2009 KTM 450exc Project Bike

It's no secret that the 2009 KTM450exc is one of the best enduro weapons on the market these days. Even the boys at ADB mag had a lot of good words to say about the beast in their latest shoot out against the new hi tech BMW G450X, Husaberg FE450 and the Yamaha WR450f when they gave the title to the Kato once again. It has the power, handling and trail manners to suit a very large variety of riders and it's been around for long enough to consider it as a reliable mount as well. I suppose my main reason for coming back to the Kato year after year is the fact that it has such a good resale value and is very easy to sell when it comes time to upgrade every year. There are plenty of good 450 enduro bikes on the market, but in my opinion the Kato is the best all rounder  of the bunch. For more info and technical specification click here. Here's a couple of snap shots of our EMD test bike before and after mods and a bit of info on what we did to it:

2009 KTM450exc stock standard straight from Bolton's Motorcycles:	Courtesy KTM Australia
Then there's the all new EMD 2009 KTM450exc after a few slight modifications:	Other side View
Hyde developments make an excellent clear plastic clutch case saver the helps prevent the clutch cases from getting scuffed by your bike boots. Available from most good bike shops. The clear plastic gets scuffed instead of the cases.	Hyde developments also make a good set of rear swing arm protectors that really look a treat.
The Hyde developments clear headlight guard is easily fitted with Velcro pads and provides that extra bit of protection against roost from your mates. I know what you're thinking...If you've got a Kato your mates won't be able to get in front of you to roost you in the first place right!!	A bit of rubber channel from your local Clarke rubber store fitted around the number plate will help cover those sharp exposed edges which can cut you like a knife out on the trail.
Personally I find radiator guards and a good alloy bash plate are a must if you want to save yourself from costly repairs. B&B Aluminium are hard to beat when it comes to top quality gear from a company that have been around for a very long time.	TheB&B Aluminium radiator guards are very thick and solid and give excellent protection and are the easiest of them all to fit. I fitted these in about five minutes.
The alloy B&B Aluminium bash plate gives excellent protection to the engine cases against rocks. The plastic bash plate that comes with the bikes is good, but the quick release fastener has been	I always wire the pins that hold in the brake pads as if you lose these on the trail you're in for a bit of surprise when you need to pull up in a hurry. know to come undone and the plate can fall off and get lost without you knowing about it.
The KTM Progressive Handlebar Dampening System fits in place of the existing bar mounts and helps take a bit of the shock from your arms. This results in less fatigue at the end of the day. You can get these from the KTM power parts catalogue from Bolton's Motorcycles.	Barkbusters are a must out on the trail and you can't beat EGO busters when it comes to protecting your hands and levers.
Force accessories make an excellent case saver which protects your hydraulic clutch master cylinder and engine cases against chain derailment.	The bike looked so good after I fitted the Ringmaster custom graphics, that I just had to stick it in the lounge and keep it as an ornament.
My pet snake loved the custom graphics kit, thanks to the boys at Ringmaster images.	"Comfy seat"
"Hmmmm" says Jake, "Nice bike!"	Here's a shot of Con Thermos from Otways off road trail bike tours taking the Kato though some rigorous testing. Of course the bike wasn't as fast here as it didn't have the custom graphics fitted yet.

 The only other thing that I did to the bike was fit a set of ultra heavy duty tubes, which are a must in the rocky Victorian High Country. If you like what you see then this test bike is actually for sale. It has only done 200 trail kilometres and has about six months full road reg. Would suit a new bike buyer and comes with everything in this story for a mere $12,500. If you're interested then email me at rick@eatmydirt.com.au. See you on the trail

Rick Los.