The 2015 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition (FE) is a pretty amazing piece of machinery. It’s the bike that Roger DeCoster, the manager of the Red Bull KTM Team, envisioned his team members, especially Ryan Dungey, would eventually be competing on when he joined the company in 2011. Now it’s here and Dungey is leading the Supercross championship on it. The Factory Edition, which is now available to the public but in limited numbers, is completely new, and we mean completely. Only a few parts, like the chain guide and some of the clutch and front-brake components, are interchangeable between it and the standard 2015 KTM 450 SX-F.
Weight reduction was a big part of the bike’s redesign. After all was said and done, KTM managed to strip away 10 pounds, much of that from its compact motor, which alone lost four pounds. Our 2015 450 SX-F test bike weighed 249 pounds with a full tank of gas, which means the FE should tip the scales right around 239 pounds (which we feel is an accurate number), making the FE by far the lightest bike in its class. The Honda CRF450R is next closest on our scale at 243 pounds (full fuel). At the first Supercross round this year, Dungey’s FE came in right at the AMA weight limit at 220 (no fuel) pounds. The BTO KTM Team had to actually add weight—by going to heavier axles (if you’re going to add weight, you want to do it as low on the bike as possible)—to Andrew Short’s Factory Edition KTM. This bike is light!…
…And it feels light on the track. The FE is very agile and maneuverable, especially when you compare it to the standard 450 SX-F. Only one bike was heavier than the standard KTM in our 2015 450 MX Shootout and that was the Husqvarna FC450 at 254 pounds. The FE also has a smaller feel to it than the standard 450 SX-F, which has something to do with its new ergos. Both the handlebars and seat are positioned a little lower and the footpegs have been moved back a bit, and when you throw in a slightly shorter wheelbase and steeper steering, you end up with a bike that you can really throw around and twist through the turns, inside or out. In fact, one of our test riders feels that the FE rivals the Suzuki RM-Z450 when it comes to turning, and that is saying a lot for the KTM.
We are extremely impressed with the FE’s motor. It’s extremely powerful yet surprisingly manageable, which has a lot to do with its very linear powerband. There are no peaks or valleys with this powerband, just a super-smooth power delivery from bottom to its 11,500 rpm limit, and it has gobs of torque. The FE comes delivered with three mapping choices—standard, soft and aggressive—but only two can be activated at a time via the new handlebar switch. As delivered, the two-way handlebar switch controls a standard setting and an aggressive setting. If soft is desired, you must change it from under the seat, then you have soft and standard choices at your finger tips. (More settings can be added via a laptop computer and KTM’s User Setting Tool.) 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 acceleration a bit through mid to top.
The FE’s WP-fitted suspension is much improved. The 4CS fork is more compliant out of the box, but the rear suspension comes set up a little on the stiff side, especially for the smaller bumps. Luckily, the shock responds well to small adjustment changes; just a few clicks here and there make a world of difference. We found the FE’s suspension easy to tune for the track initially, then it was just a matter of fine-tuning things as the day went on. In spite of the steeper steering and shorter wheelbase, the KTM hasn’t lost any stability at speed; in fact, it may have gained some. And even if it does get away from you a little bit, it’s lighter weight makes it easier to manhandle back into position. Us usual, the FE has outstanding brakes that are strong and offer excellent feel.
As mentioned, the Factory Edition is now available to the public in limited numbers (less than 500) and with a $10,199 price tag. If you miss out, not to worry. This year’s Factory Edition will return, as other FE models have in the past, in similar form the following year as the “standard” 450 SX-F model. We’ll have a more in-depth report on our first ride on the 2015 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition in our next issue of Cycle News magazine.
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