KTM/Husky engine families

J

Junkie

gone for now
I'm looking at picking up a newer supermoto to race. It's likely to be a KTM or Husky.

I know most of the KTMs and Huskies are mostly the same bike, with some suspension differences.

Where can I find info about the different engine families? I've read that, even for a given year, KTM has had multiple different 450 engines.

Right now the two I'm looking at are a 2015 450SXF and a 2016 FC450. How similar are the powerplants?
 
KWeezyXB12

KWeezyXB12

SKRRRRRRRRRRRT!!!!!!
Junkie said:
I'm looking at picking up a newer supermoto to race. It's likely to be a KTM or Husky.

I know most of the KTMs and Huskies are mostly the same bike, with some suspension differences.

Where can I find info about the different engine families? I've read that, even for a given year, KTM has had multiple different 450 engines.

Right now the two I'm looking at are a 2015 450SXF and a 2016 FC450. How similar are the powerplants?
Click to expand...

arent the frames different too? husky was like plastic (not the whole frame) or something :dunno
 
U

usedtobefast

Well-known member
You ok with a 5 speed vs. 6? The SX/FC bikes are going to be 5 speeds.

The SX bikes are weird as they do have some .5 models, like a 2015.5

So lately, there is the EXC 450, has 6 speeds, dual sport street legal bike.
There used to be the XC-W 450, has 6 speeds, similar to EXC except green sticker and not street legal. I think 2016 was last year.
Then XC-F 450, which is the SX bike with a few changes for offroad (kickstand, 18" rear wheel, larger tank?, a bit softer valving). A 5 speed.

All 3 of those did not have the 1/2 year models. Only the SX/FC have the 1/2 year weirdness.

So basically KTM came out with the 2015 SX450 and had them at dealers say Sept 2014. Then in the spring? they came out with their "Factory Edition" model and call it a 2015.5 to distinguish it.

In general, that's the way they have done generation changes. But then they change so much you can't be sure that a 2016 SX450 is the same as a 2015.5 SX450 (which it kind of should be).

Whew. Craziness!

ktmtalk.com has a ton of info but will take lots of searching and reading to get the detail differences between all those 1/2 year & year models.
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
it's unlikely to go anywhere other than kart tracks so I'm not too worried about 5 speed vs 6 speed

is the EXC vs SX the same basic engine with different cams/tranny/electrical or are there fundamental differences?
 
U

usedtobefast

Well-known member
Junkie said:
it's unlikely to go anywhere other than kart tracks so I'm not too worried about 5 speed vs 6 speed

is the EXC vs SX the same basic engine with different cams/tranny/electrical or are there fundamental differences?
Click to expand...

In the KTM world they are very different. Like no parts swap around (ok, maybe a few parts, but not very many).

They kind of trickled down the SX technology to the EXC/XC-W line, but more like the frames ... seemed they always made some tweaks went they "enduro-ized" the SX motors.

But if you are going for 2015.5 and newer SX I see no reason to consider the EXC/XC-W bikes (other than the 6 speed you don't need). And the used SX bikes tend to be cheaper and most guys want the plate or green sticker.
 
augustiron

augustiron

2fast 2live 2young 2die
Don't forget the addition of lighting to xcw and exc.
Sx is bare bones mx racer, max power, minimum weight and complexity. Just what you want for a track only sm. Same goes for husky's motocrosser.

It's always a dilemma choosing between white and orange when there are so few real differences between them these days.
 
E

elemetal

3 pings and a zing
The SX series gets the latest tech developments first (new frame geometry, link vs no link, new forks etc) then the following year those upgrades get adapted to the XC/EXC series if applicable. The cams on the SX are hotter and as August said, no wiring aside from what is needed. CDI's have more advanced curves to work with the cams, valves may be lighter; typical head stuff. Only other thing they play with is the crank weight/shape. They usually have a lighter lobe so the bike rev's more freely.

As to differences between motors on the KTM/Husky they are nil; same components for the series; changes are on the outsides (forks, sub frame).
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
the KTM I'm looking at has aftermarket plastics/graphics and as far as I can tell all the 2015s have an orange frame

it looks like the Factory would have a black shock lower, this one has silver, so it's a normal 2015 (meaning the 2016 FC450 has some significant advantages, assuming it got the engine updates that the 2015.5 KTM got)
 
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