Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

KAUIASAKI IIX4sOF Stewart at the opening two rounds of the THQ World Supercross GB porting two wins in two starts. But is Bubba making Kawi's big-bore new kid on the block look hetter than it really is, or is it really that good? Funny enough, we couldn't seem to get anyone to aSree on just how the fi delivers its power. One of our pros suggest- ed that the KX lacked power ! Auminuni twin-spar frame DOHC ++ahe valvetrain fitanium lalves Tapered tltanium exhaust pipe FouFspe# transmission Wet sum+ Suspensi{n . Kayaba For* - ,lSrfnm KYB AOS (Air-Oil-Separate) Aluminurh Renthal handlebars Tires - D D742F (ftofi) D7s6 (rear) Nonslip Ovfview l$wasaki was the last of the "Big Fivel' to join the 450 four-stroke wars. By ioday's standards, Kawasaki's new rig ls pretty much straightforward in desiln, meaning it has many features thal are now pretty much standard on fourf-stroke MXers. sr.rch as an alu- mi+m frame, a double-overhead-cam dri\,letrain, titanium valves, cartridge- typf forks, an automatic compreslion rellase, a hot"start system, and alu- mirlum handlebars. lt does, however, ha',{e a few features Linique to itsell su+ as a tapered titanium exhaust pipe th+ expands in diameter from 38mm to | 4lmm. which Kawasaki claims enhances midrange performance. and a 2Ofinch fronr-wheel option. (Honda usfd to offer lhis option too bu( sciapped it for '06.) JKawasaki chose to go with a four- spped gearbox, claiming lhat their test riders simply did not use fifth gear dLrr- inE the bike's development, so they yflked ir our and saved some weiSht in thle process. I Even though this is the first year for the Kk45OE Kawasaki calls its fmme "second ganeration." We never saw the first one, but the frame on the production bike is so different than the original protorype that it warranted a new moniker. Still Fairly Green Despite its short existence, the KX450F has already proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the hands ofjames down low but had Sood midranse f and top-end overrev, while the other contradicted him by saying that the KX sported a lot of low- to midrange thrust before falling on its face up top. At least our older, slowe. and plumper testers all felt that the KX is pretty tractor- like off the bottom but is still pretty zippy through the middle. One thinS that all agreed on was that the KX has the best Iour-speed tranny among the three so- equipped machines in this shootout, Third gear was a bombastic experience on the KX. You could clutch the bike from near- ly a dead stop and the motor would take up the slack without even breathing hard. One Kawi pro said of the KX, 'lust put it in third and leave it there." Thankfully, pulling like a tractor doesn't mean that the KX also exhibits the han- dling characteristics ofa tractor. Much like the Suzuki, our gang pretty much harmo- nized on the fact that the Kawasaki is a very neutral bike ever/where on a motocross track. lt doesn't oversteer or understeer, and it gets into and out of turns well- "lt turns very well," one tester said. "lt's kind of in between the Honda, which is quick - but not as quick as the KTM - and the Yamaha, which isn't so quick." lt also tracks at speed. Most of our comments included the words, "stable" and "predictable" somewhere in them. 'Just point it." said one tester Tractors don't really have sus- pension to speak of, so the KX has a leg up there, but most of our crew felt that the KX's boingers lack a bit of boing. After riding around the track and fid- dling with the clickers, many said they would like to see the KX come with slightly stiffer springs to begin with. The Ereen meanie iust feels a little wallowy to some, but front and rear action is plush for sure. "Unbalanced," was a word we heard a lot throughout the shootout regarding the KX's suspension. Unfortunarely, the KX is tractorlike in one other department, and that's the braking department. ln case you've never tried to do it, tractors tend to not like T Recommended Ride Height - l00mm IETTING: (WHAT WE LIKED) FEATURES MSRp .......................----.............$6799 ENGINE ........449cc liquid-cooled single- cy'lnder four-valve DOHC {our-rtroke BORE & STROKE...,96.0mm x 62. I mm colrtpREsstoN RAT|o.............. I 2.0: I CARBURETOR .-..............Keihin FCR40 IGNmON ...-f'luhi-rnap didtal CDI W TPS CLUTCH ...-....................Cabh operated TRANSMISSION ................Four-speed FINAI- DRffE ........#520 duin (narsealed) FRAHE ..................4Iuminum, twin-sPar FRONT SUSPENS|ON..Kafrba, 48mm invened AOS w/ 22-way comprelsion and 20-way reboLrnd danPing adj. REAR SUSPENSION ...............-Kafaba, UNI-TRAK W 22-way low-speed and two-tum high-speed '1 JK #,7,,: Main let - I75 Pilot let - 42 Needle . NCVR (4) FueYAir Scret\r - 2 turns "'{ \ .,: r--;-.- I Kawasaki KX450F

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