KTM 450 SX Racing reviews

This is by far the best bike I've ever had or rode. I love my bike! At first, everyone told me dont get a KTM cause they suck but that's just people talking so I got it and am so happy! I killed my friend first day on the bike at the track. The bike is so smooth and it just rails corners. It handles like a dream. I traded in an 05 KX250F for it and haven't looked back. I'll never go back to anything but orange and it starts easy! almost first kick even when hot dont know how the quality is yet cause ive only had one track day on it but sure it will be great Show less

the best part of this bike is definitely the engine. The powerband is quite different compared to a Yamaha 450. The yamaha has a low end snap the KTM just torques around. It's a little different to get used to and I used to find myself trying to add a little clutch to rush it. Roll it on earlier and it seems as though it's just going to lug, but then it just turns into an awesome smooth surge of power that only gets better through the mid and continuing thru the top. I've ridden Yamaha and Honda 450's and the KTM's middle is better and the top is a lot better. On tight tracks you can't experience a lot of that top, but if you get on a more wide-open outdoor track the engine is an absolute blast. My buddy says that when we get into the mid to top and then top end part of the powerband I pull away from his Yamaha. The handling isn't as precise as the Yamaha and I don't think it corners as well (I have 18mm triple clamps on) but seems just as good for stability. The front end feels a lot closer to you than on the Yamaha. Personally I like this, I feel like I'm more in control. I have more fun on the KTM than the Yamaha, the bike feels lighter and more playful compared to the Yamaha. The suspension has been very good, takes big landings just fine and seems comparable to the Yamaha and Honda in braking bumps. The brakes are okay at best. I think I still have an air bubble problem with my front because compared to the other bikes, especially my YZ 250F, it takes a lot more lever pull to get it to slow down. The back seems okay, but not as good as Yamaha or Honda. If brakes are a big deciding factor you'd be better off with the other bikes. The softer the dirt the better for this bike. The loamier the dirt is and the more it takes on a sandy feel the better this bike handles. For some reason the chassis just seems to come alive in the really soft stuff. To me it feels like a different bike in the soft stuff. When I'm in the soft stuff I seem to like the handling better than the other bikes, maybe it's just me, but this is where the chassis and engine really seem at home (Especially at sunset ridge in Walnut IL, man do I love it there!!). Usually I'm in a hurry to get a new bike every year, but for the first time in ages I'm going to keep this for two years. That should give you a good indication of how fun this bike is. It's also great to go to tracks and get looks. People see a lot of them and if you are a pretty good rider you seem to get even more looks and people coming up and talking to you, it's pretty cool. People like to see something different do well. I did have a hub explode on me when I landed a jump which I have never had happen before, my subframe bent in a crash, and the radiator cap and neck almost got riped off when a guy took me out and his rear wheel got caught in there and ripped it up. Would any of this happen with the japanese bikes? Couldn't tell you, but never had any of that happen before. Some things are a little harder to get as far as parts. Things like fork seals and new plastic has been fine, but when I try to get graphics or exhaust, most aftermarket stuff, sometimes it seems to take longer which can be a little frustrating. All in all though, it is a good bike that might make me a KTM rider for life. Most of this is because of the motor which I, and all of my friends, just absolutely love compared to the Yamaha and Honda. Show less