Pro Bike: 2026 Red Bull KTM Factory 450 Rally bikes ready for Dakar

Take a closer look at the 2026 KTM 450 Rally factory race bikes all set for the Dakar Rally with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team in the hands of Daniel Sanders, Luciano Benavides and Edgar Canet.

The first detailed images of the factory rally bikes set for the Dakar Rally each year are always eagerly anticipated.

Depending on your allegiance, that could be any one of the official factory race teams of course but standing as they do with the most successful manufacturer unofficial award at the annual event, Red Bull KTM Rally Team is perhaps the most expected of all.

A couple of fallow years away from the top step of the Dakar podium were firmly put to bed in 2025 with Daniel Sanders and his emphatic victories in Saudi Arabia last January and in the World Rally-Raid Championship all of which he dominated for KTM.

It was a 12-month unbeaten run for the Australian on route to the world title and a run only finally stopped by Tosha Schareina in Morocco.

But the win streak also went a long way to buck the negativity around financial issues within the parent company. 

It was also a run which in part was down to the updated version of the KTM 450 rally race bikes Sanders, along with Luciano Benavides and Rally 2 world champion, Edgar Canet, raced.

The development of the bike has been a key factor, which Sanders talks about in our interview with him. Read that here: Interview: Daniel Sanders “I want to be the guy who changed rally”

The bikes you’re looking at here are the factory weapons fit a ready for Dakar 2026, ready to defend that title. Speaking directly from the final testing the team is currently doing in Morocco, Red Bull KTM Rally Team Manager Andi Hölzl explained they haven’t made giant steps forward with the bike because it has proved itself pretty well in the last 12 months. However, they have been working on the bikes, naturally “fine tuning and working on some areas where we can always improve”, he says before stopping short of giving us any actual details: “it is still a competition and we’re trying to win after all so we don’t want to give away our secrets.”

More information on the team riders ahead of Dakar 2026 is here: KTM Rally Trio Ready for Dakar 2026 – first look factory 450 Rally bikes

Dakar 2026 begins on January 3 where Enduro21 will bring you daily coverage, results and insight from the paddock and bivouacs. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the images including the gallery above.

Photo Credit: Sebas Romero