VOLUME 58 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 5, 2021 P55
the mid-to-top ranges and offered a racier
feel throughout. This was the only bike in
our test to have a coupler system and it
does require the rider to make a pit stop
in order to make ECU adjustments. No,
it's not the end of the world, but we have
become a bit spoiled after making on-the-fly
adjustments while riding the other brands.
If our test results were finalized after rid-
ing a perfectly prepped track, the KX could
be a contender for first place. The bike is
agile and slices up the track in the primo
conditions. Unfortunately, that's not how
shootouts work. As the track faded away,
so did our rankings with the KX. At times
the suspension felt notchy and required
much more tuning than most of the other
bikes. The KYB crew was a joy to work with
but finding that perfect setting was some-
thing all the testers seemed to struggle
with. Those who rode it first loved it. Those
who rode it last shuffled it back a few posi-
tions. After some minor adjustments or just
more time with the bike, we're sure it could
be a front runner.
Overall, the Kawi has moved strides in
the right direction. An all-new bike proved to
be downright great when the conditions are
great, too. When it gets rough, so did our
riding experience.
