KTM has taken the wraps off a new 450 Rally Replica, even as the company’s plans for its desert racing program are a bit unclear, as we look in from the outside.
What’s new for 2025? KTM says the 450 cc single-cylinder engine has a new SOHC cylinder head, a beefed-up clutch and gearbox, and a dual-radiator setup that is supposedly superior to the old single-rad arrangement.
The new frame is made of laser-cut and hydro-formed pieces, welded together in the KTM Motorsports plant—this is the only machine made there that’s available to customers, says KTM. As all the manufacturers say when they release a new frame, it’s supposed to be an updated design that offers the right amount of feedback, flex and stiffness. This is indeed a difficult formula to nail, but KTM says they did the calculations to make it work well in all aspects. The hollow, die-cast aluminum swingarm is also new for 2025.
There’s a new self-supporting 16-liter fuel tank in back that also serves as the subframe, with added 9-liter and 9.5-liter tanks in front, with dual fuel pumps that can either feed from front or rear tanks.
And then you get the suspension updates:
From a handling perspective, the 2025 KTM 450 RALLY REPLICA is fitted with the latest WP PRO COMPONENTS. In the front, 48 mm WP XACT PRO 7548 closed cartridge cone valved fork is clamped into a new 23 mm offset, CNC machined triple clamps ensuring optimal stiffness. The upper clamp also boasts an in-house developed PHDS system, fitted with a SCOTTS steering damper.
Taking charge at the rear is the WP XACT PRO 7750 shock. Fully customizable for individual set up of rider and specific terrain. Tried, tested and used in multiple Rally stage wins by the likes of Kevin Benavides and Matthias Walkner.
There’s also a new carbon-fiber nav tower with a lighter, more narrow dashboard tucked in behind, designed to mount a digital roadbook. The front of the redesigned bodywork incorporates a new LED headlight system that is supposed to pump out 33 percent more lighting output, a key factor in early mornings and late nights in rally raid.
Although KTM doesn’t publish the MSRP, only 100 bikes will be made this year, so you know they’ll be expensive, especially because KTM tells us this is the closest thing to a pro’s racebike that you can get. So while KTM seems to be restructuring its rally raid factory team, we see that, at least for 2025, the plan is to keep challenging the Dakar and maybe other events, and that customers are still able to buy a pro-level bike as well.
