2008 450 EXC-R Review

The Bike

What KTM say about the bike:

“Once a champion, always a champion. If one bike in the hard-fought E2 class has until now had what it takes to be the series winner, then that bike is the 450 EXC. And so it should stay! Ultra-modern technology is used both in the chassis and also in the ultra-powerful SOHC engine, which further perfects one of the most successful of off-road bikes.

The result is an extremely light, agile and immensely powerful high-tech race bike which once again raises the bar a whole step higher for the opposition”

Engine & Performance

For 2008 you get the all new SOHC XC4 engine which is KTM’s latest offering. The XC4 replaces the old RFS engine which has been successfully used and loved by many since 2000.

In terms of raw power there isn’t really any difference. However, the XC4 engine is noticeably smoother than the older RFS and the power off idle feels very smooth. So smooth in fact that it can almost feel a little lazy. Having thoroughly compared its performance with a 2006 model I can say that it is definitely not slower anywhere through the rev range, but it does feel like it has the ability to tractor a bit better than the older RFS unit.

You also get the ability to switch between 2 ignition maps, ‘traction’ and ‘power’. However, to do this you do need to physically disconnect a wire to the CDI unit located on the frame just in front of the fuel tank. Not difficult to do but it would have been nice to have a handlebar mounted switch like just about every other manufacturer offers. In saying that, I didn’t really notice much difference between the 2 settings and opted to leave it in power mode.

Whilst I see where KTM are going with new super smooth engine, I was a little disappointed having to pop the clutch to get the front wheel off the ground to clear track obstacles or just plain show off. I expect not to have to do this with a 450. This may well be attributed to my riding style and personal preference though. It should be noted that I was still having to do this running 14/52 gearing.

Valve clearances are easy to check and access isn’t too bad once you know how to do it. Trying to get to the spark plug is also a little tricky, but it is for most 4 stroke big bore dirt bikes where the engines adequately fill up the space in and around the frame.

Overall, the engine is a very neat unit and provides enough power to keep up with any other market leading 450. If the XC4 is as reliable as the older RFS engine then I’m sure KTM will be onto a winner. Especially if they ever get round to fuel injecting it.

Suspension

Up front the bike is supplied with 48mm White Power (WP) forks in a swanky looking black finish to match the wheels. The rear is the normal ‘link-less’ PDS set-up as seen previously from KTM.

The main change in the forks from previous models is that the fork preload can be adjusted. This can be used to alter the height of the bike by a few mm either way without the need to drop the fork stanchions through the triple clamps. I think this is a very good feature to have, although, to date I havent touched it once.

The forks have the normal rebound and compression adjustments as per previous models and they seem to respond predictably when changes are made, making set-up easy.

The forks due suffer from a build of air after a short period of time. The air needs to be bled from the screws at the top of the forks or the ride starts to become harsh and the front end deflects of the smallest of rocks. Bleeding is easy to do with some after market bleeders in place of the screws made from chocolate as supplied by KTM. A more robust solution would be to be to put a cap head screw in instead. If you do bleed your forks always make sure you forks are off the ground and fully extended. If you do not do this you will create a vacuum in the fork leg and make your ride worse, not better.

I haven’t touched the rear shock set-up at all yet, although I admit I do need to do this. The main reason I havent is that I really need to get a heavier spring fitted. The standard set-up just about works for me at the mo’, but I’m heavier than the recommended 85Kg for the spring load and therefore the sag settings are a bit off as I weigh probably 96Kg loaded up.

This doesn’t seem to have too much of an impact on the operation of the rear end so far, which is why I have let it slip so long, but you get used to how to the bike rides to an extent. One of my next jobs is to get the suspension properly set-up for my weight and rising style.

Headshake at speed is present on this bike as it seems to be on most KTM’s. This may be due to suspension tweaks that are required to smooth this out. I will know after I have the suspension set-up by an expert. Either way I think I will invest in a steering damper at some point to help with those unexpected hits and help high speed stability through rock gardens etc.

Build

The build quality of the bike is excellent and the components used are high standard as youd expect for a bike priced at the top end of the market. KTM do seem to be plagued with a few common quality control issues such as loose nuts/bolts here and there, all of which should really be sorted by the dealer inspection.

All parts fit together well and have easy access to items that require the most maintenance. Air filter access requires no tools which allows the filter to be changed in a matter of minutes.

The exhaust can even be pulled apart easily allowing easy re-packing when required. You get the impression that the Austrians have thought long and hard when designing this bike.

My only real complaint to date would the material used for the sump drain plug and the fork bleeder screws. I have managed to strip these with ease so far which is pain. Supplying more durable versions of these parts would be very nice, almost any metal would stronger than the tin foil ones supplied.

Overall

Overall, I’m very happy with the bike and it performs well in every area. The front forks do need the air to bled out of them frequently to keep them feeling nice. Not difficult to do but an addition to what would be considered a relatively high maintenance program.

Maintenance for this bike is slightly more intense than most with the oil needing to be changed every 400Ks or so. The recommended oil is expensive as well at $110 for 4 litres, whilst the single required air filter will rush you $15. This should be taken into consideration if you want a low cost/low maintenance bike.

The respective offerings from Honda and Yamaha have slightly better service intervals, although have issues of their own too.

As a package, and a competitor in the 450 class I would highly recommend the KTM. However, there are very good alternatives on the market now with fuel injection systems that are superior in the technology front. With KTM owned Husaberg going to a fuel injected bike for ’09’ how long will it be before KTM fit it to their range?

With such a prominent change round the corner for KTM I would think twice about buying a ’09’….