2011 Kawasaki KX 450F

2011 Kawasaki KX 450F

Did Somebody Say Motor?

In the 450cc motocross game, the only thing that matters to serious racers is top-tier performance and running up front. And for 2011, the best tool for the job is once again a lime green one – Kawasaki’s reworked and revised KX™450F. In this arena you can’t stand still technically, which is why Kawasaki engineers scrutinized every system and component of the race-winning 2010 model and came up with a host of tweaks that’ll have red, blue, orange and yellow wondering what hit ’em.

The latest open-class KX starts with the primary pieces that allowed the 2010 KX to win more Supercross events than any other bike last year – a brutally fast 449cc DOHC four-stroke single packing a broad spread of power housed in a lightweight-yet-strong aluminum frame connected to a suspension designed to offer compliance, high-speed stability and whoop-sucking performance all moto long. It was an ideal platform on which to win the majority of races in 2010, and that trend promises to continue with the revised, even faster 2011 model.

Last year, the KX450F featured a number of engine refinements, including the first ever production use of a bridged-box bottom piston (more high-end power and better over-rev characteristics), revised cam timing for better mid- and top-end performance and a reinforced cylinder sleeve and crankcase for improved durability.