The 2016 Kawasaki KX450F goes on a serious diet!
After a claimed a 7.5-pound overall weight reduction, the KX450F could feel like an all-new machine. Kawasaki started with the engine and dropped close to four pounds through new cases and with almost every part inside dropping a few ounces while still holding a five-speed transmission. They are not claiming too much more power for the bike that seems to blow everyone away when it comes to twisting the throttle, but things like less vibration, better throttle response and reduced noise are touted from the engine changes.
A bridged box piston, revised cams, valve shape and intake port shape changes, a resonator-integrated into the header all combine with a new ECU that comes with different DFI couplers to alter the power characteristic.
Kawasaki also has a new handheld ECU programmer (sold separately) that should work quickly and simply like the Yamaha GYTR Power Tuner that is so effective. The air box has also received changes to not only drop weight but also flow more air and be quieter at the same time. Kawasaki has obviously been listening to the complaints about sound and not just the brilliant way their bike was able to fool the sound meter in the past.
The KX450F chassis drops an additional three pounds off the scale in a slimmer package and to tune the rigidity. The new swingarm accounts for a lot of the feel and is said to also help the traction. The engine is also rotated a little bit forward for the same reason. New minimalist bodywork keeps the light theme and gives the KX a much needed facelift in the evolving design game in motocross bikes. Even the fuel pump inside the gas tank sheds weight by going to an aluminum construction.The overall posture of the bike is not only thinner but flatter as well and has all of the adjustments to the footpegs and handlebar clamp positions that the KX has had for the past few years. The suspension gets revisions and stays with the SSF-Air TAC fork and Uni-Trak activated rear shock with a lighter spring rate as well. The ready-to-ride weight is said to be just shy of 240-pounds.
The KX250F stays largely unchanged compared to the 2015 machine and we’d expect to see a lot of the 450’s revisions getting passes along in 2017.
