2025 Triumph TF 450-RC Edition Review

By all accounts, the motocross market is thriving. They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and the moto tides must be rising as brands like Beta, Ducati and Triumph have joined the conversation. Triumph is not a new brand, of course, but its presence in the motocross scene in the modern era is. In 2024, Triumph launched its first motocross bike, the TF 250-X, in 50 years. It quickly impressed us, and the bike didn’t take long to work its way onto podiums in both the U.S. and in Europe. Finally, after five years of development, the iconic British brand has introduced the brand-new TF 450-RC Edition.

Photography by Brian J. Nelson

What would you build if you could build any bike from the ground up? That’s a question the Triumph engineers had to answer as they created its new 450. You might take the best parts of every existing bike and bolt them all onto one new one. Think Yamaha suspension, KTM engine, Husqvarna brakes and clutch. You get the idea. But Triumph started from scratch with the help of a lot of friends, one in particular—Ricky Carmichael. It’s not often that the G.O.A.T. puts his name on a product, but RC had his hands deep in developing this bike from day one and capped off the project with several hand-picked RC signature parts—the icing on the TF’s cake. Ivan Tedesco, a former 250SX champ, also had a lot of say in the bike’s development, too.

Bits And Pieces | 2025 Triumph TF 450-RC Edition Review

The Triumph TF 450-RC (“Ricky Carmichael”) Edition shares the same aluminum spine and twin cradle frame—which is hand TIG welded, by the way—subframe, swingarm, rear suspension linkage and plastic as the TF 250-X.

A very compact fuel-injected 449.5cc four-valve SOHC motor powers the TF 450-RC Edition, and a KYB Air/Oil Separate (AOS) 48mm fork and KYB single piggyback reservoir shock, both fully adjustable, handle suspension duties. It has a Brembo hydraulic clutch, premium Brembo brakes (with Galfer discs), and a packed electronics suite, controlling two maps, traction control, quickshifter and launch control, all standard. There is even an hour meter.

Weight was a primary concern for engineers. Fully fueled, the TF 450-RC weighs just under 240 pounds, putting it right on par with the lightweight KTM 450 SX-F.

The RC designation also represents some higher-grade parts versus its smaller sibling, the TF 250-X. ODI RC4 handlebars, gripper seat cover, Hinson clutch cover, Xtrig holeshot device, Dunlop Geomax MX34 tires, and a front disc guard are all aftermarket goodies that were non-negotiables for Carmichael. Triumph also implemented its new MX Tune Pro smartphone app, which allows you to choose among 10 unique engine mappings, including a special RC-spec map. While the RC signature certainly carries some weight, this bike is not exactly a “Factory Edition,” like we see from other brands. Since there is no base model to compare, the Triumph TF 450-RC Edition doubles as the standard edition. A less-expensive standard model, however, might be coming down the road. We’ll see.

In The Saddle | 2025 Triumph TF 450-RC Edition Review

To prepare myself for the Triumph TF 450-RC Edition launch, I spent a lot of time riding the TF 250-X. Climb aboard the 450, and you feel a difference right away. The ODI handlebars are narrower and more comfortable than the overly wide ProTaper bars on the 250. The 450’s RC4 bend handlebars offer a more universal attack position than the wide-stance pushup feel of the 250. A ribbed, gripper seat cover on the 450 is a nice touch that helps you stay in place, especially with the extra horses underneath, compared to the 250. The 450’s footpegs feel wider, too, giving you a nice and solid platform from which to do your business.

Triumph’s new U.S. racing headquarters just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, served as our testing grounds for the new 450. Sticky red clay and long balance-beam ruts littered the track, making it look like a pair of corduroy pants by the day’s end.

Because of these conditions, Triumph techs recommended we start at 102 millimeters of sag in the back, 3mm less than the usual 105mm. Even at 102mm, I still like felt the rear end seemed low, which kept the front end high and light, not ideal for a rutted track. I like to weight the front end to get a good feel of the front wheel, so the tacky Georgia soil was perfect for trying different setups. Again, we lessened the sag to 100mm and simultaneously stiffened the forks as the front end carried more load. This allowed the front end to track better through the long ruts, with improved feel and predictability. The KYB suspension is top-notch. It’s comfortable up top and easily absorbs small chatter bumps while still taking bigger hits in stride.

Comparing the Triumph’s suspension to other bikes in its class, I feel that it is most similar to the Yamaha Y450F. This is not too surprising considering they both use the same suspension manufacturer. The responsive feel of the Triumph’s suspension allows you to easily move around on track and adds to the lightweight feeling of the motorcycle. Once we settled the sag, I had no further issues with the TF’s suspension.

Visually, the TF’s motor looks eerily similar to the KTM’s from a few years back. Our 450 shootout concluded just before the Triumph launch, so the feel of every 2025 model was still fresh in my mind. The TF’s engine is incredibly smooth from top to bottom. The initial throttle roll-on is responsive and connected, and the power ramps up in a very linear manner, perhaps too linear. The standard map lacked any real hit off the bottom, and the common 450-style torque was minimal. As mentioned, the RC Map is built in, so I tried that, which added some noticeable oomph to the bottom end. It also allowed the engine to rev up easier and carry more through the mid- to top-end range. Looking for more, I went a step further and engaged Triumph’s new smartphone app with its multitude of maps. I opted for the aggressive/expert map, which provided the most of everything. More hit, more pull, more overrev. This setting unlocked the Triumph’s full potential and became my preferred setting for the remainder of the day, especially with the Velcro traction we had.

You cannot fully customize the engine mapping yourself—you must choose from the built-in settings. However, considering the range of options, this shouldn’t be an issue for most.

Also, if you’re looking for more power, Triumph offers an Akrapovič titanium exhaust as an accessory, which includes a dedicated engine map (one of the pre-programmed maps) to optimize the engine’s output. This system, Triumph says, improves overall performance, particularly at high rpm.

Traction control and quickshifter are nice additions. Usually, I don’t find any real benefit from either, but I gave them a try anyway. With overnight rains, the track conditions were deep on top, with a hard, slick base underneath. Some spots, like corner exits and jump faces, became shiny and greasy. After a few wheelspin-induced pucker moments, I turned on the traction control. I immediately noticed a difference as it kept the rear wheel from spinning but not enough to interfere negatively with the rest of my riding and didn’t “slow down” the bike as a whole. Overall, I found that traction control, at least the Triumph’s, can come in handy.

The quickshifter is another tool that I learned to appreciate on the Triumph. KTM and Husqvarna are the only other brands that offer this technology for motocross, but I’ve never felt better off using them. On the Triumph, however, the quickshifter is much faster responding and does a better job keeping the engine revs up high rather than dipping as they do on the KTM and Husky. As a result, the Triumph offers faster, cleaner shifts with less effort.

Day One | 2025 Triumph TF 450-RC Edition Review

Triumph means business with the new TF 450-RC Edition. This bike is the real deal and feels competitive right away. I’m impressed they addressed the issues we had on the 250 and updated things like the smartphone map app, the handlebars, the seat cover and much more. Plus, the holeshot device and Hinson clutch cover are nice touches that you won’t have to buy later on.

When compared to the new crop of 450 motocrossers, to me, this bike feels most akin to a Husqvarna FC 450 with spring forks. It combines an ultra-smooth engine with comfortable yet responsive suspension components and a robust set of brakes. Lightweight was clearly a priority for the Triumph team, and they achieved it with this bike, as it feels agile both on the track and in the air. When RC puts his name on something, you know it’s going to be impressive, and the TF 450-RC Edition is indeed impressive. CN

Ride Wear

Jersey / Pant: Leatt 5.5 UltraWeld

Helmet: Leatt 8.5 Composite

Goggles: Leatt Velocity

Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10

VIDEO | 2025 Triumph TF 450-RC First Ride

With Ricky Carmichael!

 

2025 Triumph TF 450-RC Edition Specifications

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