Royal Enfield FT450 Flat Tracker: First Ride Review

The Bike

Now from the pictures, it is clear that the Guerilla 450 isn’t really the Guerilla. That is because a lot of cycle parts have been taken off, and RE installed some panels to make it look and ride like a proper flat tracker.

For instance, the stock seat has been replaced with a thin foam one which is surrounded by a large flat track panel that also has the bike numbers. The headlight unit has been replaced by a flat running board. The front and the rear mudguards are gone. The handlebar is much wider to give better leverage while sliding. The wheels too, have been changed to spoke ones. The tyres are a bit off-road-friendly but good enough to let you slide easily. The FT450 is really loud and the credit goes to the after-market exhaust. The most important bit – the front brake unit – including the calliper and the disc – has been removed, and as a result, there’s no front brake lever.

The FT450 Experience

The Motoverse Slide School kicked off with Johnny explaining to us the changes RE has made to the FT450. This was followed by a quick tour of the track and the techniques of going sideways. Johnny didn’t take much time here because I had attended the same session with him last year.

Initially, I wasn’t too sure about handling the FT450 on dirt. Having ridden the Guerrilla on public roads, I found it to be a lively and friendly pocket rocket. But taking it off-road and then going left? I wasn’t very excited! But after just one lap, I realized the FT450 was instant fun!

The combination of its agile chassis, 40bhp engine and wide handlebar – made me realize it was a great call to come to Goa. It was exhilarating to have the handlebar fully locked to the right, with the rear sliding out. With other riders around me, I had to constantly think about whether it is a good idea to enter the corner fast. I always prefer front brakes for all kinds of braking habits, but with the FT450 that wasn’t an option. So I maintained a decent pace and focused a lot on getting my vision right. This allowed me to achieve some really good slides. As evident from the photos, it is clear that my body positioning was almost spot on.

The 450cc engine on the FT450 has a really strong mid-range; we all know that, but the low-end is missing – something we loved on the LS411 engine. To address this, Royal Enfield installed the Fuel X on all the motorcycles and had it configured to churn out better low-end torque. This resulted in better exits. There were a few instances where I thought I’d lose control, but the FT450’s intuitive chassis allowed me to correct it midway.

Conclusion

Flat tracking is a popular sport in the US and UK, and it’s exciting to see it gaining traction in India. Several motorcycle brands like Harley-Davidson and TVS are entering and supporting the sport, but it is Royal Enfield who has been at the forefront of promoting flat-tracking in India. And now, with the introduction of the Slide School Cup, it is clear that the brand is committed to taking flat tracking to new heights.

If you are interested in trying ou the FT450, you first need to complete the slide school training on FT411.