Ktm 450 Xc
KTM 450 XC
Quick Ride
Cross-country contender
KTM CONSIDERS ITself a niche-oriented racing company, and to prove it, the Austrian bike-maker has created an all-new category of motorcycles for 2006. The XC line is geared toward crosscountry competitors, carrying the "Ready to Race" marketing theme from the showroom floor to the racetrack. To prove the point, KTM invited the moto-press to the Parts Unlimited Wisp GNCC in the Maryland mountains this past June for an opportunity to race the bikes in the environment for which they were intended. At first glance, I thought KTM had simply removed the "M" from the `05 MXCs and voila!-same bikes, new sales pitch. Turns out, this is not the case. The XCs have little in common with the MXCs. In fact, the XCs were derived from the SX motocrossers, and it shows in the use of performance features normally only found on tricked-out race machines. In total, there are eight models: six two-strokes and two four-strokes, with displacement ranging from 200 to 525cc.
Choosing which bike to race was not an easy task. I opted for the $7448 450 XC, as it is hard to go wrong with a smooth-running, super-powerful Thumper equipped with energy-sav ing electric starting. On paper, the race would last only two hours and 45 min utes. No sweat, an easy trail ride, right? Not with 10time FIM World Enduro Champion Juha Salminen gridded next to me! On the starting line, I had a difficult time determining who had the better-looking bike, Salminen or me. The new 450 looks race-ready.
The blacked-out, oval-sec tion frame is matched to a similarly colored 48mm inverted fork and an orange shock spring, with slick new graphics topping it all off. Performance-wise, it proved to be the perfect racer: controllable, smooth and fun. New suspension settings are spot-on, as the bike is precise and stable, with a plush feel that makes it easy to ride for extended periods. The SX engine is the perfect complement, with the semi-close-ratio six-speed transmission opti mized for the powerplant's broad range. A bit of abuse on my part resulted in some clutch fade, which was eas ily resolved with a quick adjustment at the lever.
For off-road enthusiasts, the XCs make great sense. Fundamentally, these are motocrossers that come with all the off-road good ies-a larger gas tank, an 18inch rear wheel and suspen sion tuned for off-road rid ing-and perform on par with full-blown racers.
There is one flaw: XCs are intended for closedcourse use. As such, they are not equipped with spark arrestors. At least the fourstroke models meet emis sions standards, making them green-sticker-legal. If you do plan to ride on pub lic lands outside of racing events, then, you need only fit a spark arrestor. So, is it ready to race? You bet!
Ryan Dudek
