2012 KTM 450 XC-W Dyno Chart

At 261 pounds the KTM is lightest by a considerable margin.

Technical terrain with embedded rocks is where the XC-W shines.

Massive horsepower and torque, light weight and extra fuel capacity let the KTM stack up very well on paper

Our testers couldn’t fault the new SOHC powerplant, but handling woes make this bike one of our least favorite to ride under the given conditions.

The desert doesn't feel like the XC-W's home environment. This bike is probably better than it seemed and it still came within two points of winning the shootout.

It ranked second for its sharp outline, high-tech computer (which is a bit difficult to sort out), high ground clearance, quality exhaust, trick wheels and hubs and opaque, high-capacity (2.25-gallon) fuel tank.

This year the Austrian team opted for an entirely new engine configuration. The single overhead cam mill gets a new cylinder head, inlet, exhaust port and combustion chamber.

The XC-W is loaded with top components like wheels and brakes.

With a very palatable 91 decibels from the stock exhaust, the XC-W is nearly the quietest.

The Austrians decided to stick with the PDS shock for this model.

From our perspective, the XC-W definitely doesn’t feel choked up or detuned. It’s the gnarliest out of the box and lives up to its Ready to Race slogan.

Pretty much everyone agreed that the bars are a high priority target for aftermarket replacement. It’s a high quality aluminum bar with awesome Renthal hand grips, but the shape of it was unacceptable for even our shortest men.

Most testers were happy with the suspension performance on bump absorption, but the PDS (no-link) chassis doesn’t feel at home on high-speed desert terrain.

Some testers consider the binding from its dual-piston caliper, 260mm front rotor and single-piston, 220mm rear disc, too abrupt.

The new engine makes mincemeat of its competition.

KTM peaks at 8400 rpm but maximizes torque output (31.78 lb-ft) at 7200 revs.

2012 450 Enduro Horsepower

2012 450 Enduro Torque