VOL. 52 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 25, 2015 P69
new bodywork and narrower
radiator shrouds (thanks to new
inward-angled radiators), the
Kawasaki's midsection now feels
more like a Honda CRF450R
than it does a 2015 KX450F.
On the track, this all trans-
lates into an easier bike to turn,
which has never been one of the
KX's strongest suits. It now has
a more point-and-shoot style;
you're able to change directions
at the drop of a hat, allowing
you to easily cut to the inside
and drive through the ruts, or go
wide and rail the berm, all while
in complete control. Without
question, the chassis has a
more balanced feel now, and it
also holds its line better through-
out the entire corner and with
less effort.
Getting the KX hauled in for
the turns takes very little effort.
Just a slight squeeze on the front
brake lever smoothly pinches the
pads on the 270mm oversized
rotor and then everything slows
down quickly and controllably.
The 240mm rear brake also has
good stopping power and feel.
Slowing down the KX on the
many High Point hills was never
a concern of mine.
The KX450F is made to fit just
about any size of rider. It's the
only 450 MX bike on the market
with adjustable footpegs (you
can lower them 5mm from the
stock position), and the four-
position handlebar mount means
you have a whopping 35mm of
front-to-back range.
>>SUSPENSION
The KX450F is again fitted with a
49mm Showa SFF-AIR TAC fork.
Kawasaki says valving has been
updated and that the inner fork
tubes are thinner (thus lighter)
than before. It's also been fitted
with new low friction seals. The
Showa shock has a lighter 52
Nm (formerly 53 Nm) spring,
which is, as mentioned, sitting
on new linkages.
The verdict is still out on the
KX's suspension because we
have only a few hours on the bike
and the High Point track was well-
groomed. It was far from being
rough, but from what I can tell so
far, the KX suspension does feel
a little bit plusher right out of the
crate. In fact, I ran the stock air
pressure with 107mm of rear sag
at first and found the bike to ride
quite well but eventually stiffened
things up just a tad for my 190
pounds. The forks held up in the
stroke, had a smooth action, zero
spike on hard hits, and the shock
worked equally as well. But the
true test for the KX's suspension
will come when we ride the bike
at home, like at Glen Helen on
practice day. You want to test
suspension? Then that's the
place to do it.
The KX returns with its Showa
SFF-AIR TAC fork that is a little bit
lighter and has revised settings.
Kawasaki now
offers as an
accessory a
much more
user-friendly
calibration kit
for all fuel-
injected KXs.
