in the stroke, resulting in a harsh feeling when
landing from jumps and under hard braking.
Grip from the front tire also suffered; it felt
vague in the turns unless you were locked
in and receiving assistance from a deep rut.
Overall, the front end felt like—push, push,
push, tuck. Things improved significantly after
we dropped the fork flush in the clamps. This
raked out the bike a bit more and gave the
front wheel better contact with the ground. As
a result, we improved the front tire grip and
achieved higher speed stability.
We also adjusted all the available fork set
-
tings to make the ride firmer and improve the
overall feel. However, I think it would be worth
trying different fork oil levels or replacing the
stock springs with firmer ones.
The KX450 offers a comfortable and adapt
-
able riding experience, making it appealing to
QUICKSPIN I 2025 Kawasaki KX450
P122
(Top) After a major overhaul last year, the Kawasaki
KX450 arrives in 2025 with minor fine-tuning.
(Above) Power is tuned for the everyday racer, yet it
still has great potential for the Pros.