Every year that KTM comes out with a 450 Rally Replica, I say "Take my money," realize I don't have nearly enough, and drool over it anyway. For the 2027 model, nothing has changed, so let's drool together.
For those of you who are new to KTM's Rally Replicas, they're basically what you see running in the Dakar Rally. I reckon these bikes might be as close as any of us will get to owning factory machines. That doesn't mean they're cheap, far from it, but they're more affordable than other racing replica machinery. The 'standard' version will set you back around $45,000, while the Luciano Benavides Factory Edition is more like $57,800.
If those prices seem a bit steep for you, don't worry, because you probably won't be able to get your hands on one anyway. These things are like gold dust. KTM is making just over 100 of the 450 Rally Replicas. Eight of the units will be Luciano Benavides Factory Editions.
The standard bike uses the same 450 cc fuel-injected SOHC engine, six-speed gearbox, and Brembo hydraulic clutch we're used to from Team Orange, but it also features rally-specific gearing. That's just where the rally DNA starts to show. The Rally Replica also comes with a titanium Akrapovič exhaust system to lower weight and maximize power. And the list goes on with a hydro-formed, laser-cut, hand-welded frame that's intended to give the ideal blend of longitudinal and torsional flex, which is further enhanced by the fully customizable WP PRO Suspension that's borrowed from KTM's Pro catalogue and provides 304mm of travel at the front and 280mm at the rear.
Keeping this beast cool in some of the hottest temperatures you'll ever race in are dual radiators. At the front, the triple clamps (23 mm offset) are CNC-machined, offering extra stiffness while keeping weight low. Above the triples sits an aluminum-alloy tapered handlebar with rally-tested foam-rubber grips. Keeping the rider's feet more secure over the roughest terrains for hours on end are footpegs that use a wider surface area. If you can believe it, the list goes on, ensuring that amateur rally raid riders couldn't ask for more.
A huge aspect of rally raid racing is the massive distance covered, so the KTM 450 Rally Replica has three fuel tanks and a capacity to hold 34.5 liters (9.1 gal) of fuel. The other main aspect of a rally raid race is that riders follow a roadbook, and to accommodate this, the bike has a carbon-fiber navigation tower and cockpit for the implementation of a digital roadbook with intuitive controls and an LED screen.
But for the 450 Rally Replica Luciano Benavides Factory Edition, KTM threw the kitchen sink. The most obvious difference is the full Red Bull KTM livery, ensuring that the bike looks even more like its decorated Dakar sibling. Other features include factory carbon parts and the ‘LE’ numbered emblem on the frame. The Selle Dalla Valle seat is intended to be both a visual and performance improvement, and the application of mousse-adorned Michelin Rally tires is another feature that ensures the bike earns its 'Ready To Race' moniker. Customers of the up-spec model aren't just paying for components; they also get an experience.
According to KTM, "As in 2025, the title-winning Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team will be guests of honor on the 2026 KTM ADVENTURE RALLY (bringing their truck and expertise) that will comb lands around Perugia in Italy during early September. The annual gathering is already fully subscribed, but KTM 450 RALLY REPLICA LUCIANO BENAVIDES FACTORY EDITION customers will have the VIP treatment with a handover by the Dakar champion as well as a signed race jersey and on-the-ground support from the race team for the riding days."
The DNA that makes this Rally Replica has landed KTM on the podium of the Dakar almost every year since 2020, and to think that could be in the hands of a member of the public, either to compete with or use for fun, is wild. But is it just me who feels lovestruck by the Rally Replica? If you had the money, would you drop $45,000 on one? If so, you'll have to wait until July 2026 to get one, but you'll have to fend off plenty of other buyers.
