point of contention, the frame.
Now, the steel-tube structure
features new cut-outs or "win-
dows" up near the shock tower
to
mitigate the stiffness and
offer more flex under load. Think
softer for outdoors instead of
stiffer for Supercross. This bike
was homologated just before
round one of the 2024 Super-
cross series, which allowed the
Factory
KTM/Husqvarna/Gas-
Gas riders to choose this frame
or
the one from the standard
'24. The Factory Editions usually
foreshadow significant changes
with the standard SX-Fs in the
coming model year. We expect
the 2025 base model to be fitted
with this frame.
drastic as the KTM was stiffer
than prior ones but still less
than, say, a Honda or a Kawa-
saki with their aluminum chas-
sis. But among the critics were
some
now former factory KTM
riders, one who even skipped an
entire outdoor season and even
switched teams midyear, likely
due to his fits with the bike.
But that's just speculation, of
course.
So, two short years later,
we have a new 2024.5 Factory
Edition. The highlighted update
everyone is discussing is the
The latest KTM 450
SX-F Factory Edi-
tion, the 2024½ model, received
a generational
change just
two model years ago in 2023
with a new frame, engine, and
swingarm. The works. This was
a significant change for the Aus-
trian brand as its steel-framed
chassis became much more
rigid than in previous
years.
Stiffer for Supercross. While
some riders, including myself,
liked this feeling, many others
did not. I thought this chassis
made jumping from a Japanese
bike to an Austrian one feel less
P94
RIDE REVIEW I 2024.5 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION
The KTM 450 SX-F Factory
Edition features subtle but
important changes following the
2023 model rebuild.
