Cycle News

2015 450 MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT P56 SHOOTOUT Overall, the KTM is a lot of mo- torcycle. It makes tons of power, especially in the high rpm range. On our dyno, the KTM doesn't make the most peak power, but it's certainly up there at 51.12 hp. It doesn't quite match the Husky for all-out ponies, but the num- bers show that it has a bit more torque, which is something you can actually feel on the track. The KTM pulls very controllably as you roll on the throttle, giving you that nice kick-in-the-butt sen- sation, but it really comes alive from midrange on up. In fact, the KTM is very fast; maybe not quite as fast as the Husky, but it's plenty fast enough. Our tes- ters, however, feel that the KTM would benefit from a bit more pop off the bottom, but overall they all feel that the KTM has a great mo- tor. Changing mapping can be a bit of a pain, though, compared to the other bikes—the seat must be removed to change couplers. The KTM has two: standard and aggressive. Both have their ad- vantages, but most of our testers preferred the aggressive coupler in general. We again love the KTM's DDS (Damped Diaphragm Steel) clutch, just like we do the Hus- ky's. Compared to the Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki's conical spring clutches, the KTM's (and Husky's) DDS clutch, which uses a single diaphragm spring, has a much smoother engagement feel, couple that with hydraulic actuation, and you have our favorite clutch design of the group. Again, a double thumbs up to the KTM's electric starting. Unlike the Husky's "plastic" subframe, the KTM's is made out of aluminum, just like the other four bikes. The new WP 4CS fork is much better than the previous WP fork in both performance and simplic- ity, since both compression and rebound can be adjusted with- out tools (and are both located at the top of the tubes, just like the Husky's fork). And the new shock is good, too. Still, the KTM's over- all suspension—as good as it is— didn't wow our test riders as much as the bikes that finished ahead of it in this comparison. It is in our opinion, shades better than the Suzuki's overall, and better dialed in from the factory than the Hus- ky's suspension. The KTM turns well and is very stable down the straights, which is one of the bike's strongest suits. And, once again, the KTM's Brem- bo brakes are outstanding, but with the Honda and Kawasaki getting oversized front-brake rotors this year, you can say that the "other guys" are catching up to the KTM in the braking department. KTM's advantage here is narrowing. The KTM is comfortable to sit on; our testers like the SX-F's ta- pered Renthal Fatbar 827 handle- bars, its narrow profile and cushy yet still firm-enough seat. Like the Husky, KTM is very proud of its 450 SX-F, as it carries one of the highest MSRPs of the group at $8999.

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