On the 4th March 2011 I made a very expensive phone call. It was to Ram at Causeway KTM Ducati in Perth to confirm my order for a KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica (the official full title). I shot down the next day armed with a bank cheque for $15k - the required minimum deposit before KTM's Rally department would take you seriously. (Don't worry about the "shot", "armed" and "bank" all in the same sentence ... it was all done quite legally. Unless you count the wifes opinion). By the end of July the production run was done but an estimate of 6 weeks for delivery wasn't going to give me much time for registering ("B Class" rego), running in and fettling before the Australasian Safari starts on 22nd September, so I turned some more pockets inside out to airfreight it to Perth. It arrived last week, spent a few R&R days with Customs and finally got to the shop on Friday. On Saturday I got a sneak peak as it was being uncrated: Some pre-delivery work was to be done, so I arranged to collect it this morning. So on 23rd of August 2011 I became a member of a fairly exclusive club - owner of a 450 Rally. Of course this didn't happen until after another visit to the bank to further impact the house mortgage to the tune of $35,500 to make the total for the bike a whopping $50,500:eek1. I threw a couple of sponsor stickers on for a photo shoot with a newspaper for some Safari promotion. Watch for the "Photo Finish" feature on the back page of the "Home" section of the Sunday Times in WA. The shop fitted the high guard that came with the box of parts so I could keep the very exxy carbon fibre low guard in mint condition. They have also removed the Cat converter, exhaust restrictor and carb throttle stop to un-strangle it. Unfortunately it's running like crap and barely idles so more investigation and fettling is required. My first mission is to get it B Class licensed and running properly. Then I'll be fitting it up with indicators. It does come with indicators in the box of parts, that the shop could have fitted as part of the pre-delivery, but I intend to fit the flush mounting LED indicators that are fitted to the 530 at the moment. I'll also be pulling it apart to check and re-grease everything critical like steering head bearing, swing arm pivot, shock linkages (it's been a few years since I've looked at those things!), etc. As I pull things apart and notice "cool stuff", I'll post up piccies for you. Cheers JayBo
how's the knee ??? do you need me to run it in for you ( quick blast along the Holland Track this weekend perhaps )
Bloody hell John, that's a nice bit of gear; wish I could afford one myself! Good onya for going with it!
Nice one John. Bet it wasn't easy typing $50,500.00..... Soooooo. when are we invited over for drinkies and a look-see?
John, you need to get that thing jetted and get out there and get some mulga sap on them pristine white handguards and a few scratches up the side of the thing! Fer chrissakes... it's been FOUR DAYS you've had the thing already?! You didn't buy it as a show n' shine bike did you?! The next image we want to see is you aboard the thing, going somewhere dirty, reasonably fast!
John What a Great looking bike!!! What up Troy!!!!! Wish I was down for the race, I am just sorting out my 950 getting it ready to Pre run the Baja 1000. Thanks for all the cool pics you sent me. Wish you could come to So Cal USA.... do a little riding with Joe and I. Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is it called a replica? Looks like the real thing to me. Came across this while I was at the Erzberg this year. Only 33 000 Euro. Was so tempted, but the missus would have shot me.
Why didn't you just buy a DR650 and spend a couple of hundred on the suspension? Then you would have had a much better bike and you would only have to chainge the oil and clean the filter every two or three months. You know you could have bought 6 or 7 DR650's for that price.
Looking at rally bikes always make me think: If I could start again at around 20, I would give this Safari thing a good shot. Have fun JayBo!
Way to go Jaybo. You only live once and who wants to die with a million bucks in the bank??? But Jeez, are you sure you can't paint it orange? Thats an awful lot of white paint for some poor sap to clean every night on Safari.
looks awesome JayBo.. now without knowing too much about what they do to the bike, you been a rally fan, obviously see value in paying big dollars for this bike, and if it is something you love I think that is great.. do you mind me asking what you get, or why it does costs allot of $$$? Obviously it is not something you could build up yourself from a 450?
