Cycle News

2015 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION FIRST RIDE P46 always been a vibrator, but not any more. Engine vibes are down to an acceptable level, which has a lot to do with the now rubber-mounted handle- bars and new motor mounts. The FE is delivered with three mapping choic- es—standard, soft and aggressive—but more can be added via a laptop and KTM's User Setting Tool accessory. However, only two settings are available at a time via the two-way handlebar switch. You always have standard mode (position one) and whichever one you chose for position two (aggressive, soft or any one of your own pre-programmed settings you can add later with the User Setting Tool). Out of the crate, however, you have standard and aggressive options via the switch. If the soft map- ping is desired, you must change it from under the seat, then you have soft and standard choices at your fingertips. We never felt the need to go to the soft option, since both the standard and aggressive modes seem to cover all situations (at least the ones we've come across so far) just fine. Aggressive mode adds a noticeable initial hit when you crack the throttle but does so without sacrificing that awesome torque or controllable feel of the standard mode. It also speeds up ac- celeration a bit through mid to top and improves feel from shift to shift. There is also a launch-control map, but our early production test bike did not have this fea- ture programmed into it yet, your's will. The FE's five-speed transmission works in harmony with the motor. Internal ratios are the same as the standard SX-F, but the FE puts the power to the ground as efficiently as ever despite the increase of power. The DDS clutch design, with its diaphragm spring, works flawlessly. Lever pull requires little effort from the rider and modulation is excellent. Internally, the entire clutch assembly has been moved up and back and is no longer oil-bathed but instead uses oil jets for lubrication. This new design reduces drag/friction and frees up the engine. L I T T L E T H I N G S KTM paid a lot of attention to details with the FE. The side panels can be removed separately now (they used to be part of the airbox), and the bike is fitted with neutral-bend Neken aluminum- tapered handlebars that come with ODI Lock-On grips (a production first). Brakes use Galfer Wave rotors, and rims are top-of-the-line Excels that are wrapped by Dunlop Geomax MX32 tires, some of the best overall tires in the business. It has CNC- machined hubs and upper triple clamps, and we love the shape of the new Flow Design Header exhaust, which looks like a miniature two-stroke expansion chamber. And the icing on the cake is the Red Bull KTM Team graphics. F I N I S H L I N E We've so far only ridden the bike a few times, but without question, we can already tell that the FE is an improved motorcycle in every way. It's easier to ride, more comfortable and inspires more con- fidence over the standard 450 SX-F. It looks like KTM just raised the bar in the 450 class with its all-new Factory Edition. Luckily, Roger DeCoster had a vision—a vision that would not only benefit his team but us as well. CN New ergos gives the FE a smaller, but still roomy feel.

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