Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/291759
2014 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION RIDING IMPRESSION P64 iar number-five attached to the sides. KTM built the minimum 400 of these Dungey Replica units to meet the homologation requirements. Turns out, the Dungey Replica worked well. KTM (it was able to give its factory team rider(s) the latest possible equipment for the start of the racing season and us a pretty cool bike a few months later) and the company returned with a similar Factory Edition pro- gram the following year (2013), again offering limited edition Dungey Replica models that, just like the year before, sold out right away. This year, the Fac- tory Edition is back but without the fives on the bike. KTM no longer refers to the Factory Edi- tion as "Dungey Replica," just Factory Edition. Perhaps this has something to do with the team now having two 450 factory rid- ers under its canopy. The new FE, however, still shares the fac- tory race team graphics, spon- sor logos and coloring, including an orange powder-coated frame and anodized sprocket, gold- anodized triple-clamps, blue seat cover and black rims. KTM has boosted production of the latest FE to around 900 units. The 2014 Factory Edition fea- tures some significant changes over the standard 2014 450 SX- F, all of those changes made to the chassis and suspension, and none to the motor, though the FE is fitted with a different Akrapovic titanium slip-on muffler with re- movable spark arrestor. Right off the bat you'll notice many upgrades and visual differ- ences between the FE and stan- dard models, like the FE's blue Selle Dalla Valle seat cover, gold- anodized Neken triple-clamps (with Neken engraving), orange- colored frame guards and radia- tor louvers, the addition of a front brake rotor guard, holeshot de- vice, and the already mentioned Akrapovic exhaust, orange frame and Red Bull team graphics. Look a little closer and you'll see the upgraded 4CS WP four- chamber fork that features com- pression damping adjustment on one leg and rebound adjustment on the other leg, with the top ad- justment knobs large enough that you can actually change them on the fly, without tools, if you want. The forks are also lighter and have slightly softer spring rates. Less noticeable is the new shock, which has 4mm more stroke and revamped valving. De- spite having more stroke, wheel travel and seat height remain the same thanks to new bottom shock linkages that translates into a new rising rate ratio, which starts off a little softer and be- comes less progressive as the wheel moves upward. Frame geometry has changed some, too. The front axle clamp, which secures a smaller-diame- ter axle, has been moved rear- ward 2mm for increased trail and