It was a hell of a long 28 hours from the time I left home until the time I arrived at the Hampton Inn in Atlanta, Georgia where I was greeted by some familiar faces and a prominent “Welcome, Triumph” sign for the TF 450-RC launch. It was dark and quiet, and was definitely not what I expected from a big American city. Where the hell was I and what was I going to do? Travelling solo to these events leaves me a bit lost.

I arrived in Forsyth, Georgia early on a Monday evening. ADB was the only media outlet from Australia invited to this Triumph global launch. The US journos would get the first taste of the new TF 450-RC, and I would ride in the second wave alongside Germany and the UK.

It can be intimidating riding with others that turn up to these launches, especially when you see names like former MXGP heavyweights Jake Nicholls and Tommy Searle on the invite list. These guys still spin a mean lap and I would have to force myself not to ride over my head to try and seem relevant next them. The tracks had a few large jumps, step-ups and blind step-downs that tested my mental strength and belief that I belonged there. But riding with these guys was a blast; we had a lot of laughs and by the end of the trip we were all mates.

The reason we were there

The Triumph team runs a tight schedule. No sooner had the first wave finished riding on Tuesday, the team was prepared for the second wave, giving us the global launch presentation on Tuesday evening at the Triumph race testing facility. We had been told about this facility – and Triumph’s “all in” commitment – at the 250 launch earlier in the year, and six months later here we were, with 66ha (165 acres) of moto heaven, two freshly groomed motocross tracks, two supercross tracks (where all the Triumph team were out testing), multiple sheds and a massive workshop.

We were seated on the second level of a boardroom in a purpose-built shed that contained numerous offices and meeting rooms out the front, but one room stood out as it was beautifully lit with all the focus on this incredible looking bike, the highly anticipated TF 450-RC.

The workshop we stood in was built around enormous CNC machinery. This place had all the bells and whistles; bike workshop, dirty rooms for manufacturing, clean rooms for engine builds, and enough parts to supply a country twice over. The TF 450-RC on display was bathed in coloured lighting as though it was the star at a rock concert. At first glance it looked very similar to the 250, but to run the RC tag, Ricky Carmichael put some finishing touches on the bike; ODI RC signature handlebar and grips, multi-level Xtrig holeshot device, Gripper seat cover, Dunlop MX34 tyres and Hinson Clutch cover are standard on the 450-RC edition. This gear is complimented by the same high-end components on the 250. At the time of the launch it appear that the RC edition will be the only model on offer, and we’ll have to wait a while for a standard edition 450.

 

//subhead// First impression

At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking you were looking at the 250, and rightfully so. The development of the 450 took place parallel to the 250, and many of the components are the same on both bikes. This edition had some slightly different styling through its graphics though; an RC-inspired look keeps the traditional white and black Triumph image looking fresh and clean.

Another notable observation was a 110/90 rear tyre, smaller than what we see on most modern 450s. Triumph mentioned that there was testing done on the 120 and ultimately they settled for the 110. You could have gotten away with a 100/90 on the track we tested the bike on – it was so grippy – but I feel on Aussie-baked hardpack you’d still be reaching for a 120/90 to achieve suitable traction. 

 Chassis and ergos

The TF 450-RC sports the same frame as the 250; there was a lot of consideration at the development stage to ensure this would be a frame that would work across the entire range including the upcoming enduro versions. It has a lightweight central spine with a twin-cradle aluminium design with the same fine hand-welded craftsmanship you can see on the 250.  The frame offers a similar feel to the 250, too, with enough flex while maintaining the needed rigidity that gives a very positive feel across a variety of conditions.

There are some differences in the engine mounting positions to fit the bigger 450, but any difference in feel between the two bikes is subtle and the overall impression is of a well-balanced machine; maybe not quite as soft as the 250 but still not harsh.

The ponies within

When it comes to building an engine, Triumph knows what it is doing. The in-house manufactured 449.5cc SOHC engine runs Del West titanium valves and forged Konig aluminium piston, with a bore x stroke ratio of 95mm x 63.4mm. Claimed peak power output is 45.9kW (61.5hp) at 9500rpm. The head is designed in a way that it can be removed with the engine still bolted in the bike.

Interestingly, the 450 shares the same Dellorto 44mm throttle body as the 250, but it has a beefier steel Exedy clutch basket to handle the extra power produced by the larger capacity engine, attached to a race-proven Brembo master and slave cylinder for unmatched feel.

The off-road experience of Triumph and Athena complement each other well when it comes to the engine management system. A WiFi module is included as standard on the 450 to allow access to 10 preset maps that can be uploaded to the bike via an app. Along with aggressive or placid track-specific maps (mud, loam, hard pack), there is an optimised Akrapovic map for bikes fitted with the pipe upgrade, and an RC map that Ricky developed himself to optimise the power of the 450-RC edition. Unlike Yamaha’s map system, you can only work with preset maps on the Triumph and you don’t have control of individual air/fuel-ignition ratios. Triumph says this is intentional, and is to prevent consumers that may not have the best knowledge from tuning the bike to its breaking point.

 The real test

You can look at all the specs and figures but at the end of the day it all comes down to time on the bike. For the launch we were presented with two immaculate tracks at the MotoX compound. The red clay soil was thick, ripped deep, perfectly watered from the previous day’s rain, and grip level was 100 per cent. This set up was perfect to really find out how this bike lays down it’s power. 

First, we set up our bikes. For me the RC bend ODI handlebar was swept back a bit too far for my liking, so I rolled it forward to chase my comfort position. Ride height straight up was 102mm. I thought this would be pretty high in the rear end but it seems the bench mark is shifting with this modern bike. The seating position is easy to adapt to; you feel very central on the bike.

Out on the track I noticed very early on that the 450 offers plenty of poke at the lower end of the rev range – it oozes bottom to midrange power, then signs off at higher revs. I like this setup as it allows you to turn the throttle, work through the gears and have the bike respond without delay. If you are a fan of the Yamaha 450 and just have to have the high-end power, this bike in standard trim may not be what you’re after. Having said that, the power is still strong – maybe not the absolute strongest but its close to level pegging – and importantly it is very user friendly. It’s a 450, right?! 

Most riders these days would find it difficult to use all the power a modern 450 makes (I am getting this way also) so more and more we are seeing riders de-tune their bikes to make them easier to ride. In the TF 450-RC Triumph has developed an engine that has ctaken this into account; for your everyday social rider the power is smooth, with the ability to make it even more user friendly if one chooses, while at the same time there’s enough power on tap that it can be ridden aggressively and hard by pro racers.

Handling

As mentioned, the track was incredibly well prepared – like a rich chocolate cake, a moto racer’s dream. While fun, ideal conditions like this aren’t the best for testing a bike, and we didn’t have enough track time for it to really rough up, but we were still able to play with setups and feel how the bike reacts to these changes.

The KYB 48mm fork is held in place by Neken 7075-T6 forged and fully machined lightweight aluminium clamps, while the KYB three-way piggyback rear coil shock with 50mm piston keeps the bike running straight and true.

First up we played with ride height, starting with 102mm sag, which messed with my head as over recent years I have been accustomed to chasing 104-106mm on motocross tracks, and I thought 102mm would be too high. On the track this really did not present itself and I found myself struggling to pick up my turns and entry to ruts. Bike setup was only part issue; the deep grippy track, the type of which I have not ridden in years, put me on the back foot, but it also gave me a good understanding how easy and responsive this bike is to change.

We went to 100mm sag, a level I have not considered in years, and immediately I found myself able to launch into the ruts and hold my line through the turns. Our KYB tech at the launch even said they are running as high as 98mm with some of the team riders.

The standard-spec valving is aimed at accommodating an 80kg rider, so as I am a bit more than that we went in half a turn on high-speed rear compression and three clicks in on the front to help hold the suspension a little higher in the stroke. We also raised the fork through clamps another 2mm (7mm) to give us a little more positive feel through the corners. This is the good thing about this bike – you can run any of these heights and settings and they all work, it’s just down to personal preference. On some bikes over the years, when you are chasing the right setting it is easy to make a change and it is completely wrong, but the Triumph has a wide range of sweet spots that can cater for many different rider tastes. This will be great for the variety of conditions we find on Australian tracks. 

As the day progressed the tracks firmed up, which gave us a better insight to what the TF 450-RC would be like ride like at home. The bike started to move around as expected, and it was easy to anticipate how it would react. I was feeling more comfortable on the bike with each lap.

 Build quality

True to it promise, Triumph continues to deliver on quality and there are plenty of standard high-end components and convenience features: DID DirstStar 700 rims connected to Triumph designed lightweight machined aluminium hubs; and Galfer 260mm front and 220mm rear discs; disc guard; tool free air filter access; launch control; quick shift; traction control; and WiFi module. The Athena LC-GPA launch module option can be adjusted inside the WiFi app for more precise traction control requirements.

It’s hard to believe this is modern Triumph’s first crack at the motocross market. After riding the 250 and 450, you would think these bikes are at least 10 models old, with all the development and thought that has gone into them. For social riders. The TF 450-RC is a beast that can be as docile as needed, but for pro riders it’s a workhorse that will respond as required. 

Like any bike, the TF 450-RC needs a bit of fine tuning to set it up exactly as you’d want, but it won’t take you on a wild goose chase to get there. The bike is balanced, powerful and responsive, and it has all the ingredients to cook up the perfect race bike; you just need to know how hot to make the oven.