Planning to tackle the Dakar Rally? The 2026 KTM 450 Rally Replica has you covered. If modern café racers are more your thing, we have a Honda CB550 from The Netherlands and a Ducati SportClassic from Australia to sate that appetite.
2026 KTM 450 Rally Replica The biggest news from KTM’s camp recently was the massive cash injection from its long-standing partner, Bajaj, that brought it back from the brink of bankruptcy. But despite the rollercoaster that the embattled Austrian marque has been on, it hasn’t skipped a beat with new product releases.
KTM’s newest release is good news for privateer rally racers; the 2026 KTM 450 Rally Replica is here, and it’s as desirable as ever.
For the uninitiated, the KTM 450 Rally Replica is the physical embodiment of the brand’s slogan, ‘Ready to Race.’ It comes equipped with everything you need for professional rally racing, tuned with data gathered from the big hitters that have piloted KTM’s bikes to victory over the years.
A 450 cc fuel-injected engine powers the KTM 450 Rally Replica, helped along by a hydraulic clutch and a six-speed transmission. Dual radiators are primed for desert use, while the bike’s three fuel tanks hold a combined 34.5 liters [9.1 gallons] of petrol.
The Rally Replica’s frame consists of laser-cut and hydroformed sections, featuring an aluminum swingarm at the rear. Pro-grade WP Suspension components complement the chassis, offering high levels of compliance and adjustability. There are also CNC-machined triple clamps and a Scotts steering damper.
You also get a fully-loaded cockpit, featuring a rally-specific fairing mounted to a carbon fiber navigation tower, KTM’s proprietary rally dashboard, and LED lighting. Tasty goodies abound—like the titanium Akrapovič exhaust system—and the bike is finished in a mostly-white paint scheme, leaving plenty of space for sponsor logos.
KTM is only producing 150 of these, along with five hyper-exclusive Sanders Edition replicas. These five bikes celebrate KTM’s return to the top step of the Dakar Rally podium this year with rider Daniel Sanders.
Each is wrapped in a full Red Bull KTM Factory livery and comes with a smorgasbord of upgrades ranging from look-fast parts to bona fide go-fast parts.
If you’re able to pony up for one of the ultra-limited super-special edition models, you’ll also get a VIP package for the KTM Europe Adventure Rally—a three-day, brand-specific event, at which Sanders himself will hand over your bike. [Source | Images by Marco Campelli]
Honda CB550 by Nius Moto Chiel Nipius exploded onto the custom motorcycle scene a few years ago—going solo as Nius Moto after making his bones at the famed Dutch workshop, Ironwood Custom Motorcycles. The youngster wowed us with a pair of flawless Honda CB550 customs on his debut, and now he’s back with another.
Chiel’s guiding principle on this Honda CB550 project was minimalism. He started by lopping off the Honda’s subframe and welding in a custom-made loop. Next, he cleaned up any exposed bits of the frame so that nothing would look out of place.
The CB550’s OEM fuel tank is still in play, but the fenders are hand-rolled parts. Jowi Paulissen took care of the leatherwork on the bespoke saddle.
Chiel threw a handful of big-ticket items at the CB550, including Avon Roadrider tires, YSS shocks, and Delkevic exhaust headers that terminate in an SC-Project muffler. A Motogadget speedo sits up top, with a Koso LED headlight mounted up front.
The front forks were rebuilt and treated to a set of covers with integrated headlight mounts. A billet aluminum Nius Moto speedo spacer is attached to the front wheel, replacing the original speedometer pickup. “It’s perfect for running a digital speedo to clean up the front,” explains Chiel.
Chiel sells the speedo spacer via his web store, along with a couple of other machined pieces—like a plug to cover the original tacho drive and billet aluminum valve covers. “The aluminum parts were inspired by Justin Webster,” Chiel tells us.
“I saw his CB550 years ago on Bike EXIF and it was honestly the best one I’d ever seen. He created some CNC-machined parts for it, but they are nowhere to be found. So I can’t take all the credit.”
There’s a healthy balance between modern and retro details on Chiel’s CB550. The billet parts are juxtaposed with the engine, which sports alternating brushed and polished finishes. Peak under the hood, and you’ll find a modern wiring harness, built around a Motogadget mo.unit box.
Tying everything together is a timeless livery, based on Jaguar’s Sherwood Green color with brushed silver details. A textured matte black finish adorns the frame, while Nius Moto logos on the side covers ape the debossed style of the Honda tank badges.
From its compact proportions to its perfect stance and impeccable finishes, Nius Moto’s Honda CB550 is the definition of tasteful. [Nius Moto | Images by Paul van Mondfrans Lindén]
Ducati SportClassic by Purpose Built Moto Given its cult following, customizing the legendary Ducati SportClassic is risky business. But that hasn’t deterred Australia’s Purpose Built Moto. Shop boss Tom Gilroy reckons that they’ve built more Ducati SportClassics than any other Ducati model.
“I’ve always loved the style and ride feel of the two-valve, air-cooled Ducati 1000,” he explains. “I understand how they operate and know how to style them—whether that means major modifications, or subtle touches that enhance the bike’s already iconic styling.”
The commission for this 2008-model Ducati SportClassic came from a customer who was familiar with PBM’s work—specifically their portfolio of SportClassics. So he knew right away that his bike was in good hands. The brief was to retain a measure of the SportClassic’s DNA, while amplifying its performance and style.
PBM focused on the front end first. The fairing had been modified previously and was showing signs of damage. So the crew replaced it and braced it with an upgraded bracket. The client requested two trims for the bike—full- and half-faired—so PBM responded with fairing lowers that can be swapped out in 20 minutes.
Moving to the tail end of the SportClassic, PBM fabricated an aluminum rear hump that echoes the lines of the original, but is slimmer overall. The subframe was massaged to suit the new design, while Jamason at Timeless Auto Trim covered the saddle in Alcantara and leather.
PBM also kitted the bike with stunning 17” wheels from Jonich in Italy, built to the shop’s spec. Delivered in a striking gold finish, they feature polished stainless steel spokes, some of which were coated in gold to add extra detail. They’re shod with Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires.
Not wanting to neglect the Ducati’s engine, PBM added high-compression pistons, performance cams, and a DNA Filters airbox upgrade, with Cube Performance dyno-tuning the bike to the tune of 95 horsepower. A pair of asymmetrically mounted hydro-formed mufflers add an appropriate soundtrack.
Ride Dynamics sorted out the suspension, equipping the forks with Öhlins cartridges, a gold nitride coating on the stanchions, and a black anodized finish on the uppers. Fully adjustable Öhlins TTX shocks were fitted to the rear.
There are tons of details to take in—like the handmade front fender and laser-cut belt covers. But the real highlight is this Ducati’s slick red and black paint job. Handled by frequent PBM collaborator Popbang Classics, it also boasts exquisite gold leaf striping.
“The end result is a motorcycle that any Ducatisti will instantly recognize as a SportClassic, then be drawn in by the finely executed custom parts,” says Tom. “While bikes like this sometimes upset the purists, they always strike intrigue in any rider who understands the intense focus and patience needed to create a bike that’s both true to its form and completely unique.” [Source]
