The KTM 450 SX-F received only a few changes for 2018, but they were enough to bump it up to second place in our shootout ranking, up one spot from the year before. The changes made to KTM’s flagship motocrosser include a new air piston, air seal, and rebound spring in the left leg of the WP AER 48 fork while the right side, which handles damping, gets a sintered piston to replace the plastic piece found on the ’17 models. The other (and most visible) change is the orange frame.
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The two-day shootout took place in Southern California at Pala Raceway on day one and Cahuilla Creek Motocross on day two. On the first day we had eight riders and on the second nine, ranging in skill levels from vet to pro.
