The first race-ready, high-performance ATV from Austrian manufacturer KTM is finally landing on Canadian shores and we’ve recently put it to the test on the immense playground that’s Mecaglisse in Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci, Quebec.

Family ties jump at you the very second you spot this magnificent four-wheeler, starting with the attractive black/orange treatment that lights a fire in any extreme-riding enthusiast.

The first race-ready, high-performance ATV from Austrian manufacturer KTM is finally landing on Canadian shores. (Photo: Maxime Allaire/Moto123.com)

Near-violent engine
Derived from KTM’s world-renowned dirt bikes, the 450 SX engine delivers standing start and on-the-fly acceleration that compares with 600 cc and even larger ATVs. KTM engineers had to rework the carburation and ignition systems to account for the added weight of the chassis, and managed to maintain the storming nature of the beast, still offering near-motocross reactions and performance. The new water cooled engine features a single overhead cam, four valves and a 12.5:1 compression ratio. The CDI ignition system features two types of power curve mapping -- smooth and linear or strong and peaky. Simply unplug a connection on the CDI electronic box to switch to the more gentile behavior, or leave as it came from the dealer if you want to scare yourself a little when coming out of corners.

Quality components
Twitchy under throttle input yet always ready to answer the call, the 449-cc single-cylinder sends the sporty 450 SX flying all over the trail as if the bumps had suddenly disappeared. The excellent WP suspension (KTM’s in-house brand) obviously plays a fundamental role in making the machine that competent. Available adjustments include preload, slow/fast compression and rebound. Unlike the shocks on some rivals, you can feel the difference in the settings with just one click, as KTM isn't afraid to give riders highly-effective tools to maximize performance.

The excellent WP suspension obviously plays a fundamental role in making the machine that competent. (Photo: Maxime Allaire/Moto123.com)