Toby Price’s 2014 KTM 450EXC
THE RIDER: TOBY PRICE
To be honest, I haven’t really changed the bikes that much since 2010, even from model to model. Back then, I brought it back from the hard suspension tune I set my motocross bikes to, and with Mick (Carusi, mechanic) keeping a great, solid bike under me, I can just concentrate on riding.
It’s punchier than standard, but it’s not much different to standard otherwise. It has a set up that really suits me, and it lets me hold good corner speed (Ed: the best in Oz!) and I have had a great year on it.
THE MECHANIC: Mick Carusi
Toby’s pretty easy to work for, as once he arrives at a good base setting for the engine and suspension, he pretty much sticks to it throughout the year. Even the suspension, we may change sag and clicker settings over the year, but there are very few, if any, internal changes at a race meeting.
Danny Apro does all the suspension work for this bike. Even the engine is close to standard, he just prefers a larger SX throttle body for punchier power. We then re-map it using the KTM User Setting Tool. Toby is pretty soft on the bike, he doesn’t wear anything out abnormally, and for the past five seasons I have worked with him, he has been the same.
THE TEAM MANAGER: Brad Williscroft
Toby has come full circle since his early days, as his MX background meant he wanted the bike really hard and punchy. Now he has it set up so it doesn’t dive too much under brakes, but it is then relatively plush through the middle of the stroke. The engine is relatively tame as well – he just holds it on! Because he has such high corner speed, he can run 13-50 gearing instead of the standard 13-52, which lets him sit the bike in third gear as much as possible, with as few gear changes as possible during a race. Even when he and Milner were really pushing each other, the bike held together really well and he was so fast!
