- 449.9cc single-cylinder gets two maps, traction control and launch control
- Uses WP XACT suspension and Metzeler Racetec SM K1 slicks
The 2027 KTM 450 SMR has been revealed as the one of the most focused production Supermoto motorcycles money can buy. Although KTM has resisted making changes simply for the sake of a new model year update, but the 450 SMR retains its highly specialised race package with fresh visual treatment. It also gets KTM’s new Premium Manufacturer’s Warranty. And no, this one is just too specialised for our market. Shame!
450 SMR is essentially KTM’s competition philosophy translated from motocross to a motorcycle designed around asphalt, sliding corner entries and the occasional dirt section. It is powered by a compact 449.9cc single paired with a five-speed transmission. The engine has been packaged to centralise mass and deliver extremely immediate response. KTM has tilted the engine backwards by two degrees and placed the front sprocket 3mm lower. This helps concentrate mass closer to the motorcycle’s centre while also influencing anti-squat behaviour.
Electronics are surprisingly comprehensive for such a stripped-back race machine. You get to pick between two engine maps through the handlebar-mounted switch. Map 1 provides a smoother and more linear response, while Map 2 delivers more aggressive behaviour. Traction control can also be switched on or off, and launch control comes as standard fit. It is activated by pressing the traction-control and Quickshifter buttons together.
Quickshifter itself works from second through fifth gear. 450 SMR uses a SUTER slipper clutch with Brembo hydraulic actuation. Its job is to reduce rear-wheel hopping and instability during aggressive downshifts, allowing the rider to back the motorcycle into a corner in typical Supermoto fashion without the rear wheel becoming excessively unsettled.
It gets a hydro-formed, laser-cut and robot-welded steel frame with carefully tuned longitudinal and torsional flex. Rather than making the structure as rigid as possible, the company allows controlled flex to provide feedback and absorb some of the loads generated over kerbs, jumps and rough sections.
The bodywork is narrow and relatively uncluttered, allowing the rider to move forwards and backwards without fighting against large panels. Bi-compound tank shrouds direct air towards the radiators while also creating useful contact areas for the rider’s knees. Even the footpegs have been designed around deep lean angles. Engineers reduced their surface area to lower the chance of catching them on kerbs or the track when the motorcycle is leaned aggressively.
At the front sits a 48mm WP XACT closed-cartridge fork which is fully adjustable for compression and rebound with hand-operated adjusters that allow settings to be changed without tools. WP XACT rear shock is similarly adjustable including separate hand-operated high- and low-speed compression controls.
Its wheels are lightweight black ALPINA rims using CNC-machined hubs and spokes with a 16.5-inch front and 17-inch rear layout. They wear Metzeler Racetec SM K1 Supermoto tyres. Braking is handled by a radially mounted four-piston Brembo front calliper on a large 310mm disc and is operated through a radial master cylinder. Rear has a single-piston calliper gripping a 220mm disc. Seat height is 898mm and it has a 7.2-litre fuel tank.
