Reviews of Kawasaki KX450F [2017-2018]

Engine-the kx450f engine delivers a very smooth, linear power band that makes it feel very easy to ride, especially for a 450. It’s not short on power by any means.Suspension:-returning for the fourth year in a row is the showa sff-air triple air chamber (tac) fork. We set each of the three air chambers to the recommended stock settings – 152 psi in the inner chamber, 16.7 psi in the outer chamber, and 174 psi in the balance chamber, and left them there as we were able to get the fork where we wanted it with only adjusting the clickers. Chassis: the chassis on the kx450f is agreeable to many riders of different sizes and skill levels. The latest chassis set up does have a bit of a “long” feeling overall, but is less of a “steer with the rear” type of bike than it was in years past. This makes cornering feel more neutral. Ergonomics:-the ergonomics on the kx450f are very slim and comfortable. The bike doesn’t have any sort of protruding pieces of bodywork that make it difficult for the rider to move frontwards or backwards on the bike and it feels balanced from front to rear. Conclusion:-the kx450f has plenty of positive qualities including a very smooth and predictable powerband, a plush shock, and a comfortable and thin chassis that’s easy to get used to right away. The main caveat of the kx450f is the showa tac fork, which isn’t the plushest feeling fork on the market and can be a bit difficult to set up, especially for the average rider. However, the showa shock works well, the chassis is very stable, and the ergonomics are very slim and easy to get used to.

About the Reviewer

Engine-the kx450f engine delivers a very smooth, linear power band that makes it feel very easy to ride, especially for a 450. It’s not short on power by any means.Suspension:-returning for the fourth year in a row is the showa sff-air triple air chamber (tac) fork. We set each of the three air chambers to the recommended stock settings – 152 psi in the inner chamber, 16.7 psi in the outer chamber, and 174 psi in the balance chamber, and left them there as we were able to get the fork where we wanted it with only adjusting the clickers. Chassis: the chassis on the kx450f is agreeable to many riders of different sizes and skill levels. The latest chassis set up does have a bit of a “long” feeling overall, but is less of a “steer with the rear” type of bike than it was in years past. This makes cornering feel more neutral. Ergonomics:-the ergonomics on the kx450f are very slim and comfortable. The bike doesn’t have any sort of protruding pieces of bodywork that make it difficult for the rider to move frontwards or backwards on the bike and it feels balanced from front to rear. Conclusion:-the kx450f has plenty of positive qualities including a very smooth and predictable powerband, a plush shock, and a comfortable and thin chassis that’s easy to get used to right away. The main caveat of the kx450f is the showa tac fork, which isn’t the plushest feeling fork on the market and can be a bit difficult to set up, especially for the average rider. However, the showa shock works well, the chassis is very stable, and the ergonomics are very slim and easy to get used to.

About the Reviewer