The 2026 Triumph TF450-X didn’t get nearly the attention that it deserved when it was released recently. It was actually a brand-new model, never before seen in the U.S., whereas the bike revealed one year ago was the TF450RC; a limited production Ricky Carmichael Edition. Triumph arranged its production schedule a little backwards from what we normally see, with a special edition preceding the standard model. It actually makes great sense to do it that way. That puts a limited number of bikes into the world where the company can monitor how it’s working and react quickly if issues arise. The roll-out went well; the press loved the bike and so did the somewhat limited number of customers who snagged one. About two months ago the standard version arrived with a handful of updates, but minus a few glitzy items that made the RC version more expensive. The base price of the 2026 Triumph TF450-X is $10,395.
One of the issues that Triumph engineers addressed was the clutch, which got a new hub and Belleville spring, mostly for durability issues. The gearbox got a new selector star and the motor mounts were revised. Then there were changes to the graphics, but the core elements of the bike were unchanged.
We also learned exactly what made the Ricky Carmichael special edition so special. That bike had a number of parts that you won’t see here; a Hinson clutch cover, ODI Podium Flight RC Bend bars, Dunlop Geomax MX34 tires, a gripper seat cover, a front disc guard, an Xtrig holeshot device and a wifi communication module that allows tuning with your smartphone. This version comes with Pirelli MX32 mid-soft terrain tires and you will have to purchase those other items as accessories.
We got the 2026 model and threw it right into a 12 bike comparison where it had a respectable showing. But it clearly deserves a closer look. One thing that really surprised us at the end of the shootout was how well it performed on the dyno. It made more peak power than any of the Japanese or Italian bikes–58.6 at 9200 rpm. Only the KTM and Husqvarna had more peak power. Our test riders, for the most part, considered it mid pack in the horsepower department. We think that’s high praise indeed when a bike makes this much power but disguises it with a super smooth delivery. It’s kind of a humble beast that doesn’t broadcast the fact.
The Triumph is, perhaps, a little soft off the bottom and then makes a great deal of midrange. It’s not the kind of bike that lets you get away with being two gears too high–you get the most out of it when it’s in the right rev zone, so don’t hesitate to shift a little more than you might think is appropriate for a 450. One note here, it still doesn’t like to shift under power, but it does come equipped with Quickshift, which helps that process considerably. We recommend using that on the start, then switching it off in the course of the race with that big multi function handle bar switch. You also have traction control, launch assist and a map switch on the same control. It has two maps preprogrammed into the ECU; standard (light off) and mild (light on). It feels quite a bit tangier with the light turned off. But, some people love the mild map. Scott Redding is a Professional British Superbike road racer who has been racing motocross locally in the vet expert class on a Triumph this year. He prefers the mild map because it smooths out that hit in the middle. Other riders like the hit simply because it makes the bike more exciting–as we said, no one felt it was [that] fast, despite its horsepower numbers.
The strongest point of the bike remains the overall handling. It is outstanding in turns, but what we like the most is that it has much better straight line stability than most of the other 450s. Only the Kawasaki and the Beta are in the same league. It’s also very light. On our scale, without fuel, it’s 231.3 pounds. That’s the same as the Yamaha YZ450F and a couple of pounds more than the Austrian bikes. Sidenote: in our 450 shootout video we mistakenly said the Triumph was 233 pounds. That’s actually the weight of the TF450RC, which has a number of accessory items that add up to the difference.
If there’s any one aspect of the bike that cries out for careful set-up, it’s the suspension. The Triumph works best at 104mm of sag. That’s not unusual, but we have noticed that if you’re a little off on your measurements it makes a big difference. We would estimate that Triumph’s target rider for this bike is a 175-pound novice. For that rider, the balance and spring rates are spot-on. It has good hold up and is relatively plush until the track gets second-moto rough. If that’s your favorite time of the day, you might want to stiffen things up. Pros will want it stiffer from the start–which is appropriate for a bike sold to the mysterious “average rider.”
If you haven’t yet seen the 450 shootout, click the link below. For the print version, check out the February, 2026 edition of Dirt Bike.
2026 450 MX SHOOTOUT
WHO WILL WIN THE CASELLI CUP?
It’s time once again for Dirt Bike Magazine to select the best off-road riders in America and determine who will win the Caselli Cup for 2026. This isn’t necessarily a Rider of the Year award but rather a snapshot of the state of American off-road racing as of right now. It certainly draws heavily upon the accomplishments of 2025, but also takes potential and momentum into consideration. The riders aren’t necessarily U.S. citizens; anyone racing in the U.S. is eligible as well as those who represent the U.S. abroad. Each year we assemble the list based on our own observations as well as industry notables, including Tyler shepardon of OnThePipe Media. The top rider gets his name inscribed on the Caselli Cup itself, a perpetual trophy crafted by FMF, Classique Trophy and Skinner Cabinets. Here are the past winners:
2006 Juha Salminen
2007 David Knight
2008 Kurt Caselli
2009 Ricky Dietrich
2010 Paul Whibley
2011 Kurt Caselli
2012 Kurt Caselli
2013 Taylor Robert
2014 Charlie Mullins
2015 Kailub Russell
2016 Kailub Russell
2017 Taylor Robert
2018 Cody Webb
2019 Kailub Russell
2020 Team USA — ISDE
2021 Kailub Russell
2022 Brandy Richards
2023 Dante Oliveira
2024 Team USA — ISDE
2025 Josh Toth
And here’s the worksheet we assemble to evaluate the prospective riders based on performances in 2025:
GNCC OVERALL
- Benjamin Kelley (251/2 wins)
- Grant Davis (247/4 wins)
- Cody Barnes (207)
- Liam Draper (196)
- Angus Riordan (190)
- Michael Witkowski (165/1 win)
- Kailub Russell (164/1 win)
- Jordan Ashburn (162)
- Steward Baylor Jr (157/2 wins)
- Josh Strang (138)
WXC Korrie Steed
GNCC XC-1
- Benjamin M Kelley 251
- Liam Draper 196
- Michael Witkowski 165
- Kailub K Russell164
- Steward Baylor Jr 157
- Jordan P Ashburn156
- Josh V Strang 138
- Craig B Delong 126
- Ricky A Russell 89
- Grant R Baylor 73
- Jonathan S Girroir 58
- Lyndon Snodgrass 41
- Ryder Lafferty 28
- Thaddeus Duvall 22
- Evan C Smith 11
GNCC XC2 250 PRO
- Grant Davis (309/8 wins)
- Cody Barnes (303/2 wins)
- Angus Riordan (291/1 win)
- Nicholas DeFeo (223/1 win)
- Brody Johnson (221)
- Jhak Walker (169)
- Joshua Toth (160/1 win)
- Toby Cleveland (124)
- Hunter Bush (100)
- Michael Delosa (80)
NATIONAL ENDURO
- Steward Baylor Jr (197/3 wins)
- Ricky Russell (167/1 win)
- Grant Baylor (161/2 wins)
- Ben Kelley (143)
- Josh Toth (135/2 wins)
- Nicholas DeFeo (108)
- Jhak Walker (105)
- Evan Smith (88)
- Chase Landers (74)
- Ryder Lafferty (69)
1W. Rachel Gutish
NATIONAL HARE & HOUND
- Dante Oliveira (235/2 wins)
- Zane Roberts (231/5 wins)
- Daemon Woolslayer (160/1 win)
- Sam Pretscherer (154)
- Ryder Thomaselli (102)
- David Kamo (99)
- Nolan Cate (74)
- Preston Campbell (67)
- Chance Fullerton (63)
- DJ Weber (63)
NGPC SERIES PRO
- Dante Oliveira (228/7 wins)
- Dare DeMartile (179)
- Tyler Lynn (165/1 win)
- Mateo Oliveira (143)
- Giacomo Redondi (126)
- Ryan Surratt (77)
- Justin Hoeft (46)
1W. Mikayla Nielsen
NGPC PRO 2
- Mason Semmens (6 wins 205)
- Samuel Pretscherer (1 win 192)
- Cole Zeller (161)
- Noah Gordon (129)
- Kai Aiello (118)
- Dustyn Davis (110)
- Colton Aeck (109)
- Zachary Kerling (89)
- Cody Simpson (57)
- Jackson Glathar (45)
AMA U.S. HARD ENDURO
- Trystan Hart (250/5 wins)
- Will Riordan (194)
- Cody Webb (193/1 win)
- Ryder LeBlond (190/2 wins)
- Kawelo Huddy (144/1 win
- James Flynn (127)
- Ryder Guest (123)
- Kamakana Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna (118)
- Braxton Hintze (103)
- Quinn Wentzel (101)
AMA ENDUROCROSS
- Jonny Walker (141 10 moto wins)
- Trystan Hart (141 7 moto wins)
- Ryder LeBlond (108)
- Cody Webb (106)
- Colton Haaker (105)
- Max Gerston (89)
- Tim Apolle (84)
- Branden Petrie (78)
- Braxton Hintze (74)
- Cooper Abbott (68)
1W. Rachel Gutish
JDAY OFF-ROAD
- Justin Cokinos (264/4 wins)
- Brandon Gregoire (263/6 wins)
- Brayden Nolette (228)
- Jiggs Fustini (199/1 win)
- Taylor Beckwith (168)
- Jake Abbott (139)
- Kyle Rougeau (137)
- Shane Czelazewicz (127)
- Matt Webb (109)
- Grady Hall (84)
ISDE GOLD
Jonathan Girroir 10th oa WT
Grant Davis E2 11th oa JW
Dante Oliveira 13th oa WT
Cody Barnes 22th oa WT
Josh Toth 39th oa WT
Jones Cooper 44th oa JW
Oliveira Mateo 55th oa JW
Brandy Richards 100th oa WWT
Korie Steede 108th oa WWT
Rachel Gutish 117th oa WWT
Thorn Devlin 2nd Club
Brody Johnson 7th Club
Layton Smail 11th Club
Cole Whitmer 12th Club
Jaden Dahners 13th Club
WEST HARE SCRAMBLES
- Mateo Oliveira 3 wins 147
- Ryder Thomaselli 111
- Zane Roberts 1 win 105
- Jaden Dahners 1 win 102
- Cole Zeller 97
- Colton Aeck 97
WORCS
- Dare Demartile 5 wins 211
- Tyler Lynn 4 wins 208
- Hayden Florez 110
- Ryan Surratt 98
- Giacomo Redondi 74
US SPRINT ENDURO
- Liam Draper 399 4 wins
- Cody Barnes 348 2 wins
- Grant Davis 347
- Craig Delong 259
- Johnny Girroir 230 6 wins
- Gavin Simon 225
- Toby Cleveland 220
- Joseph Cunningham 196
- Cooper Jones 170
- Collier Martinez 168
1W. Korrie Steed
See you next time!
