P78
2021 450 MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
SHOOTOUT
T
he green machine proves
you don't need a host of
new changes to take home
the top spot. Kawasaki enters the
competition with minimal changes
for 2021 but tops the charts as
their bike has really hit its stride
in its third year of the current
generation. The Kawasaki weighs
in at 244 pounds and features a
new coned disc-spring hydrau-
lic clutch for the '21 model year.
You're probably wondering how a
bike that was off the podium last
year catapulted itself to the top
step of the box without a major
overhaul. Well, remember that
thing we said about balance?
The power of the Kawasaki
KX450 is undoubtedly the most
rideable in the class. It's not
what we'd call overly exciting or
exceedingly fast. Rather it strikes
a perfect balance somewhere
in between. It's like cruising in
a new car down the freeway.
You don't realize how fast you're
going until you look down at the
speedometer, or in our case the
stopwatch. The linear powerband
of the green machine starts down
low with a smooth delivery and
a hugely usable mid- to top-end
range. Both groups of riders
plugged in the aggressive coupler
and raved about the functional-
ity of the engine, noting it was
the most "connected to the dirt"
amongst the Japanese bikes. The
effortless distribution of the en-
gine allowed us to intensely ride
lap after lap without fatigue.
While the chassis on the KX
does feel a bit long, we found this
aided in its overall stability. This
was something we welcomed at
both of our outdoor test tracks.
The bike feels planted in any line
you choose and especially loves
those fast outsides. But don't be
afraid to dive into those insides.
For our faster riders, raising and
stiffening the forks reduced the
"steer with the rear" feeling that
KAWASAKI
CRF450R
1
st
Place
