KTM SXF 450 2017

Motofinne
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4/18/2017 12:12am Edited Date/Time 5/14/2018 12:12am
I thought i could post my "build" of my KTM that i got a few weeks ago.

The plans for it are:
HGS exhaust
WP Cone Valve forks
Acerbis X-seat
Acerbis skid plate
DID/Talon wheels
Acerbis all orange plastics with my dealers support team graphics
X-Trig ROCS 22-24mm triple clamps

Updated list of parts:
WP trax shock
Excel A60/Talon Carbon fiber wheels
Pro Taper EVO bars
Hinson clutch cover
Acerbis TLD LE plastics and graphics and a black/gray set of plastics and graphics

I'm going to take the Acerbis parts and DID/Talon wheels from my old 2016 KTM and the WP CV forks should arrive on Friday. The forks are the 2014 model so i'll have to get the bigger front wheel axle and spacers. So the CV forks are used but the deal i got them for was way to good to pass up.

I don't think that there will be any engine modifications since the bike is a rocketship from the get go.

I have 4 hours on the hour meter at the moment. I have to say that the difference between the 2017 and my old 2016 Factory Edition was relatively big. The european KTM 450 have a 4 speed gearbox and the Factory Edition(US spec) has a 5 speed gearbox and that was a big difference especially in corners. I have read that the gearbox is the same except that it's missing the 5th gear but it felt way different. Maybe different mapping between the bikes? I went from a 48 sprocket to a 49 and it made it a bit easier to do the corners. The suspension was also way different. The shock felt very fast and the AER 48 fork felt stiffer than the AER 48 fork on the older bike. But after 2 hours of testing different settings i found a set up that i felt comfortable on.

I plan to keep this bike until the next generation KTMs are available in late 2018 or early 2019 so i think the build thread might be updated regularly as the time goes by.

Here is a picture of the bike with the X-seat, skidplate and the wheels.



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Idp57
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4/18/2017 4:41am
I little off topic,but interesting!What you prefer 4 or 5 speed!?Can you elaborate more?Thanks :-)
mx4all
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4/18/2017 5:00am
The US and euro Bike got The same gearbox except that the Euro version misses the fifth gear. There is no difference in gearing
Motofinne
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4/18/2017 5:07am Edited Date/Time 4/18/2017 5:17am
mx4all wrote:
The US and euro Bike got The same gearbox except that the Euro version misses the fifth gear. There is no difference in gearing
I heard that a few weeks ago before i got the bike and didn't expect any difference, but it somehow felt way different. Maybe the mapping is different between a 16 FE and the normal 17?
Motofinne
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4/18/2017 5:10am
Well i just got news that the HGS exhaust got delayed 4 weeks... But the CV forks will be here on Friday.

The Shop

greg570
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4/19/2017 1:23am
Do you think maybe Akra silencer makes the difference and not the gearing? Did you run the Akra with or without the insert?
Motofinne
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4/19/2017 7:52am
greg570 wrote:
Do you think maybe Akra silencer makes the difference and not the gearing? Did you run the Akra with or without the insert?
Yeah the Akra slipon could be a factor, i used it with the insert because of the DB regulations here in Finland.
swatdoc
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4/19/2017 6:35pm
Did you check with Buds Racing? I just got an HGS exhaust from them via Dan Crower about a week ago.
Honda11
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4/19/2017 6:40pm
First thing I'd do is get rid of that x-seat. It is like sitting on a rock! lol
Motofinne
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4/19/2017 10:53pm
swatdoc wrote:
Did you check with Buds Racing? I just got an HGS exhaust from them via Dan Crower about a week ago.
Yeah i know there are dealers that have them available but i got a great deal on it from my dealer so i'll wait the 4 weeks!
Motofinne
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4/19/2017 11:01pm
Honda11 wrote:
First thing I'd do is get rid of that x-seat. It is like sitting on a rock! lol
It's the softer version so it's not rock hard, i tested the hard version once and that was a horrible experience!

I love the X-seat, i like a seat that provides lot's of grip without a seatbump and the new X-seat is the seat with the best grip that i have used.

Motofinne
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4/19/2017 11:36pm Edited Date/Time 4/19/2017 11:43pm
Just got the CV forks. They are in good shape, the lugs have some wear on them because of rocks hitting them but that wont impact the performance. I should get the bigger axle on Friday so in best case scenario i'll test the forks on Saturday. i really don't know what to expect, the only "kit" forks that i have tested before were the older style Öhlins fork on a 2011 Yamaha 450 a few years ago.




4/22/2017 12:54pm
is the Acerbis X-seat any lighter than stock ?
Motofinne
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4/22/2017 3:00pm
is the Acerbis X-seat any lighter than stock ?
Nope, it's a bit heavier. I haven't weighed them but you can feel it when you compare them. But it's 100% waterproof so it wont get any heavier because of water like a traditional seat foam!
Motofinne
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5/2/2017 1:22pm Edited Date/Time 5/2/2017 1:24pm
So it's time for a small update. I got the bigger front axle and the spacers for the Talon wheels and mounted the Cone Valve forks. I'll ride the bike tomorrow so i'll come back with a ride report after the ride day.

I also got the RE Motors team graphics on the all orange Acerbis plastics and a set of Acerbis gripper frame guards. I felt like i'v been lacking a bit of grip of the frame so i wanted more grip. Griptape was not an option since griptape would last only a few hours of riding. These Acerbis frame guards are a bit thicker compared to the stock guards because of the rubber but they were only around 35€ so it's worth to try them.

The HGS exhaust should be here in a few weeks of time.







Motofinne
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5/4/2017 10:43am Edited Date/Time 5/4/2017 11:45am
First race of the season this weekend, the bike is close to done. I'm still waiting for the HGS exhaust.

I have had 2 days with the CV forks and i have one word to say: wow. I could seriously jump a 20 meter long tabletop flat and survive. My local track has been in rough shape with lots of big and sharp braking/acceleration bumps and the forks soak them up very well.


Motofinne
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5/4/2017 10:56am Edited Date/Time 5/4/2017 11:01am
I'll upload more pictures tomorrow. I do have to say that the end result of the orange plastics with blue graphics looks fresh. I was afraid that there would be a tad too much blue but i'm happy with it!




LumpDog841
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5/4/2017 7:21pm
Motofinne wrote:
First race of the season this weekend, the bike is close to done. I'm still waiting for the HGS exhaust. I have had 2 days with...
First race of the season this weekend, the bike is close to done. I'm still waiting for the HGS exhaust.

I have had 2 days with the CV forks and i have one word to say: wow. I could seriously jump a 20 meter long tabletop flat and survive. My local track has been in rough shape with lots of big and sharp braking/acceleration bumps and the forks soak them up very well.


Nice, got my CV forks on order as well. Done with the air. How was the fitment of the Acerbis plastic??
Motofinne
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5/5/2017 12:40am
Motofinne wrote:
First race of the season this weekend, the bike is close to done. I'm still waiting for the HGS exhaust. I have had 2 days with...
First race of the season this weekend, the bike is close to done. I'm still waiting for the HGS exhaust.

I have had 2 days with the CV forks and i have one word to say: wow. I could seriously jump a 20 meter long tabletop flat and survive. My local track has been in rough shape with lots of big and sharp braking/acceleration bumps and the forks soak them up very well.


LumpDog841 wrote:
Nice, got my CV forks on order as well. Done with the air. How was the fitment of the Acerbis plastic??
Congrats, it's a good investment!

The quality and fitment of Acerbis plastics is top notch. I wouldn't buy anything else. I know that people talk a lot about Cycra but i can get 2 Acerbis plastic kits for 1 Cycra plastic kit.
JMX82
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5/5/2017 12:45am
Great looking bike! Are you considering getting Trax shock to go along with those CV forks?
Motofinne
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5/5/2017 1:02am
JMX82 wrote:
Great looking bike! Are you considering getting Trax shock to go along with those CV forks?
Thanks! I have thought about it but i can't afford a brand new Trax shock at the moment and they are really, really hard to find on the used market.

But if i find one for a decent price i might pull the trigger!
JMX82
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5/5/2017 2:10am
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is huge improvement over stock shock. It is the best investment I have made for the bike. I guess latest generation stock shock is better design than than the previous version though
Motofinne
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5/5/2017 3:19am
JMX82 wrote:
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is...
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is huge improvement over stock shock. It is the best investment I have made for the bike. I guess latest generation stock shock is better design than than the previous version though
Yeah there are lots of the 2011-2015 Trax shocks out there but i haven't found a single one for the 2016+ KTMs. I saw that someone did fit the old shock on the new generation bike with some modification, but that is not a route that i'm willing to go.

I guess that i could find one later this year when people change bikes!
Digger29
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5/5/2017 8:13am
JMX82 wrote:
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is...
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is huge improvement over stock shock. It is the best investment I have made for the bike. I guess latest generation stock shock is better design than than the previous version though
Motofinne wrote:
Yeah there are lots of the 2011-2015 Trax shocks out there but i haven't found a single one for the 2016+ KTMs. I saw that someone...
Yeah there are lots of the 2011-2015 Trax shocks out there but i haven't found a single one for the 2016+ KTMs. I saw that someone did fit the old shock on the new generation bike with some modification, but that is not a route that i'm willing to go.

I guess that i could find one later this year when people change bikes!
You honestly don't need the Trax shock. I feel once properly revalved the rear shock is great and is every bit as good as the Trax. I loved my Trax last yr but I used my stock for the first cpl of races and the last 3 of the season and once set up properly it's great rear shock. This is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth but forks on the other hand are worth every penny and a huge upgrade over the AER fork.
erik_94COBRA
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5/5/2017 8:35am
Digger29 wrote:
You honestly don't need the Trax shock. I feel once properly revalved the rear shock is great and is every bit as good as the Trax...
You honestly don't need the Trax shock. I feel once properly revalved the rear shock is great and is every bit as good as the Trax. I loved my Trax last yr but I used my stock for the first cpl of races and the last 3 of the season and once set up properly it's great rear shock. This is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth but forks on the other hand are worth every penny and a huge upgrade over the AER fork.
Digger-

Did you test any re-valved AERs? If so, how did they compare to the cone valves?

Also, does the Trax do anything better than the stock shock?

Erik
Motofinne
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5/5/2017 12:32pm
JMX82 wrote:
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is...
It seems like there are only older generation Trax shocks for sale at the moment. I got one in my 2013 150 SX and it is huge improvement over stock shock. It is the best investment I have made for the bike. I guess latest generation stock shock is better design than than the previous version though
Motofinne wrote:
Yeah there are lots of the 2011-2015 Trax shocks out there but i haven't found a single one for the 2016+ KTMs. I saw that someone...
Yeah there are lots of the 2011-2015 Trax shocks out there but i haven't found a single one for the 2016+ KTMs. I saw that someone did fit the old shock on the new generation bike with some modification, but that is not a route that i'm willing to go.

I guess that i could find one later this year when people change bikes!
Digger29 wrote:
You honestly don't need the Trax shock. I feel once properly revalved the rear shock is great and is every bit as good as the Trax...
You honestly don't need the Trax shock. I feel once properly revalved the rear shock is great and is every bit as good as the Trax. I loved my Trax last yr but I used my stock for the first cpl of races and the last 3 of the season and once set up properly it's great rear shock. This is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth but forks on the other hand are worth every penny and a huge upgrade over the AER fork.
Yeah well the chances of me buying a Trax shock is very slim like i said, i'm not going to buy one new and i don't think that i'll find a used Trax shock within my budget.

I might get a revalve and the bladder kit when i do the first service on the stock shock!
mx4all
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5/8/2017 12:06pm
Nice bike finnjävel Smile
Motofinne
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5/8/2017 12:19pm
mx4all wrote:
Nice bike finnjävel Smile
Tack ska du ha svennebanan Wink
mx4all
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5/8/2017 12:29pm
the 2017 shock is way better than d 2016 shock IMO
Motofinne
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5/26/2017 12:58pm
Still haven't got the HGS exhaust but i should get it next week.

I have 13,5h on the bike now and i couldn't be more happy with it. The traction control is awesome when i ride dry tracks and the CV forks are absolutely amazing. The way i can push my riding with these forks will take awhile to get used to, i'm able to attack the track in a way that i have never ever experienced before.

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