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Beverly Hills, CA
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crispytoast
10/23/2019 7:23am
10/23/2019 7:23am
How do you avoid a Yamaha beating a KTM? That's easy, just change the format, ignore the obvious, and make the shootout as confusing as possible. Who knows you may even end up with a Suzuki in one of the top 3 spots.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-vVd7HLN-E
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-vVd7HLN-E
IMHO this was a very informed video and they covered the pros and cons. 5 months of riding and racing the bikes - that speaks volumes. I really liked how they categorized what type of rider each bike would be best for.
Sorry if your bike didn’t win, but it’s been said many times they are all great, and a consumer should beg, borrow, or steal his own test ride before plunking down 10K.
Christ, give it a rest. Sorry the fanboys get butt-hurt because "their" brand didn't win. After subscribing to MXA for 40 years, they are about the ONLY mag I trust to give impartial opinions..but that's just me. Opinions are like assholes...everybody has one, and they all stink...
The Shop
I think In all magazines and got a real lot of praise that year.
Since then They have made some changes that seem like didnt help and a lot of people didnt like.
What I gather from reading MXA shootouts both 2019 and 2020, is that with a couple minor changes, mapping etc.
That you can get it back to where it was in 2018
When almost everyone liked it.
'Nuff said.
Get the forks done by whoever is your fav suspension co. I ran PC and Enzo on the '17 with damn good results.
The '17 has an EXCELLENT rear shock.
That engine DOES like a good pipe.
I ran the lean ECU plug and VPs T4...got plenty off hole-shots and it ran like a champ.
I ran Engine Ice and good oil in mine.
I spent most of '17 on that bike and it was SUPER dependable and was a great race bike.
Funny thing is get the Honda a decent map to smooth it out a bit more and its a different (and actually more powerful but easier to ride) beast same with some minor suspension tweaks, the same thing they say about the KTM. Problem is you can apply that logic to any bike, well most of them.
In saying that, I give MXA kudos for actually breaking it down into Pro, Weekend warrior, Vet and Overall categories.
🤣
Thanks for the tips Manny! Will you be at DITD this year?
Also, MXA seems to not mind the AER fork. In Keefer's test the KTM got great marks but he (and his crew) seem to think the AER holds that bike back. But it still was rated above the Honda.
Pit Row
MXA's description of the YZ's cons almost make it surprising that it was in a shootout for the win.
A mid to high rpm engine with the lowest torque in the test. Odd ergonomics with a loud cockpit. Heavy compared to Austrian bikes. It appears that the KYB's save the day and sway the results a ton. When you get to the Pro's everybody has good suspension.
So they call the KTM the winner, but in their own words from the Husqvarna test:
"Although everyone loved it, the Pros wanted more immediate hit off the bottom, but, in tests, their lap times were faster on the kinder and gentler Husqvarna powerband than on the more aggressive and rigid 2020 KTM 450SXF."
Testing is such a compromise.
Most people I know don't ride bikes stock anyway, any one of these bikes you would have to throw some money at it to get it right for you
Post a reply to: MXA 2020 450 Shootout