Australasian Dirt Bike — January 2018

http://www.adbmag.com JANUARY 2018 | 59

TheKawasakiisbasically unchanged but while

certain areas are starting to feel in need of an

upgrade there are others that are still super

competitive and comfortable for the rider. The

motor almost sits in no man’s land. It isn’t

majorly lacking in horsepower but it isn’t one

of the fastest either.

It is a smooth, torquey unit that will get you

out of trouble and keep most people happy. It

doesn’t hit exceptionally hard in any part of

the power curve and allows you to

occasionally pull a taller gear when needed.

The bike has a nice note to it compared to

some of the quieter machines and the gearing

worked well for most riders.

The biggest complaint from most riders

centred around the Showa SFF-Air triple-

chamber air fork. A betting man would put

money on Kawasaki following the other

Japanese manufacturers back to spring forks

some time in the near future.

The shock is super stable and tracks well

everywhere. The chassis gives good feedback

and seems to balance out well between flex

and agility. The ergos are starting to feel a little

dated compared to some of the more modern

machines, but, overall, the Kawasaki is a very

competitive bike that will benefit greatly from

a little facelift.

The DLC on the fork sliders is a very cool

addition that isn’t cheap to do. And for tall

riders such as our tester Lawson Bopping, the

Kawasaki has lots of adjustability including

two positions for the footpeg mounts and two

for the handlebar mounts. The Kawasaki also

had the strongest front brake out of the

Japanese manufacturers, with a 270mm rotor.

WHERE I RANKED IT: 5TH

NOTABLE CHANGES:

• Bold new graphics!

KEY FEATURES:

• Three ignition couplers (standard/lean/rich)


• Showa SFF-Air TAC fork with DLC-coated sliders


• 270mm front brake rotor


• Adjustable footpeg and handlebar mounts


• Kawasaki had its last major upgrade back in 2016

Killa

Kwakka

Kawasaki KX450F

Kawasaki
KX450F
SPEX
ENGINE
TYPE DOHC, four-valve
DISPLACEMENT 449cc
BORE & STROKE 96 x 62.1mm
COOLING Liquid
COMPRESSION RATIO 12.8:1
FUELLING Keihin 43mm EFI
TANK CAPACITY 6.3L
TRANSMISSION Five-speed
CLUTCH Wet multiplate
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE 1495mm
SEAT HEIGHT 950mm
GROUND CLEARANCE 335mm
CLAIMED WEIGHT 108.8kg (wet)
ADB SCALES 50kg (front),
53kg (rear), total 103kg (no fuel)
SUSPENSION
FRONT Showa SFF-Air 49mm USD, 305mm
REAR Showa monoshock, 305mm travel
BRAKES
FRONT Twin-piston, 270mm Braking wave
REAR Single-piston 240mm Braking wave
RUNNING GEAR
HANDLEBAR Renthal tapered
FRONT TYRE Bridgestone M403 80/100-21
REAR TYRE Bridgestone M404 120/80-19
PRICE & CONTACTS
THE BILL $11,499
BROWSER kawasaki.com.au
BLOWER (02) 9684 2585
WARRANTY None