P96
RIDE REVIEW I 2024.5 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION
This bike easily
wins in the looks category, but is it
enough to win on the track? Honestly,
it's difficult to feel the changes in the
frame right off the bat. The shock
had more engagement and overall
felt less "dead" than I remember from
last year's bike, but we know these
steel frames take time to break in.
Comfort is undoubtedly there, but
being an "advantage" might be a
tough call unless you ride at or
near the caliber of Aaron Pless
-
inger. But even AP said at the A1
press conference, "What frame
am I on? I don't even know what
tires I'm running."
Another new addition to the KTM
is their new Connectivity Unit Of-
froad (CUO). Sounds like the Aus-
trian translation didn't quite come
through right. Remember the bar-
pad mounted phone app introduced
in the 2021 FE but died a quiet death
just one year later? This is the 2.0
version. This new and more modern
-
ized two-piece unit mounts to the
front fender and routes to a "black
box" behind the front number plate.
Pair this with your smartphone via
the KTM Connect App, and you
Horsepower is not an issue.
will unlock a whole host of tuning
capabilities, maintenance logs, and
the full range of LitPro software. Lap
times, rpm, shift points, and more
can auto-log to your phone once
you complete a moto. And remem
-
ber, this is a Factory Edition, too,
with all the fixings that make a vet
rider's mouth water. For 2024 (and a
half), KTM brought back the factory
wheelsets, triple clamps, Akrapovic
exhaust, Red Bull graphics, gripper
seat covers, and more to give buyers
the full factory experience.
