VOLUME ISSUE MARCH , P109
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With that closely spaced trio behind
us, we move to the solid second-place
finisher. The Kawasaki KX450 finds itself
in the bridesmaid position despite being
unchanged for the 2023 model year.
Here's the thing about the Kawasaki. It
sneaks its way into second place without
jumping off the page or totally wowing the
riders. What happens is you ride this bike and
think, "Okay, this is good." Then you jump on
another bike and realize, "Wow, I wish this
thing rode like the Kawi." Once you take the
KX out for a second spin, do you begin ap
-
preciating its well-rounded attributes.
It's so planted and predictable that the
laps flow together with noticeably less
effort. The chassis is what you'd think of
when you picture a standard Japanese
motorcycle. Stable at speed through the fast
stuff but still nimble enough to switch up
your line and hit the insides. It's not overly
engineered and doesn't have the rounded
Euro-ish bodywork like the Yamaha, Honda
or the GasGas.
Power on the Kawasaki also adds to that
predictable feeling. It's smooth where you
want it, like the initial roll-on and how it car
-
ries through the revs. At the same time, it
offers a good punch and encourages you to
twist it to the limit. It's an easy engine to ride
and one of the only bikes where you feel you
can reach your full potential. The connectiv-
ity from the grip to the rear wheel is hard to
beat, and rider input feels like a seamless
transition. In the past few years, modern
450s have verged on excessive horsepower,
which almost limits the overall rideability.
The Kawasaki is again reliable in terms of
what we expect from the engine and, in turn,
lands it near the top of the overall list.
>>SECOND PLACE
KAWASAKI
KX450
