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2007 KTM 450EXC: A street-legal race bike without compromises

Story by James Holter, photos by Shane Circle

Picture this. Sub-30-degree temps. An almost-new bike that hasn't been started in two weeks. A carburetor. That's not a perfect recipe for a fire-it-up-and-ride morning. But that's exactly what I'm looking for as I prepare to hit the woods with KTM's 2007 450EXC.

I missed the North American EXC model introduction due to a prior professional commitment, but KTM still gave us an opportunity to check out the new 450EXC a couple weeks later. Unfortunately, that has left me with typical southern Ohio winter weather conditions for test riding, and that means either mud or, even slicker, frozen clay.

On this ride, I'm looking at the latter, and the cold temps that go with it. No problem. I've been here before. But that also means I know what to expect — or what not to expect, in the way of immediate internal combustion — when I try to start the carbureted four-stroke single this morning.

So, when do you figure the new Ka-TooM finally gets cooking?

Try instantly.

Just 1.5 seconds after I thumb the starter button (yes, I count), the KTM fires up and settles into a quiet purr.

Typical? Probably not, but it's just one of many nice surprises that has been laid on me by KTM's new street-legal 450EXC.

NEW FOR '07

KTM has taken its top-of-the-line enduro race bike to another level for 2007. But not by making any huge engine or suspension advancements. Nope, they just added a thin little piece of tin: a license plate.

Yep, for 2007 the 525EXC and 450EXC come from the factory 50-state street legal. That means full compliance with federal emissions and sound standards, turn signals, a horn, a high/low beam headlight, a brake/tail light, mirrors and the corresponding handlebar switches. The DOT-approved tires are Pirelli's Scorpion Mx, which are an aggressive tread legal for ISDE competition.

Looking over the bike, I get the sense that the dual-sport equipment was just, well, bolted to an existing package. It looks more aftermarket than factory. The integration isn't what you'll find on, say, a KTM 640 Adventure, for example.

But my guess is that's exactly how KTM wants it. Integration is not the point. Competition is.

A competitive woods racer that comes street-legal from the factory has always been a Holy Grail of sorts for woods riders. Sure, there are a number of dirt-oriented factory dual-sports out there. However, even though they lean more toward the dirt side of things, they typically lack the suspension, power characteristics and sharp handling you want for a full season of serious competition. Such bikes are fine if you want a street-legal trail bike and occasional enduro mount, but if you want a race bike with the minimal number of compromises necessary to make it street-legal, that's another matter.

A full-bore off-road racer in street-legal garb is exactly what KTM set out to build, however, and I'm having a blast seeing just how close they've come.

RIDING IMPRESSION

This morning, I put the KTM through its paces on three different types of terrain. First, I take it on a tight loop that circles around a steep ridge. Then, I move down into a valley along a stream that feeds a small pond. Finally, I hit a large open field with copious elevation changes and several natural jumps.

The first section is relatively fast. And that's a good thing, as I've found out quickly that the KTM likes to be ridden in the meat of the powerband. The stock gearing, with a 15-tooth sprocket up front and a 45 in the rear, immediately feels pretty tall for what I consider typical eastern woods riding.

But that doesn't mean the 450EXC won't pull it. The four-stroke single lugs just fine. It doesn't snap off the bottom, like you would expect, say, a KTM 450SX to do. But of course, most woods riders aren't looking for snap. They want tractable power that pulls to the moon. No question, that's what the 450EXC delivers.

It's also that power delivery that lets me keep moving in the right direction after I break through the top crumbly surface of the trail. Once the tires get down to the hard-packed frozen clay underneath, it's usually game over unless I'm running ice screws. But the KTM puts its power to the ground so smoothly that I have no trouble maintaining forward mo' when the trail becomes an asphalt-smooth, icy sidewalk through the woods.

However, the sub-terrain is anything but solid when I move to the valley. Down here, just under the frozen surface is some seriously slimy mud and rocks. This proves to be a real test for the tread of the DOT-legal stock Pirellis, but the tires do great. The front tire, especially, hooks up despite the slick conditions.

The rocks also give me a chance to get a feel for the suspension. Here, the 450EXC really shines. I've taken this same route on a number of different motorcycles — admittedly, some not necessarily valved for the woods — but I don't remember any of them handling this rough stuff as smoothly as this KTM does. It's a nice action, too, as both ends move through their stroke without any harshness.

Finally, I hit the road (legally, of course) and ride a mile or so to a large open field area. By now, the early afternoon sun has thawed out the open areas and I get a chance to wring out the 450cc motor a bit.

There's one particular jump at the top of a long uphill that I typically hit in fourth or fifth on my 250F. On the 450EXC, I hit it in third. On my first jump, riding rather conservatively, I sail nearly as far on the KTM as I do on the smaller bike with the throttle pinned.

I also hit a few drop-offs, which really test the suspension on both ends. It's no surprise that the KTM feels a little soft on big-hit situations, but that's to be expected. This bike is built to make trail obstacles disappear, not for clearing 60-foot doubles. That said, after jumping the bike countless times for photographs, I'm fully confident that it can handle anything I'd expect to see on a typical harescramble course.

Other than the gearing, I have a couple of minor gripes, neither of which is significant. First, if you hit a relatively big jump, expect the mirrors to droop into your grips. Second, the turn signals, particularly the rear, are placed in about the worst place they could be when you kick your leg over the rear fender to mount the bike. Unfortunately, it only takes about one slip of the mind to catch a signal with your leg and pop it off.

RACE BIKE. PERIOD.

Don't be fooled. There's nothing "dual" about it. The street-legal 2007 KTM 450EXC is all sport. Despite the horn, lights, blinkers, etc., the $7,995 450EXC is still, first and foremost, an off-road race bike.

What would I change? The gearing, first of all, which is the one compromise on this bike done for the sake of street-worthiness. I'd start by dropping a tooth on the countershaft sprocket. And, eventually, I imagine I would have to deal with the fragile turn signals. Other than that, this bike is harescramble- or enduro-ready.

This is an aggressive woods machine that just happens to be legal for any public highway in the United States. As cool as that is, it's not something I easily remember when I'm lofting the front wheel over a downed log or weaving through the trees. I just can't decide what puts a bigger smile on my face. Turning off the trail onto a county road or turning off a county road directly onto the trail (blinkers flashing, of course).

I guess I'll have to keep practicing to find out.

2007 KTM 450 EXC
Engine	Liquid-cooled four-stroke single
Displacement	447.92cc
Bore x stroke	89.0mm x 72.0mm
Carburetion	Keihin MX FCR 39
Compression ratio	11:1
Transmission	6-speed
Final drive	15/45 sprockets
Wheels	1.60x20 front, 2.15x18 rear
Front suspension	48mm WP inverted fork, 11.8 inches of travel
Rear suspension	WP monoshock, 12.8 inches of travel
Seat height	36.42 inches
Ground clearance	15 inches
Fuel capacity	2.11 gallons
Dry weight	250.3 pounds
MSRP	$7,995