liked this setup more than some of the
"control panels" found on other bikes. On the right
side of the bar is a sleek new start/kill switch.
Down below, the engine has been rotated back
in the frame two degrees and is about two inches
shorter than the previous engine both in the name
Fast forward to 2022, and indeed,
the Factory Edition lives on. It enters
another new generation and receives
a plethora of upgrades from the KTM
Powerparts catalog. The '22 Factory
Edition (FE), which first saw testing in
2019, debuts as an all-new platform for the brand.
A new frame, swingarm, shock, engine, electron-
ics and bodywork highlight this year's FE.
Almost nothing from the previous model will
bolt onto the new bike.
Basically everything. Let's start
with the cockpit. After throwing a leg
over the bike, you will immediately
notice differences. The radiator
shrouds are still KTM-slim but redesigned with a
longer front-to-back shape and have textured up-
per areas for better grip with your
knees in the turns. The new seat
KTM is celebrating
its 10th anniversary
of the Factory
Edition with this
beauty—the all-new
2022 SX-F 450
Factory Edition.
