Kawasaki KLX 450

[Fryin Finn]

I've just bought a new bike and after talking to Andrew Templeton about it yesterday thought I should make my views public.
I had a brief ride on a KLX in March and since then I've had a hankering to get back on one in a more regular basis so I save a heap of money and blew it on the first Kawaski I've ever owned.
Ran it in at a trailride near Masterton >80kph the first lap >90kph lap 2 then I let rip and did a few swapsies with mates bikes.
I was real impressed with the smoothness of the suspension even though the forks took a couple of laps to run in. The steering felt a little slow but went exactly where pointed. The motor is real torquey and smooth off the bottom.
The choke is a pig to get at - hidden behind the frame rail and the motor takes a fair bit of warming up. Also I found the battery ran flat pretty quick starting it, so have disconnected the headlight, but leave the tail light running cos' it's so cute and I wouldn't want anyone running up my ass.
I had a ride on the 07 WR450 and it was great to compare the bikes. The Yamaha had a little more snap off the bottom, fell behind in the midrange and a little more on top but not much in it. I also found the Yam steered a little better but I rate the Kawaski's brakes as better with a slightly stiffer chassis helping to deal with the whoops with confidence.
An overwhelming majority of friends were impressed how quiet the bike was and recommended not to change the silencer - but I have an old Pro circuit muffler from my WR450 and will get it modified to suit, just to shed a few kg's and help to pass slower riders at trail rides when they can hear you coming.
A benefit of the quieter bike though was how fresh I felt at the end of the day - it just dosen't tire you out like my old Yamaha WR450 did.
Later in the day I swapped for a ride on a VOR530 MX bike and although being real smooth and torquey, beat me up with it's more aggressive power and stiffer suspension.
I've done very few modifications since buying it 6 weeks ago. A set of barkbusters and scuff stuff to protect the plastics and last weekend I added some more preload to the shock and it now steers exactly how I want it. I'm tempted to fiddle with the suspension but not far off the stock settings as they seem pretty right to me. I'll probably add some handlebar risers and the aforementioned Pro circuit pipe.
I'm keeping the Gas Gas for enduros and snotty trailrides and the KLX for general trailrides and Cross Country races - I'm looking forward to competing at the Tarawera 100 agin this year on it.
There you go - any questions
Oh yeah and one more thing - WHAT A BARGAIN especially compared to the other 450's this ones a keeper

[takitimu]

I ended up getting a new Yuasa battery, even with a battery tender the stock battery is a dog, in the US they are replacing the battery as a warranty item ( from thumpertalk ).
Having to take the header off to change the oil filter was a pain, so I put a KX header on, though I ended up with a full KX system, which drops a chunk off the bottom end, which I liked, the power is even more linear now, dropping a few kilos was a good thing to ( the std muffler is heavy ).
Removed the AIS which is another 1/2 kilo, actually I have a F2 kit 4sale if you PM me, my shop had removed the AIS in between ordering the kit & receiving it ( I didn't ask them to do it ).
Added a DB-Dawg to drop the noise back a tad with the KX exhaust system & remove back firing.
I changed sprockets to 13/52, from 13/50 as well.
I've done 52 hours now & I like it alot, nothing major broken/replaced, just front fork guards ( KX450 guards fit, you need to rivet the speedo cable mount on is all ), levers, brake pads, standard stuff.

[cheese]

Dam nice looking bike. They do seem to be the pick of the bunch in the electric start 450s. I think that a nice quiet bike isn't suck a bad thing.

[FlangMasterJ]

They're good looking bike. Isn't their a 30kph limit up the Karapoti?

What's the reliability like?

[T.W.R]

You'll actually find that the battery isn't the issue with the KLX450F it's the charging system or lack of. the Electric hoof isn't meant to be a cold crank unit so when people crank it to buggery starting the bike from cold it sucks all the life out of the battery in no time and the charging system doesn't produce enough juice to replenish the battery as it isn't actually meant to charge it just maintain it hence the battery dies eventually

Doing the oil filter you just loosen the header pipe off and slide it forward about 20mm easy

Kawasaki make a purpose fit extension for the spark arrestor, it's cheap, easy to fit, breaths & sounds better, and doesn't need re-jetting.

We've got a couple in excess of 60hrs here that haven't had any hint of problems yet and one that is into the 80s that just had a piston & rings

[takitimu]

You'll actually find that the battery isn't the issue with the KLX450F it's the charging system or lack of. the Electric hoof isn't meant to be a cold crank unit so when people crank it to buggery starting the bike from cold it sucks all the life out of the battery in no time and the charging system doesn't produce enough juice to replenish the battery as it isn't actually meant to charge it just maintain it hence the battery dies eventually

For sure the stator hasn't got that much grunt, which reminds me, the electrical connector by the fuel cock has a particularly nasty habit of getting water inside it, which is worth keeping an eye on.
What the stator winding does not explain is that my battery never charged correctly from new & all the people on thumpertalk who've replaced the battery & report no more flat battery issues, so my read is it's a combination of a charging system that is not as grunty as some others ( it will actually charge back enough to start the bike, from flat, it just needs 30-45 minutes riding, but on my old battery anyway, it was only enough charge for a couple of starts ) & some poor batteries.

[ali-s]

had a test ride on one of these yesterday - awesome,and din't feel to big as seat height seems good. bit out of my price range at the mo. Just out of interest does the funky front mudguard fit a klx300, and how much do they cost.
cheers
AL

[gettindirty]

Having just picked up a new KLX450R for a steal of a price, has anyone got any tips to make it an even better bike. Have so far fitted a trickle charger to it as the battery and starter seems to be good for a pit bike only, have also dropped the front fork tubes 10mm which makes it turn on a dime. As I weigh about 100kg geared up and mainly trail ride on forest trails and on sand at places like the sandpit at Woodhill i'm looking for some suspension settings that work. Has anyone modified the exhaust with good results.

[scott411]

the KLX450'a come out with a heap of sag standard, setting the proper rider sag will help alot,

you can rejet them to make them go alot better, we have done a few with KX exaust systems, teh KX450F needle works very well in them as well,

[T.W.R]

the KLX450'a come out with a heap of sag standard, setting the proper rider sag will help alot,

you can rejet them to make them go alot better, we have done a few with KX exaust systems, teh KX450F needle works very well in them as well,

Just don't run them on race fuel, 95 is ample otherwise valve recession sets in

[scott411]

Just don't run them on race fuel, 95 is ample otherwise valve recession sets in

that is very good advice for any modern four stroke, they do not like race or av gas,

[Danger]

As I weigh about 100kg geared up and mainly trail ride on forest trails and on sand at places like the sandpit at Woodhill i'm looking for some suspension settings that work. .

You need to up your spring rates on that bike for your weight. We did just that for Takitimu and he is 94kg and as soon as I mentioned the work wallow to him he knew just what I was talking about. Until you get the correct springs fitted any clicker settings you try are just a bad compromise.

[takitimu]

Nice buy ,

- Unplug the headlight & see how that goes, never had a problem since I did that & put a new battery in, tickle charger sits idle in the garage now.
- FMF Powerbomb header works nice with KX exhaust.
- As danger said heavier springs & I wound off rear rebound a bit to.
- TM-Designworks chain guide ( OEM wore out )

[T.W.R]

that is very good advice for any modern four stroke, they do not like race or av gas,

Though particularly the KX/KLX450Fs, we've got an on going battle with one of our customers over this :slap:

You need to up your spring rates on that bike for your weight. We did just that for Takitimu and he is 94kg and as soon as I mentioned the work wallow to him he knew just what I was talking about. Until you get the correct springs fitted any clicker settings you try are just a bad compromise.

Standard OEM spring rates are designed for a 76kg rider on the KLX

[takitimu]

How do they like 98 ?, can't get it up north, but fill up whenever in Auckland.