Works Chassis Lab Kawasaki Engine Mounts

What it is

• Front Engine Brackets.
• Top Engine Hangers.
• Developed by technicians with 30+ years of experience.

Works Chassis Labs is a relatively newer company to the moto scene, but with decades of experience behind it. The owner and engineer has worked with the sport’s top suspension companies and race teams for several decades and is now using his knowledge to pass it down to the public and the average rider in the form of chassis parts including engine mounts, linkages, and more. For the newest generation (2024+) Kawasaki KX450 and KX450X, WCL offers two different options for Front Engine Brackets and three different options for Top Engine Hangers. All pieces can be sold individually or combined, and retail prices adjust accordingly.

How it works

• Six different combinations to choose from.
• Different riders liked different combos.
• Added comfort, conering, and precision.

More than just a gimmick, swapping engine hangers and mounts will drastically change a bike’s handling characteristics and feel, and depending on the feel you’re looking for, it can help or hurt your bike. Works Chassis Labs has quite the array of chassis parts for the newest gen Kawasaki, and we went through three different top engine hangers and two different front engine brackets to try six different configurations, plus the stock parts we started with. 

We started with the “soft” front engine bracket and ran through the three different top hangers (Soft, Medium, Stiff) and had quite the impression with all three. The Soft/Soft combo offered a lot of comfort on straight line acceleration and the sharper the bumps and the harder the hits, the better it worked. We really felt you could almost override the 450 (like a 250F or 350), revving it and being less precise without suffering from an irratic handling chassis from doing so when the terrain roughened up. However, some of our riders felt both the front and rear ends were vague as you started to lean the bike over, be it on corner entrance or corner exit. We didn’t feel quite as confident in where our front tire was at or was going with this setup, and under acceleration coming out of corners, we struggled to hold traction and track straight the harder we got on the gas. The Soft/Medium combo was average and didn’t do anything that amazed our riders, but also didn’t hurt the bike either. It was a middle of the road setting that offered some bump compliance over stock, but didn’t have quite the precision or predictability of the stiffer upper mounts. The Soft/Stiff combo was well received by Trevor for a more connected rear wheel feel, though we did get more feedback and feeling albeit still a "plusher" feeling than stock.

Overall, the Soft front engine bracket would be well received by riders prioritizing comfort over anything, but our faster riders felt they were slightly too soft and hurt cornering ability and even suffered from a little harshness under a heavy load on decel (in comparison to the stiff front brackets coming up next). 

The Stiff (lower)/Soft (upper) combo was favored by one of our riders (Tyler Belknap), but disliked by another one of our riders (Trevor Hunter). For Tyler, this combo gave the front end a more precise, confident feel but still allowed enough flex and comfort to charge hard through acceleration chop and whoops. For Trevor, it put too much of a load on the rear under corner acceleration, lacking rear wheel traction and predictability to the point where it almost felt as if the rear tire was flat at times. The Stiff/Medium combo, similar to the Soft/Medium combo, was average and didn’t stand out much in terms of good or bad for either rider. The Stiff/Stiff combo was favored by Trevor as it gave the whole bike a connected, precise feel where you could feel where it was going and what it was doing under you. While it didn’t have the straight line bump absorption that the soft upper mounts offered, it still felt like an improvement over stock in compliance but avoided the loose feeling rear end that wanted to wallow under heavy acceleration on corner exit. You could feel more of what was underneath you, but in a supple manner that didn’t offer a harsh feeling. 

When running the Soft top hangers with either of the front brackets, we really felt the need to dramatically stiffen up the rear shock. We’re going to continue to test suspension with TCS Powersports and as we make changes to that, our favorite combo may differ. These mounts make such a dramatic difference in handling that it can be ever evolving as your bike setup changes too. These are a bit pricey, but well worth the money if you’re looking to complete the handling package on your new KX450/X. The added bump compliance and cornering capabilities without compromising stability is welcomed and something that can’t be found in just suspension alone.