The KTM 450 EXC has been a staple in the motorcycle industry as well as a big seller for KTM. It’s a bike that started out good but has continued to improve over the years. The early carb-fuelled models were brutal compared to the later fuel-injected versions. The carb made the power aggressive and hard-hitting, which is what everybody seemed to like about the KTM. The suspension worked well out of the box before we saw all the horrors in the 4CS forks that came in later years. You could literally buy the 450 and go riding straight away without any major issues.

The fuel-injected models could see issues with the battery ground causing cutting out and stopping, or bad throttle position sensors that caused flame-outs, bad idles and even misfiring. Another common fault was fuel pump failures. The pump could drop pressure, meaning the engine would idle but not rev out correctly, or it could just not run at all.

The earlier carb models weren’t as temperamental but they weren’t totally problem-free. They could also suffer the dirty ground terminal issue, which would cause misfires or the starter motor to wind over slow and struggle to start the bike. They could also suffer the odd charging problem where the regulator would fail and not charge the battery correctly.

Both models could have starter clutch issues where the starter clutch would slip and not spin the engine to start the bike. However, compared to other brands, this was less common with KTM. Any issues with the starter clutch can be costly to fix. Another common issue affecting both models was dust. The Delwest valves in the KTM are almost bulletproof, but the piston rings are not a fan of burning dust. If dust gets in the engine, it binds up the compression ring in the ring land of the piston so it can no longer seal against the cylinder wall, causing the bike to drop compression and no longer start. If you’re looking at a second-hand KTM 450 EXC with dust behind the air filter, steer clear of it. If you already own one, wash your air filters and re-oil them well every ride, and you won’t run into this problem.

New

2010 $12,995

2011 $12,995

2012 $12,795

2013 $12,795

Second Hand

2010 $4,400 – $5,250

2011 $4,800 – $5,700

2012 $5,200 – $6,200

2013 $5,600 – $6,600

Market Equivalents

10 – 13 Yamaha WR450F

$4,750 – $6,200

10 -13 Honda CRF450X

$4,550 – $6,050

10 – 13 Kawasaki KLX450

$3,850 – $5,550

10 – 13 Husaberg FE 450

$4,700 – $7,100