2021 KAWASAKI KX450
R I D E R E V I E W
P86
is potent–very potent–but still
extremely manageable. Pair that
with the included DFI couplers
that give you a way to adjust
power delivery, and you have an
engine that will provide you with
as much power as you need in
the fashion that you desire. For
engine fine-tuning, Kawasaki
still relies on its $699.95 KX FI
Calibration Kit accessory, which
is insanely expensive compared
to some of the other brands' free
tuning apps that you download
to your smartphone.
What's New?
Now for the new stuff. The 2021
Kawasaki KX450, which saw an
increase of $100 over last year's
model, has a short list of chang-
es: a new coned disc-spring
hydraulic clutch, a new
Belleville washer spring
for the clutch, larger-
diameter (139mm to 146mm)
clutch plates with revised friction
material, new dry film lubricant
coating on the piston skirt, and
a new 1-1/8-inch Renthal Fatbar
handlebar. All good stuff.
The big news here, however, is
the clutch. Kawasaki thought out-
side the box and did away with
the multi-spring pressure plates
that have been used on MX
bikes since day one. Instead, the
KX450's clutch now uses a cone,
or cupped, disc spring instead
of the previous five coil springs.
Kawasaki isn't the first to go in
this direction. KTM uses a similar
design that it calls Damped Dia-
phragm Steel (DDS) in some of
its dirt bikes, but this is a first for
a 450cc Japanese motocrosser.
Did it pay off? Absolutely! Per-
sonally, I've never been a fan of
hydraulic clutches due to their
lack of engagement feel and
modulation abilities. Hydraulic
clutches typically have an on/off
feel, so fanning, or feathering,
the clutch when exiting a corner
can be challenging to get the pull
just right, especially when in the
heat of a battle or fighting off arm
pump.
The KX450 is
still one of the
lightest bikes
in its class.
