The KTM 450 Rally Replica is the closest to a full-fledged Dakar rally bike will be available commercially, straight off the shelf. And it's a fitting tribute, considering the KTM 450 Rally bikes have dominated the Dakar over the last 20 years, apart from a win by Honda this year. The 2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica is a fitting tribute to the Austrian brand's rally machines, and as close to the real race bike as you can possibly get, provided you're one of the lucky 85 and with no limitations on your budget.
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The 2021 KTM 450 Rally Replica will be the closest to a full-fledged Dakar bike
That's because the limited edition KTM 450 Rally Replica will cost a cool 25,900 Euros (over Rs. 22 lakh) in Europe. And for that kind of money, what's on offer is a 450 cc big single, with a single overhead cam (SOHC) head, constructed from premium materials, an overhead airbox, Keihin engine management system and an Akrapovic exhaust. For 2021, the bike gets a new gearbox and revised shift mechanism, and comes with the same gear ratios as those used in the actual Dakar Rally machine.
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Only 85 units of the KTM 450 Rally Replica will be offered on sale, at 25,900 Euros each (around Rs. 22 lakh)
The frame is a chrome-moly steel trellis, lightweight and optimised for stiffness and stability, and the self-supporting fuel tank doubles up as the rear subframe and has a capacity of 16 litres. Suspension is handled by 48 mm, closed cartridge XACT PRO forks up front which uses conical valves, and a WP EACT PRO race shock at the rear. The Rally Replica could well hit over 180 kmph top speeds like the factory race bikes do, over rough terrain. And with a 139 kg kerb weight, it promises to be a light, almost rally-spec professional race bike. The giant navigation tower above the speedo gets the carbon-fibre frame just as the race bikes do, with plenty of room for GPS and communication devices. Only 85 bikes will be made, and the bike will be available from September 2020 in Europe.
