KTM’s 450 XCF-W stands on its own as the Austrian manufacturer’s only four-stroke enduro model, at least for 2023. It’s joined by two other headlight-equipped thumpers that aren’t street-legal for 2024—the 350 XW-F and 500 XW-F, but they’re tuned to be 50-state off-highway compliant. Unlike them and the 350 EXC-F and 500 EXC-F dual sports, the 450 XCF-W doesn’t have a carbon canister for the fuel system, sound-deadening reed system in the airbox, or choked-up muffler. It’s still KTM’s only competition-focused four-stroke enduro model in stock trim.
As a new model for 2023, this year marks the first time we’ve tested the 450 XCF-W and run it on our in-house Dynojet 250i rear-wheel dynamometer. With a Dunlop D404 street tire on the rear wheel, we documented 48.3 hp at 9,200 rpm and 31.9 lb.-ft. of torque at 7,400 rpm. Those aren’t the highest numbers we’ve seen from a 450 dirt bike, but the way the fuel-injected liquid-cooled SOHC four-stroke 450cc engine delivers that power is what’s so impressive. “The 450 XCF-W engine is simply magic, and does nothing wrong,” test rider Allan Brown said. “It builds power from the lowest rpm and never stops without ever being too much to handle.”
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