KTM 450 Rally Red Bull Factory Racer

KTM 450 Rally Red Bull Factory Racer
Manufacturer	KTM
Production	2013
Engine	Four stroke, single cylinder, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Compression ratio	12.5:!
Ignition	Ignition Keihin DC ECUl
Spark Plug	NGK CR 9 EKB
Transmission	5 Speed
Frame	Chromium-Molybdenum trellis frame, powder coated Subframe Self-supporting plastic tank Handlebar Aluminum, tapered, Ø 28 / 22 mm
Suspension	Front: WP-USD Ø 48 mm Rear: WP-Monoshock with Pro-Lever linkage
Brakes	Front: Single 300 mm disc, Brembo two-piston, floating caliper Rear: Single 240 mm disc, 1 piston, floating caliper
Front Tire	90/90 - 2154S TT, Michelin T63
Rear Tire	130/80 - 18 66S TT, Michelin T63
Wheelbase	1535 mm / 60.4 in
Seat Height	980 mm / 38.5 in
Weight	145 kg / 320 lbs (dry),
Fuel Capacity	35 L / 9.2 US gal / 7.7 Imp gal
Manuals	Service Manual

Engine

The engine was a Liquid Cooled cooled Four stroke, single cylinder, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder. The engine featured a 12.5:! compression ratio.

Drive

Power was moderated via the Wet multi-disc clutch, hydraulically operated.

Chassis

It came with a 90/90 - 2154S TT, Michelin T63 front tire and a 130/80 - 18 66S TT, Michelin T63 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single 300 mm disc, Brembo two-piston, floating caliper in the front and a Single 240 mm disc, 1 piston, floating caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a WP-USD Ø 48 mm while the rear was equipped with a WP-Monoshock with Pro-Lever linkage. The 450 Rally Red Bull Factory Racer was fitted with a 35 L / 9.2 US gal / 7.7 Imp gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 145 kg / 320 lbs. The wheelbase was 1535 mm / 60.4 in long.

Photos

Overview

KTM 450 Rally

The KTM 450 Rally, which is fitted with a carburetted single-cylinder engine and which costs an eye-watering 25,000 euros (not including VAT), is probably one of the most amazing competition motorcycles you can buy.

Developed with inputs from Dakar Rally legends like Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, the 2013 KTM 450 Rally is built with single-minded focus – to win the Dakar. The bike is fitted with a chrome-molybdenum chassis, 48mm USD fork and fully adjustable monoshock from WP, five-speed gearbox, multi-disc hydraulically operated wet clutch, 300mm (front) and 250mm (rear) brake discs, 12-litre fuel tank that’s made of plastic, and 21-inch (front) and 18-inch (rear) wheels. Without fuel, the little KTM weighs about 145kg.

MCN Test It doesn’t look like a bike that’s just finished the Dakar – it’s clean and there are only minimal signs of wear. A closer look tells you that the built to order factory KTM 450RR has seen some action but for a bike that’s been raced for 5600 miles across Argentina, Chile and Peru – it’s looking sweet. It belongs to Stan Watt who claimed an impressive 34th place in the 2012 Dakar, which finished in January.

It’s a big moment for me. Anyone that even enters the Dakar on a bike is a hero in my eyes and here I am about to be let loose on a factory built KTM Dakar bike that’s been ridden to a top result in the epic race. I’m getting the rest of my riding kit on while Stan loads the bike up with fuel. He wants to give me a genuine experience of the bike so instead of running it light he puts in 30 Liters of fuel divided between the two nine litre front tanks and the 18 litre rear tank. "You might find the fuelling is a bit out for this weather in the UK (clear but cold) as we had to make a lot of changes to get it working right in South America where it was really hot," Explained Watt. Normally when you ride an enduro bike there is nothing in front of you, no screen, no fairing, nothing. You can see the ground and more importantly your front mud guard so you know what your front wheel is doing. On the Dakar bike the lack of visibility is off putting, as is knowing that you’ve got all that extra top heavy weight of the navigational equipment and fairing located way out in front of the handlebars. The result is that the front feels initially vague, but as you ride you soon realise it’s still working and digging in the same way as a regular competition enduro bike. The combination of harder suspension to cope with the extra weight gives a plush sensation and a set up that absorbs bumps and whoops on our lap. But the way in which it carries the extra weight remains particularly impressive. I’ve ridden Dakar bikes before, but they had always been a strengthened, reconfigured 450 enduro bike, loaded down with close to 70kg of extra fuel, spares and navigational equipment.

As a result they essentially feel like a seriously overweight 450, but this KTM 4500RR is different. Built to order and one of only 80 produced for the 2012 Dakar – this is a dedicated rally bike from the ground up. Yes, it shares the same 450cc single cylinder base motor as used in KTM’s enduro and motocrossers, but chassis, swingarm, subframes, suspension, wheels, fuel tanks, fairing and wiring loom etc. are unique.

It’s the same base bike that Cyril Despres rode to Dakar victory and KTM won’t even take your order for one unless you are a regular rally rider competing in events around the world. Blipping the throttle there’s no mistaking it’s a race ready engine and the revs pick up and drop away lightening quick. Riding a mixture of fast open tracks and rutted sandy trails the first impression is just how high geared it is. Normally on a 450 enduro bike you’re throwing gears at it, but not on this one – first gear is seriously tall and used to tackle anything remotely technical. The reason is that it’s still a 450cc single with only five gears, yet to race the Dakar it needs be able to sit at over 100mph flat out for long periods of time. By using gears more sparingly, you soon get used to its long legged-ness and smooth engine character and it becomes easy and forgiving to ride. If you can carry a bit of speed it feels like nothing can get in the way. Its extra weight may compromise the steering response but in return it’s stable and that brings an inherent ability to help the bike keep going forward – a vital trait if you’ve got to cover over 5000miles. Even when I lost my balance in the ruts, the extra inertia carried me through just as long as I kept a hint of momentum. Source

Make Model	KTM 450 Rally
Year	2013
Engine Type	Four stroke, single cylinder, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Displacement	449.3 cc / 27.4 in
Bore X Stroke	97 x 60.9 mm
Compression	12.5:!
Cooling System	Liquid Cooled
Induction	Keihin FCR-MX 41
Spark Plug	NGK CR 9 EKB
Ignition	Ignition Keihin DC ECUl
Starting	Electric
Clutch	Wet multi-disc clutch, hydraulically operated
Transmission	5 Speed
Primary Drive Ratio	29:74
Gear Ratios	1st 14:35 / 2nd 17:33 / 3rd 19:30 / 4th 21:28 / 5th 23:26
Final Drive	Chain, 5/8 x 1/4"
Frame	Chromium-Molybdenum trellis frame, powder coated Subframe Self-supporting plastic tank Handlebar Aluminum, tapered, Ø 28 / 22 mm
Front Suspension	WP-USD Ø 48 mm
Front Wheel Travel	300 mm / 11.9 in
Rear Suspension	WP-Monoshock with Pro-Lever linkage
Rear Wheel Travel	310 mm / 12.2 in
Front Brakes	Single 300 mm disc, Brembo two-piston, floating caliper
Rear Brakes	Single 240 mm disc, 1 piston, floating caliper
Front Tire	90/90 - 2154S TT, Michelin T63
Rear Tire	130/80 - 18 66S TT, Michelin T63
Steering Head Angle	62.5o
Seat Height	980 mm / 38.5 in
Ground Clearance	320 mm / 12.6 in
Wheelbase	1535 mm / 60.4 in
Dry Weight	145 kg / 320 lbs
Gvwr	400 kg / 882 lbs
Engine Oil Capacity	1.2 L / 1.27 US qt / 1.1 Imp qt, SAE 10W60
Fuel Capacity	35 L / 9.2 US gal / 7.7 Imp gal

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External Links

• http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/First-rides-tests/2012/March/mar3012-ktm-450rr-dakar-bike-ridden/