A KTM 450 flat tracker built for a Dakar Rally racer

If you’re a custom builder, one of the most difficult briefs is for a race bike. No matter the genre or discipline of the project, the purpose-built, stripped-down nature of race machinery leaves minimal room for aesthetic creativity. After all, these bikes are not built to look pretty. They’re built to run a distance in the quickest time possible. So form takes a backseat to function, and each component needs finely tuned design. When Pierre Dhers of Freeride Motos Racing was offered a commission to build a 450cc single with vintage flair for a flat track race series, the he...