The Weekend Race Set Up (4/25/21)

I always thought it would be cool to share the notes that I create after a race with the reader. 98% of the time I will input notes about each test bike/part I decide to race any given weekend. The part as well as the bikes change from time to time, but I always like to have a log of what I ran as well as the conditions of each race. Below is a brief breakdown on the bikes, parts as well as notes on how each performed or felt. Last weekend we brought four bikes to race (2021 Yamaha YZ450F, KTM 250 SX-F, Kawasaki KX450, Yamaha YZ450FX). Below are four breakdowns of what was on each machine and how each machine fared in race conditions. Each time my son and I race, you can check back here to keeferinctesting.com every Tuesday (when we race the previous weekend)  for “The Weekend Race Set Up”.

Track: Glen Helen Raceway

Kris Keefer

Terrain: Sandy top soil AM with hard pack in PM 

Start: Dirt

Avg Lap Time: 2:00

Total Number Of Motos: 4 motos (Four 8 lap motos)

Weight At Time Of Race: 170 pounds w/o gear

2021 Yamaha YZ450F: 

Engine Hours 50.2

Tires: Dunlop MX3S/MX12 13.5/12.5 PSI 

Bars: Pro Taper SX Race Evo

Grips: Renthal Half Waffle Medium

Levers: ARC RC-8 Perch/Lever

Throttle: ZRT 

Rider Triangle: -5mm down and back peg position/stock bar height/rear hole

Gearing: 13/49 Renthal Sprockets/DID ERT3 Chain

Engine Mods: Vortex ECU Mapped By XPR/Akrapovic Evolution System

Engine Oil: Blud Racing 10/40 Pro Series

Fuel: Renegade SX4

Holeshot Device: WC

Graphics/Seat: Throttle Syndicate

Suspension: Enzo Racing Test Fork/Shock Spec #KK145

Air Filter: Twin Air Power Flow Kit 

Plastic: Cycra Power Flow Kit

Results: 1st 450 Pro (1-1-1), 2nd 30 Pro (2-2)

Notes: 

• GH World Vet Vortex ECU setting as well as Akrapovic muffler allowed the most rear wheel connection I have felt yet from any muffler I have tested to date. Power was controlled and easy to manage late in motos.

• YZ450F feels slightly heavy on entry of shallow ruts.

• PSF1 Fork was stiffened up to 38.5 PSI to help with hold up coming down hills. PSF1 had more comfort on heavy landings or when pushing hard into corners. lean angle is not as good as spring fork, but PSF1 setting allowed me to push harder later in the day. Surprising! 

• Shock sag at 105mm made for acceptable balance, but left rebound setting from 4/10/21 race to compensate for choppy conditions so rear can follow ground more.

• WC start device was better off the gate when set at 120mm for dirt start.

• Updated rider triangle (-5mm/-10 back pegs) allows for less leg fatigue. Legs were fresher at end of motos. 

• GUTS standard seat foam is firmer than stock OEM foam and last longer. (12.1 hours on foam and density still holding up).

• TP199 knee pads were worn. Had more mobility when riding, less fatigue and overall movement on bike was more fluid. Roost protection was adequate. Still slip down legs so Asterisk Zero G Knee Brace Pant was worn.

Suspension Setting: 

Fork: (Spec #KK28PSF1)

Air Pressure: 38.5

C: 15

R: 11

Height: 2mm

Shock: (Spec #KK144S)

LSC: 10

HSC: 1.25

R: 9

Sag: 105mm

Track: Glen Helen Raceway

Aden Keefer

Terrain: Sandy top soil AM with hard pack in PM 

Start: Dirt

Avg Lap Time: 2:02

Total Number Of Motos: 4 motos (Four 7 lap motos) 

Weight At Time Of Race: 130 pounds w/o gear

2021 KTM 250 SX-F:

 Engine Hours 10.1 

Tires: Dunlop MX3S/MX12 13.5/12.5 PSI 

Bars: Pro Taper Evo Suzuki Race Team Cut to 805mm

Grips: Pro Taper 1/3 Waffle Race Cut

Levers: Stock

Throttle: ZRT Grey Cam 

Rider Triangle: Stock

Gearing: 14/51 Sunstar Sprockets/DID ERT3 Chain

Engine Mods: Head Mod XPR Motorsports, Custom HC Piston, Vortex ECU Mapped By XPR/HGS Full System

Engine Oil: Blud Racing 10/40 Pro Series

Fuel: Renegade SX4+

Holeshot Device: WC

Graphics/Seat: Throttle Syndicate

Suspension: REP Racing Test Fork/Shock Spec #AK3

Air Filter: Twin Air Power Flow Kit 

Results: 2nd 250 Intermediate, 2nd Schoolboy

 Notes: 

• REP AER setting was set at 9.92, but rider still complaining of soft feeling (dive) under braking.

• Fork comfort on bigger braking bumps was ok, but rider needs more performance (hold up) coming down hills or when over jumping jumps. 

• Fork comfort on small/light bump/accel was acceptable. 

• HGS Muffler provided more hit down low and better throttle response than Akrapovic slip on. 3 out of 4 hole shots with HGS versus 2 out of 4 on the Akra.  

• 120mm holeshot device setting remained from last race and is preferred. 

Suspension Setting:

Fork: (Spec #AK3F)

C: 11

R: 12

Height: 5mm

Air: 9.92 Bar 

Shock: (Spec #AK3S)

LSC: 14

HSC: 1.5

R: 12

Sag: 105mm

Track: Glen Helen Raceway

Michael Allen

Terrain: Sandy top soil AM with hard pack, square edge braking bumps in PM 

Start: Dirt

Avg Lap Time: 2:10

Total Number Of Motos: 4 motos (Four 5 lap motos)

Weight At Time Of Race: 175 pounds w/o gear

2021 Yamaha YZ450FX:

Engine Hours 2.3 

Tires: Dunlop MX33F/MX33 13/12.5 PSI 

Bars: Stock

Grips: Stock

Levers: Stock

Throttle: Stock 

Rider Triangle: Stock bar height/front hole

Gearing: Stock 13/50 

Engine Mods: Stock

Engine Oil: Yamalube 10/40

Fuel: Pump 91

Holeshot Device: none

Graphics/Seat: stock

Suspension: stock, sag at 104mm

Air Filter: stock 

Plastic: stock

Results: 9th Open Vet Int., 4th 30 Plus Int.

Notes:

• Front end pushed and lacked traction in corners, especially flat corners.

• Took a lot of effort to get leaned into a rut and wasn’t planted in rut.

• Stock map has too much power/hit for rough Glen Helen when accelerating up the choppy hills or out off choppy corners

• I started the race in the stock map and changed to the hard packed map just before the second corner.

• The hard packed map mellowed out power delivery in first 5-10% of throttle opening, as well as making the overall power, less “explosive”

• Fork and shock settings were in the ball park for comfort for my height/ability (30+B rider)

• Big improvement over previous year settings as its much less wollowy overall. 

• The fork is slightly firmer than the rear, as once the shock gets deeper in the stroke the wollowy characteristics can still be slightly felt from last year. 

• Even with the longer exhaust, it’s still on the loud side

I’m used to riding a 250F, so the 450FX definitely wore me out, but in a different way. On a 250F I get worn out from riding it aggressively, but on the 450FX I get more worn out form holding on during acceleration (especially up hills). This was my first time riding this bike, so after a 10 minute practice session my first experience was moto one. I got one hole shot, and wasn’t ever outside the top 5. I think one reason I had trouble turning the bike is because the bars were in the forward position as I usually have YZ’s in the rear position. Will be moving mounts to the rear hole from here on out.

Suspension Setting: 

Fork: (stock)

C: 10

R: 8

Height: 5mm

Shock: (stock)

LSC: 10

HSC: 1.25

R: 7

Sag: 104mm

Track: Glen Helen Raceway 

Matthew Sirevaag 

Terrain: Sandy top soil AM with hard pack in PM  

Start: Dirt 

Avg Lap Time: 2:15 

Total Number Of Motos: 4 motos (Four 7 lap motos) 

Weight At Time Of Race: 201 pounds w/o gear 

2021 Kawasaki KX450: 

Engine Hours 41.6 

Mods/Parts:  

Tires: Dunlop MX33F/MX33 13.5/13.5 PSI  

Bars: Pro Taper  Fuzion SX Race  

Grips: Pro Taper Half Waffle Soft 

Levers: Stock 

Rider Triangle: Stock peg position/stock bar height/rear hole 

Gearing: 13/48 Pro Taper Sprockets/DID ERT3 Chain 

Engine Mods: Yoshimura RS12 stainless system 

Engine Oil: Blud Racing 10/40 Pro Series 

Fuel: Pump 91 

Holeshot Device:  None 

Graphics: 180 Decals 

Suspension: Race Tech re-valve/5.2 fork springs 5.8 rear spring

Air Filter: Stock 

Plastic: Stock 

Results:  30B (6-7= 7th), Open Vet = sucked both motos 

Notes:  

 • Regret not installing Works Connection hole shot device three out of the four starts were horrible 

• KX450 has light nimble feel making it easy to change direction mid corner 

• Yosh exahaust system  smoothed out power down low which helped me to roll my corners with more speed. Less jerky feel.

• Went from stock 13/49 gearing to 13/48 to help smooth power out in order to help with rider fatiuge late in motos.

• Fork seemed a little harsh in mid stroke, so opening up rebound helped some coming down rough hills. I still need more comfort in order for me to be able to charge harder late in Motos.

• Shock gave me good comfort/traction, but need to balance the fork to match the shock’s comfort on throttle.

Suspension Setting:  

 Fork:  

C: 12 

R: 15 

Height: 2mm 

Shock:  

LSC: 13 

HSC: 1 3/4 

R: 16 

Sag: 105mm 

2020 Kawasaki KX450 Top 5 Modifications

Joe Oehlhof is in charge of the 2020 Kawasaki KX450 Keefer Inc. test machine. I like that Joe is hard on bikes and can really test the limits of certain parts of a machine. I asked him to send me his “Top 5” modifications that really improved the 2020 KX450. I didn’t want Joe just to write down his favorite shit about what he got for free, but put the parts he did get for “free”, into perspective for everyone reading this. Which parts that are on the Keefer Inc. Testing KX450 would he actually purchase himself if he went out and purchased his own Kawasaki. That is real to me. This is something that I would want to read. These are Joe’s “Top 5” modifications that he would get done himself, if he would be purchasing a new 2020 KX450 right now. -KK

1. Re-Mapped ECU By Pro Circuit: The stock power character is  strong, smooth pulling, and has good "snap" down low. However, while riding this bike in the 2020 450 MX Bracket Shootout and while building it for the World Vet National, I felt I needed to move the power around a bit, so I enlisted Pro Circuit to remap the standard ECU. I wanted 2nd gear to be broader and not ramp up as quick in order to give me a meatier, torquier feel as well as some added rear tire traction with less spin. I also felt like I wanted to use third gear sooner through/or after corners, so getting more recovery was needed. After I installed the re-mapped ECU, I could use third gear more and that allowed me to lug the bike better through corners, which improved my lap times. The added traction I got as well with the PC re-map was noticeable at Glen Helen when the track went to crap! -Trust me, Joe needs to use third gear more! He is like Barcia, but on a KX450! -KK

2. Pro Circuit Ti-6 Exhaust: Next, I went with Pro Circuit’s Ti-6 exhaust, which took the already very useable re-mapped powerband and gave it a boost. It added more torque down low without losing traction, made the throttle feel more "connected" to the rear tire, gave the KX450 a much improved, stronger mid range pull, and even more recovery that allowed me to grab a shift earlier out of corners. Lastly it improved over-rev/top end pull, which allowed me to shift less and if you know me, you know I like to hear that motor sing a little (don’t say a word Kris). -I already did, look above! -KK

3. Hinson Clutch Kit: A full Hinson set up was needed to handle the abuse that I give to the clutch so I went with the outer basket, inner basket, pressure plate, and a sweet looking cover. In stock form the clutch feel is a bit soft and spongy and the engagement point is a little vague. I like to know exactly where my clutch is engaging, which helps to not drag the clutch and gives it a much better/more positive feel on starts. Let me explain this…When you accelerate with the stock clutch system the bike starts to grab traction and then there is some slipping. It’s not the instant engagement or the feel of acceleration that I like and with Hinson’s set up, I was able to achieve the feel I was looking for.

4. Pro Circuit Re-valved Suspension: For a 190 pound guy the stock suspension is usually on the soft side, so of course Pro Circuit re-valved the fork and shock. I went a tad stiffer on the front fork spring, but for the shock, I eventually decided to stay with stock spring rate and used just a re-valve. I initially had a stiffer rear spring, but I lost a little of that initial plushness and comfort feel of the stock spring so we switched back to the standard spring rate and I was much happier. Rough square edge acceleration chop, big downhill kickers, OJ’s, and braking bumps are all handled much plusher with this shock re-valve setup.

PC was generous enough to let me try their A-kit internal cartridge set up, which fits directly inside the tubes of the Kawasaki KX450. These are awesome, but expensive! In stock form the forks ride a little low in the stroke for me, which makes the fork feel harsh on braking bumps. The action of the fork is comfortable, but the plushness of the fork gets lost around mid stroke. Pro Circuit’s A-Kit cartridge setup kept the front end up in the stroke when entering corners and gave me more front tire traction while braking hard as well as better bump absorption. I could be more aggressive yet still have comfort which is tough to do when it comes to suspension. -I can’t believe this “Average Joe” is running A-Kt forks. Wow! -KK

5. X-Trig ROCS Triple Clamps: These were the last modification I made and I'll admit I was surprised at the results. Now I know these clamps are pricey, but I honestly didn't know if they would improve the bike THAT much. I was also concerned that it would make my comfortable Kawasaki become too rigid. The stock clamps flex and twist a bit when pushed hard into corners, which gives the front end a slight vague/pushing feel. It wasn't until I went back to back with each clamp that I figured all of this out. If I would have never tried these X-Trig clamps, I would have never known the sensation of a stock clamp flex character. When I bolted the X-Trig ROCS clamps on I got a front end that was planted and predictable, but what surprised me was how plush the feedback to the bars were. I actually got improved front end traction on initial lean as well as through the middle of corners. Typically when a set of clamps has less flex you'll get a stiffer, rigid feel through the bars, but that is not the case with these X-Trig’s. -Joe running bling on his bike? This is crazy to me! Some bikes react better to aftermarket clamps and this seems to be the case with the KX450. -KK

2020 Kawasaki KX450 Vet National Race Bike Build (Part Two)

Written By: Joe Oehlhof

For part two of this build I got a bit more detail oriented and involved some high-end parts, which provided some big gains, but before we get into that, I’ll give a quick review of how the Dubya Vet World Championship went for me. I ended up 5th overall, not too bad for a guy who only gets to ride once a week, I guess. I can tell you I’m not happy with it and I feel like I should have been 3rd overall. Not to take anything away from the guys who finished ahead of me because they rode great. I just felt like I left some on the table and didn’t ride to my full potential. I won’t bore you with excuses but I will say it has motivated me to race a bit more and I’ve already started my prep for next years Vet World race, so I guess that is a good thing. I gotta thank Pro Circuit for taking care of my bike all weekend and making me feel like a part of the team. Couldn’t have pulled this event off without the help of Mitch, Bones, Dan, Camilla, Luke, Mike and especially Josh and Kyle for wrenching for me on Friday and Saturday. I also want to thank the rest of the companies involved that helped me get a damn good bike together in a short amount of time. Huge thanks to Pro Circuit, Pro Taper, FCP, Hinson, EKS Brand, Answer, Dunlop, X-trig, MGX unlimited, Amsoil, Matrix Concepts, and last but certainly not least is Kris at Keefer Tested. None of this would have happened without him nudging me and getting me a bike, I’m coming for you next year, which may be impossible because you’re riding the best I’ve ever seen you ride but, it’s a goal to shoot for. We’re a long way off from that but stay tuned. 

After phase 1 was wrapped up the next area we concentrated on was getting a bit more power, but more importantly move the delivery around a little to make it even more usable and ultimately get the power to the ground. We achieved this by having Pro Circuit remap the stock ECU, installed a full Hinson clutch set up, and slapped on Pro Taper chain and sprockets for the final drive. First up, the ECU; with the smooth, strong delivery of the stock power coupled with the PC Ti-6 exhaust we had a very good manageable motor. I was looking for more of a smooth torque down low and better “recovery” and the PC re-mapped ECU did just that. It gave me a little less jumpy feel and wider/broader second gear that allows me to roll on the throttle much sooner while keeping the rear tire connected to the throttle. Additionally, it increased mid to top end pull while shifting through each gear as well as removed any lull or dead spot if I shifted too early. This mod added that last piece of the puzzle that allows me to ride the bike in an aggressive manor with more than enough power, but is user friendly and doesn’t wear me out.

To assist in transferring the added power to the rear wheel we installed a full Hinson clutch (outer basket, inner basket, pressure plate, stiffer springs and clutch cover). If you make power gains, but can’t transfer it to the rear wheel, without slipping the clutch, in a useable manner, it’s then wasted. The stock clutch set up is decent, but you can’t beat the quality and durability of a Hinson system especially when you’re hard on the clutch like me! Besides durability and the peace of mind I get with this system it also provides a more positive clutch feel and precise engagement, less drag than the stock, and an accurate feel at the lever. The stock clutch feels a bit spongy and tends to drag under load which doesn’t provide that precise ‘bite’ like the Hinson does. 

To finish the transfer of power, Pro Taper also hooked us up with chain and sprockets. I definitely try to get my money’s worth out of all the parts I use and Pro Taper durability and performance are top of the line. These parts not only look great, but outlast all others that I’ve tried.

Now we have the power and got the bike hooking up we needed to focus on handling and suspension. Pro Circuit also took care of the suspension and hooked me up with their newest offering of A-kit internals that slide right into the stock outer tubes. In effort to get you Kawasaki guys hooked up with close to works suspension as you can get without purchasing a full set of A-kit, you can now buy the internal cartridge and drop it directly into your stock forks. This is the same 27mm internal cartridge that the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team uses and even has the same Kashima coatings. If you aren’t excited to have this available to you, check your pulse!! The real question is, will the average guy who rides once a week be able to tell a difference and the answer is absolutely! The stock forks are a little too soft and ride too far down in the stroke. The action of the stock forks are good when not under a load so getting the forks to stay “up” in the stroke was the first area we concentrated on. With a slightly stiffer spring rate and the A-kit cartridge we had a setting that gave me a lot of confidence to charge into corners, especially down the big hills of GH. On top of that the forks absorbed hard landings such as slap downs, the occasional OJ by my happy throttle hand, and they also stayed “up” in the stroke when under any significant load. This enabled the front end to have great low and high-speed bump absorption, better traction under heavy braking and on lean angle it felt like the front tire had a bigger contact patch. This was very confidence inspiring when you can achieve that at Glen Helen in the afternoon. 

Next came the shock, but I really liked the stock shock, so I was nervous to get too far away from my stock setting that I liked so much. PC set up the shock with a heavier spring and kept the valving fairly close to stock, but addressed the areas I had complaints with. On track, the Being comfortable right away is important because you have to be able to “send it” the first couple laps of a race to have any shot at performing well. The shock was able to absorb that gnarly acceleration chop out of corners and on those square edge uphills, never had a harsh bottoming feel, and it absorbed braking bumps with zero crazy kicking or side to side hop. It also felt slightly more planted entering/exiting corners and felt like the rear wheel was digging down in the dirt as opposed to skating on top. Overall, great performance that has all the potential to get even better with some more tuning and will give the Kawasaki that track toughness that Keefer talks about when riding multiple different styles of tracks. If interested in the 27mm drop in A-kit cartridges contact PC at www.procircuit.com or call 951-738-8050 for pricing and availability.

One last item we were fortunate enough to get our hands on were the XTRIG triple clamps. Bones was able to set this up with Rick Green from Technical Touch, who was gracious enough to provide these on a days’ notice, and I’m really pumped he did. I gotta admit I was skeptical at first because back in my racing days I only used aftermarket clamps to firm up the front end as well as to get increased rigidity for the rigors of SX. This wasn’t something I was looking for knowing how good my front end performed and how gnarly Glen Helen gets. Sooooooo after Bones yelled at me for thinking something other than what he recommended, I put them on and again he was right. Son Of A …….! The clamps were better in absorbing some of the transferred energy of sharp square edge bumps, hardpacked braking bumps, and gave the front end an even more planted feel. The PHDS cushions that are integrated into the bar mounts, along with the way the X-Trig’s clamp to the forks, allow better movement, no binding, and less stiction that provided me a comfort level that I was pleasantly surprised with. Add the fact that they look cool as shit, it was a mod I hadn’t planned on, but ended up getting results beyond what I had imagined. It also gave Keefer something to talk crap on me about and tell me I was taking things way too serious because I initially said I was just going to race for fun. But hey once a racer, always a racer and if someone is offering up a piece to give a bit more performance, I was taking it cause I had to make up for all my weaknesses!  

So that was my month leading up to the race! It was super busy and served as a reminder the amount of work it takes to build a competitive bike. I’m pumped on how it turned out, but my only wish was to have a little more time on it before the race, because I literally got all this done the day before the race. That’s the life of a vet guy though right? Work all week, in the garage the night before, and send it on Sunday! Next Year I’ll try to prepare a couple months out and have it finished well before the race. Thanks for reading and as always if you have any questions contact Kris@keeferinctesting.com. 

2020 Kawasaki KX450 Vet National Race Build (Part One)

Written By: Joe Oehlhof

Five months ago, Keefer says to me while we were out riding, “Hey, you should race the Vet National.”  I responded back with, “Nah, it’s too much work getting ready for it.  I don’t have the time.” Of course immediately after Kris is done flapping his lips, his wife Heather chimes in with, “Yeah, you should race it. Kris will get you whatever bike you want.” My head sparked up and for some weird reason my mouth started to reply with, “Alright, in that case I am in”!  KK looks at Heather with a scoured look and says, “Wait, wait, wait…Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. You can’t be making those kinds of promises!”  A verbal agreement from any Keefer is a binding agreement so I immediately went Law And Order on his ass with “Nope, she said it.  That’s the deal.”  And Keefer replied with, “OK, we will get you a good bike and let you get it dialed in. Will you race it then?”  I reluctantly said, “Yes.”  Figuring it would probably never happen with Keefer’s schedule as well it being the fire season here in California (I am a San Bernardino County Fireman).  Never the less, we are roughly a week out from the Vet National and here I am preparing myself and a bike that I had about one month of time on.  

Getting the actual bike took a little longer than expected because of the “450 MX Bracket Shootout” and other factors, but in the end, Keefer decided to give me the 2020 Kawasaki KX450. Once he told me this, I got excited because I chose this bike as one of the top bike’s in this year’s 450 bracket. It’s a bike I feel really comfortable on, so I was excited to put some time on it, shake it down, and figure out what areas I wanted to address.

Luckily for me, Kawasaki provided a solid base to start from, which helps when you are in a time crunch.  The stock Kawasaki 450 is a great all-around bike for a wide range of riders, hence the reason why it got second in the bracket. For me the engine is strong yet very controlled, has a confidence inspiring compliant chassis, coupled with a smooth progressive powerband, that allows you to feel in control, while being able to push your limit. After spending a little over a week shaking this bike down, I came up with a few key areas that I wanted to improve. So here we go with phase one…

First area I wanted to concentrate on was the rider triangle which is really easy because I felt very comfortable with the stock bar position and bend. Call me old school but I do still like the 7/8” bar because of the flex that it provides. Kawasaki offers a lot of adjustability with several different bar position options with the triple clamp and two options with the foot pegs, but after trying several different combinations, I settled on the stock peg position and the bar mounts in the rear hole, facing in the forward position. Once I decided on this setup, I enlisted Pro Taper to provide that next level comfort. I went with the Carmichael bend Fuzion Bar because it’s a 1 ¼” bar, so you get the durability in case you have a crash, but comfort and flex of the 7/8” bar due to the option of locking or unlocking the cross bar. The locked position gives you a little firmer feel with less flex and the unlocked position gives you a bit more flex that mimics the character of a 7/8” bar.  Pro Taper also provided the oversized bar mounts, which easily bolted in using the rubber mounting and stock clamp. I rounded it out with the 1/3 waffle soft grips that added grip and comfort for my sissy hands.  

www.protaper.com

Next on the list of improvements was to boost the power for starts.  In stock form the Kawasaki KX450 provides a very broad manageable rider friendly powerband, but by no means is this bike slow. The power feels connected to the throttle, has excellent roll on bottom end with a strong pull through mid and top.  I had no complaints with the power delivery, I just wanted more. Don’t we all! I called the guys at Pro Circuit knowing that their relationship and years of experience with Kawasaki would provide me what I hopefully needed.  They sent me up with their Ti-6 Exhaust which provides a 1.5 pound weight savings as its titanium tubing is thing of beauty.  After bolting the system on (which is painless), I immediately noticed improvements throughout the power band.  It kept that smooth manageable roll on power, but increased it slightly, plus added more pull in the mid-range and thus improving the recovery time when shifting from second to third.  It also provided more over-rev just in case I got lazy (which is more common now that I am over 40) and I needed to leave the KX450 in second gear at times.  I know it sounds crazy to have a system that boosts power everywhere because usually it can be better in one area and not so good in another, but this system gave me exactly what I was looking for.  I have a couple more options to try to help move the power more, but that will be in phase two of this story so be watching for that.

www.procircuit.com

The last thing I was able to try in this phase of the Keefer forced “Vet National Bike Build” was another “comfort” piece. This piece made big improvements on the 2019 Suzuki RM-Z450 bike build, so we asked Kris Palm of FCP Engine Mounts to help me out for this green machine.  Factory Chassis Parts provided engine mounts with different a material and thickness (compared to stock) that allowed the chassis to flex differently yet shockingly provided a smoother overall feel, especially when the track is at its worst.  After a long day of testing with Keefer as well as doing two twenty-minute motos at Glen Helen, Kris from FCP bolted the engine mounts on and had me try them. If you have never ridden Glen Helen at 4pm just imagine a track that’s dry, most of the berms are blown out, has edgy off camber sweepers, kickers on the jumps, nasty braking bumps, and even nastier square edges through the corners, as well as down the next straight away. These conditions are commonplace here in California. If I was back home in Ohio, I may have not went this direction because of the soil differences, but since I am dealing with this kind of drier soil here on the west coast, I look for “comfort” when testing any part.  It’s miserable to ride a track as rough as GH when you’re not comfortable, but if you can make a bike work in those conditions, you have accomplished a great feat.  Like I said before, the Kawasaki chassis is (in my opinion) the best one out there, so I wasn’t sure if the FCP mounts would be able to improve upon that. In a nutshell, the mounts give the chassis just that little bit more flex, which takes away the transfer of energy that happens when you hit those bumps, so you don’t feel the sharpness of them as much. Upon entering corners, the FCP mounts take away some of that harsh hit you may feel and calms the movement of the bike down even more.  On initial lean through corners is where the mounts shine by allowing you to brake really hard and stick inside shallow inside west coast ruts.  Once in that rut, the bike stays planted and absorbs the acceleration chop better and continues down the next straight in a calmer manner.

www.fcpracing.com

I am really happy with the improvements we were able to make with bolt on parts and pieces from Pro Taper, Pro Circuit, and FCP.  Taking a good bike and making it a little better is always fun yet tough, so I am looking forward to phase two where I will be testing a remap of the stock ECU by Pro Circuit, modifying the suspension in order to dial it in for my weight and riding ability as well as a full clutch system from Hinson.  Stay tuned for that test as well as a Vet National story, to see how all of this preparation in one month’s time goes and the more difficult task of preparing myself with limited riding time due to firefighting duties, dad duties, and husband duties.  My hope is to give you guys that have regular jobs and family responsibilities a path to dialing in your bike, so you can enjoy that one day a week you get to ride. -Joe Oehlhof

If you have any questions about this test please feel free to email kris@keeferinctesting.com and he will try to do his best to answer any questions you might have.

2020 Kawasaki KX450 Review/Baseline Settings

The 2020 Kawasaki KX450 is exactly the same as the 2019 Kawasaki KX450, but the 2020 version just has more green. Kawasaki focused all of its R&D efforts on the KX250 for 2020 so the bigger brother just got a few more green plastic pieces, but that doesn't mean we didn't hit the R&D’ing hard. I really wanted to get some updated settings for you Team Green riders out there in hopes that it will help you set up your 2019-2020 KX450 in a more timely manner. Here are some thoughts and settings on the 2020 Kawasaki KX450:

Engine Feel: Just in case you were trying to decide on if the 2020 KX450 is better than the 2018 version, let me tell you, there is no comparison. The 2020 comes on quicker with a lighter, more free-revving feel and has less engine braking. I am usually not a guy who likes to de-tune a stock 450cc motocross bike, but the Kawasaki simply is too crisp from 0-5% throttle opening on slicker/hard pack tracks. Yes, too crisp! Where you feel this 0-5% is when you’re barely on the throttle through longer ruts. The KX450 gets jumpy with the stock green coupler and it upsets the chassis, which makes you very inconsistent through corners. Once the black coupler is installed it controls that 0-5% and gives you an incredible, yet smooth pulling power that feels similar to a KTM 450 SX-F. The mid range has a nice amount of meat and the smoother pulling power of the top end/over-rev is noticeable on longer straights or up hills. I didn’t lose mid to top end pulling power with the black coupler (compared to the stock green one) and I could ride the KX450 more aggressively through corners. The engine is super connected to the rear wheel and never steps out coming out of corners. This is an impressive power plant! After I rode with the black coupler a few times I decided that I would like to increase the mid to top end pull so I created a map with Kawasaki to get some more in that area. *See below for map*  

Weight Feeing (Chassis): I was told that the 2020 Kawasaki KX450’s frame is 1.87 pounds lighter than it was in 2018. The total weight of the new machine has only increased roughly three pounds from 2018, but to me it feels lighter than the 2018. Why? I feel it is because of the way the 2020 Kawasaki makes its power. It is very free feeling and snappy which makes this bike have a very light/nimble feeling through corners. I am able to lay it down with ease and cut down under a blown out rut almost as easy as a KTM/Husqvarna. I do get a little twitch on de-cel (which can be fixed with a fork spring change), but it wasn't a horrible or un-easy feeling. Straight line stability is still the same straight and arrow Kawasaki feel that you expect, but with added traction. The frame absorption is the best attribute of this machine and other manufacturers should take notice of how well this KX450 feels when the track goes to crap. The whole bike feels friendlier than any other 2020 machine on square edge and the only other one that comes close in comfort is the Yamaha YZ450F.   

Hydraulic Clutch: The Nissin hydraulic clutch feels nothing like a Brembo or Magura. The Nissin hydraulic feel is a little bit of cable and hydro. What the hell does that mean Keefer? It means that there is a little play in the Nissin hydraulic lever that makes it feel like a cable pull initially. Unlike a Brembo where there is no play and is very touchy (on/off feel), the Nissin has more of a progressive feeling. So far I prefer the Nissin clutch engagement/feel over the Brembo. I like to ride the clutch a little with my finger while I ride, so having that little bit of play ensures that I don't burn up my clutch as quick. The clutch can slip at times under heavy load/under throttle if the track is super deep. You will be able to feel the lever start to creep in towards your grip when accelerating out of corners at times. To combat this you can simply remove the judder spring and add a fiber to the clutch pack.   

Suspension Comfort: The 2020 Kawasaki is so much more balanced than previous generation KX450’s and I was able to set the front end down where I wanted to without feeling like the front end was going to snap my wrists. The fork has tons of comfort, but is also too soft/divy for my liking. At tracks with hills or sizable jumps, the fork was too low in the stroke and bottomed too many times. Going stiffer on the compression only hurt de-cel bump comfort, so I settled on going slower on the rebound, which helped some. The shock is soft as well on slap down landings, but going eight clicks (two full turns) in helped keep the rear end up and thus helps wallow feeling. This setting will get you by on most tracks, but do yourself a favor and read the recommended suspension settings below for optimal balance of the KX450. The recommended settings below will help with hold up and ride comfort.

Cornering/Chassis: The 2020 KX450 is a more “neutral” cornering machine than in previous years. I am able to get more front end bite than last year, but also am still able to rear steer the green machine very well too. I had a rear end steering tester with me at the intro and he liked how well it backed into corners as well as much as I liked the front end bite from mid-exit of corner. I say mid-end because the KX450 still does have a slight vague feel on entrance of corners so Raising the fork up 2mm in the clamp helps this feeling somewhat and gives you increased front bite. 

Rider Traingle: The footpeg to seat to handlebar ratio is great! The seat is flat, which puts me more on top of the machine than “in” it like the 2018 did. I like this feeling and it makes maneuvering on the bike better for my 6’0 frame.

7/8 Handlebars: Some manufacturers go away from 7/8 handlebars, but Kawasaki keeps them around and I approve! They flex, they offer better vibration characteristics and unlike what most people think DO NOT bend THAT easily. I have crashed my brains out on 7/8 bars and they didn't bend as bad as I thought. I can live with 7/8 bars on a production machine. 

Brakes: Do yourself a favor and get a 2018 rear disc and hanger. The 250mm disc is too grabby and really screws up my corners/braking points. The rear end will slide when I don't expect it and this causes my corners to be herky/jerky. 

2020 KX450 Suspension Settings:

Fork: 

Spring Rate 0.51 Spring (0.50 is stock) *If B level rider and over 200 pounds 0.52 springs is also a great option*

Oil Level: Standard

Compression:12-13 clicks out

Rebound Range: 11 clicks out

Fork Height: 2mm

 Shock:

Spring Rate: Standard (190 pounds or over, try one spring rate heavier)

Low Speed Compression: 16 clicks out

High Speed Compression: 1 1/8 turns out

Rebound: 11 out

Coupler/ECU Setting:

The engine on the 2019 KX450 in stock trim is exciting and makes the Kawasaki feel light. It has great RPM response, but does have a little dip from mid to top, so I created this map to help fill that dip in and make it pull slightly longer. You will notice a slightly more linear (more control at low RPM) pull down low without the jerky feeling through corners. With this map installed it helped settle the chassis down through long ruts and improved overall traction feel. In the testing world we call this "cornering stability". With this map installed it helped the 2020 KX450's cornering stability, especially on intermediate terrain. You will need to use the white coupler in and use the Kawasaki FI Calibration Tool to create this map. 

Where Does The 2020 KX450 Rank Amongst The 2019 Shootout Winner:

I have come to really appreciate the stability of the 2020 KX450 and like how confidence inspiring it can be on rough tracks. It isn’t the leader in the cornering category, but it sure is the leader in bump absorption and comfort. The KX450 still feels long to me, but at least now I can feel my front end through corners, which for my riding style is very important. If you were to ask me what bike I would want to ride Glen Helen on at 3:00 PM? I would choose the KX450 a close second to the YZ450F. The KX450’s frame character and stable/neutral nature has me rolling the throttle on harder when conditions get worse. The only reason I pick the Yamaha over the Kawasaki is because of the engine pulling power the Yamaha has up the hills. The Kawasaki feels lighter than the Yamaha in corners and is easier to manage when making sudden rut/line choices. I also like the fact that I can explore different parts of the track and not have to back down my speed that much because the KX450 chassis remains calm. I appreciate the KX450 the more I ride it against other machines in its class.  

If you have any questions about the 2020 KX450 please feel free to ask away and email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com. We try to give you the correct path when choosing a new machine! They aren’t cheap! We know this!

Top 5 Mods For The 2019 Kawasaki KX450

By Dominic Cimino

So I’m guessing you might have (or thinking about putting) a 2019 KX450 in your garage if you are reading our “top five improvements”. Good! This bike is awesome and deserves some minor updates to make it even better. After racing our test bike for the first time this year I can vouch that the five things you are about to read about have definitely help make this green machine shine. Let’s get into it...

First - Suspension. This is a public service announcement that should not go unnoticed. This is hands down one of the best things that any of you can do to improve your new ride. The new model mx bikes that are hitting the showroom floors in the last few years have proved to have great working components. Look at the BluCru - the KYB fork and shock combo continues to dominate every year. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider getting the bike tailored specifically for you and your riding ability. The KX benefited greatly from Race Tech’s special touch. After two attempts, we got the spring rates/valving dialed in for me, providing a plush/stable ride at speed with great bottoming resistance for the big stuff. I’m so happy with how the suspension feels compared to stock, so this first improvement is a no brainer.

Second - 22mm offset triple clamps. 
The Kawasaki motocross bikes have always handled well in stock trim. Cornering is made easy with their comfortable ergonomics and chassis combination. But after testing Ride Engineering’s shorter offset (stock is 23mm) it was a clear decision to stay with this improvement. Although they have a more rigid feel, the 2019 KX450 became even more playful in the cornering department allowing me to practically point & shoot anywhere I want to go when on the track. Laying over in deep ruts is made easier as well, as the naturally flickable character of this bike and improved cornering precision will make you smile. Let’s not forget that they also give the bike a special look as well, so I always give a nod for these added bonus points. 

Third - Rear linkage pull rod. 
This is the first time I’ve ever had the chance to test this easy bolt-on part from Ride Engineering. And easy it is - two bolts and a sag adjustment (105mm) will really prove to improve the way this 450 feels. The pull rod squats the rear end of the bike out slightly and alters the progression of the shock, which all translates to a more stable ride. There are no surprises even in rough conditions. The KX stays planted and predictable and I have found myself charging the rough sections much harder than I have in the past. This is a great performance benefit at a great price point.

Fourth - Handlebars. 
Kawasaki has done a great job at providing a motorcycle with a very adjustable cockpit to fit a wide range of riders. Having different foot-peg placements and handlebar mounting positions helps any of us get the most comfort out of our new bike. So why not maximize the comfort even more by selecting your preferred bar bend? I chose a set of Pro Taper EVO bars (in the Husqvarna bend) to achieve this. The low/flat sweep really caters to my riding style, and after trimming 1/4 inch from each side, this really got the cockpit dialed in. These handlebars also offer a bit more flex, so I feel they compliment the Ride Engineering triple clamps added rigidity.

Fifth - Exhaust. 
Our latest test was thanks to our friends at Yoshimura. They provided us an RS-4 full exhaust system to help further improve the power delivery on our 2019 KX450. After a painless installation, we were greeted with better looks and a better sounding tone. Power improvements were found from the mid to top-end as this exhaust really enhanced the free revving character of the new green machine. The mid-range stayed plenty lively with a little bit more aggressiveness that progressed into top-end over rev. I am able to hold gears longer while staying on the gas before having to upshift. I am definitely convinced that once we start adjusting mapping/ECU settings, this exhaust system is going to shine even more.

So there you have the top five improvements for Kawasaki’s newest big bore. Such an awesome bike to ride/race, it truly has been a blast getting this bike dialed in for me and I can’t wait to ride it more! If you have any questions for me, please don’t hesitate: Dominic@keeferinctesting.com

2019 KX450 Stage 1 Modifications

“Fine Tuning Chassis And Handling With Ride Engineering”

By Dominic Cimino

As you may or may not be aware by now, I am enjoying my time on Kawasaki’s newest big bore. We are deep into the initial stages of fine tuning this dirt bike to my personal preferences and have logged a lot of laps with only a couple aftermarket modifications. Pro Taper handlebars, Race Tech tuned suspension, and most recently, Ride Engineering’s rear linkage and off-set triple clamps. I wanted to give you some insight I experienced during testing Ride Engineering’s chassis specific parts and what worked best for me to date. 

Performance Link: https://ride-engineering.com/products.php?d=1&p=l&pn=KX-LKA39-GN&t=

This was the very first thing we bolted onto the KX450 and it definitely proves to be worth the investment. You can immediately feel how this shock link makes the bike more planted. It technically lowers the rear end when compared to the stock setting, which translates to a squatted feel (which I like on my bikes regardless of color). After setting the sag to Ride Engineering’s recommended setting (103mm), I found that sliding my fork up 3mm in the triple clamps from flush improved things even further. With the fork flush in the top clamp, the KX lost some of the initial lean-in feeling entering corners. The bike just wasn’t as responsive overall when I wanted to point and shoot places. After sliding the fork up, it allowed the bike to regain “some” of those specific handling traits that we all like with this bike. For this test, keep in mind that I kept the stock triple clamps on to get a true gauge on improved performance, and I feel that for a $220 bolt on part, this performance link is worth it. 

21.5mm off-set triple clamps: https://ride-engineering.com/products.php?d=1&p=bm&pn=KX-TBK20-B9&t=kx

Next up on the chopping block were these 21.5mm clamps. The stock clamp off-set on the 2019 KX450 comes in at 23mm, so 1.5mm is a pretty decent adjustment. It shows immediately when on the track too, as the bike handles completely different. Ride Engineering’s purpose when developing these clamps was to make the bike turn on a dime and leave a nickels’ worth of change… and I’m pretty sure they accomplished that! The steering became very aggressive and literally allows you to look in the direction you want to go as the bike follows. If anyone out there reading this would like to have assistance in corners and/or ruts, you may want to consider these clamps on your bike. The bike will point and shoot as you wish, the lean-in feel entering ruts is much more sensitive, and when you are physically in the rut, the bike likes to lay over with ease. But for me personally, I felt that these clamps were a little too much for my riding style. I naturally tend to ride over the front-end a lot (I’m a desert rat, remember?) and because of this, the front end became over-aggressive. At speed, I lost confidence because my bike inherited a twitchy sensation, making me feel like it could “knife” at any moment. Although it gained huge advancements in corners, I would rather the trade-off for better stability at speed. If you tend to ride tighter tracks at slower speeds, these clamps would probably be a no-brainer. 

22mm off-set triple clamps: https://ride-engineering.com/products.php?d=1&p=bm&pn=KX-TBK22-B9&t=kx

Ok - I know you might be saying, “really bro - .5mm different off-set?? Can you really tell?” The answer is whole-heartedly, YES. That 1/2mm really translates to a more predictable front-end steering feel, where the bike gained more stability in the places it needed it. In my layman’s terms: this is the happy middle between stock and that Supercross ready 21.5mm off-set. These clamps still allow you to enter a corner with ease (although not as easy as the 21.5’s) and keep you laid over until you exit. We kept the fork at the 3mm mark in the top clamp, and it proved to be the best position while testing. It really was a cool experience to test all three of these clamps during the same day to decipher which was best for me. 

On another note, I did want to mention a vital characteristic of the stock triple clamps that stands out after riding with different sets: they are less rigid than the Ride Engineering sets. This translates into a more compliant chassis feeling, where the bike feels better over small chop/bump absorption, as well as slap-down landings. This directly correlates to what you feel in your hands while riding, because I liked the stock clamps for these exact reasons. I personally think that some of you out there might have a hard time telling/feeling the difference of what I’m explaining here, so please take this little tidbit with a grain of salt if you’re not sensitive to small changes in your machine. Keep in mind, a TON of research and development go into OEM production clamps, but they have to appeal to an average rider world wide. Ride Engineering is taking that a step beyond and really fine tuning the handling characteristics for those of us that want more (hence the title of this update, “fine tuning”). That is what their clamps are providing - more precise and predictable handling for a motorcycle that already does it well, which in turn translates into more smiles at the end of the day. 

Stage 1 is almost complete on this 2019 Green Machine. I would like to re-visit Race Tech for some changes on suspension before we embark on the next slew of modifications, which will find us in the power department. This motorcycle continues to get better with every bolt we turn, so please stay tuned along the way. As always, we are here to help in any way we can, so feel free to send me an email if you need more info or have questions: dominic@keeferinctesting.com.  Thank you for reading!

2019 Kawasaki KX450 Update

Ahhh, the twenty-nineteen Green-Machine. There is a lot to love about Kawasaki’s new 450 and after an initial 20 plus testing hours have been racked up, this quick-read breaks those loves down and also highlights what I look forward to improving moving forward. As we all know, the KX450 was ranked high during our shootouts (it almost won the damn thing) for the new year, and for good reason! This completely brand new bike harnesses a lot of great features that will keep it a front runner moving into the future. 

First and foremost, the chassis. When you look at this 450 on the stand, the bike looks big. When you sit on the bike, it feels big (tall). If you weigh the bike, it still is “big” (3rd heaviest bike in class, weighing in at 242lbs wet). BUT, when you ride the 2019 KX450, it DOES NOT feel big. Kawasaki has designed this chassis in a way for it to feel more slim, nimble, and easy handling than ever before. This bike is so playful in so many ways, and literally lets you put it anywhere you want. The cockpit dimensions were a bit off for me, as I’m short (period), and I felt the bar bend was too high. Not only do I dislike the 7/8th Renthals that come stock (sorry Kris), but it was even more of an excuse to change them out entirely for a low-bend, oversize bar. I chose a set of Pro Taper EVO (Husqvarna OEM bend) as the replacements, because I wanted low and a relatively mild sweep. The combination seems to work well as of now, but I literally just put them on and need more time to test. *(On a side note - why can’t Kawasaki use a different glue for their throttle side grip?? As an FYI, it takes an act of god, razor blades, and a Dremel to remove the damn thing).

Moving onto the suspension, I was able to log the first 10-12 hours on all stock settings (adjusting minor clickers here and there) before sending the fork and shock to Race Tech for some love. In stock trim, the forks where a bit soft on harsh landings (bottomed out quickly) and they also liked to “pack up” in the mid-stroke. What I mean is, under braking or de-cel at speed, the fork likes to stay in the mid-stroke portion of the travel, translating into a harsh feeling/un-stable front end. Obviously, we sped up the rebound quite a bit, to get the fork to stay higher in the stroke, but the improvement was marginal. After riding Race Tech’s re-valve, bottoming resistance has been greatly improved, but I am still struggling with the same mid-stroke instability. Some things that have helped it (but not perfected it) have been speeding up the rebound settings again, and turning in high-speed compression on the rear shock. By doing so, it makes the rear shock ride higher, thus transferring more weight to the front with hopes to make the forks work as they should. I am pretty picky when it comes to front-end feel on my bikes, so this is going to be a work in progress to get it where I want. Part of the reason I wanted a lower-bend handlebar was to see if it would help me put more weight up front (from a body positioning stand point) to settle down the front. If not, I plan to turn back to Race Tech in the near future for new settings if I cannot get it where I want. Stay tuned. 

As for the shock, I think it works well all around. In stock trim, it was too stiff for the forks, which I believe made the front-end feel ever softer than it should. After Race Tech massaged it, we lowered the spring rate for my weight (145lbs) with some internal valving to compliment it, and the shock is more supple and forgiving. I have a feeling that if/when I perfect the forks, the overall chassis/suspension combination on this bike is going to be hard to beat.  

With all of the new 450 power plants being so good these days, to dissect and nit-pick each of them is a real chore. The same goes for the KX450 motor. It is very free-revving and easy to ride across multiple different tracks and conditions. It definitely is not the fastest, it definitely does not have the most torque, but the usability and “racey” feel makes up for all of that. We had the guys at Kawasaki help us with some new map settings during initial testing, and we found two that we really liked. The first one Kris developed, with the intentions of a more aggressive, “snappy” race-feel to make the bike stay alive across the RPM range (which you can find by clicking on the 2019 KX450 “Optional Settings” article). We have currently been using this map the most. The other is for the nasty, slick days out here on the west coast. When blue groove becomes your friend, the more linear map really keeps the power plant more subtle, but useable from bottom to top. 

Next on my to-do list, is an exhaust. This is not to say the stock system is bad (I mean… if we are judging by looks, it’s bad). But, it actually sounds good and I do not mind the performance either. I am interested to see what improvements can be made by bolting on a new system. Is there any specific brand requests from anyone reading this? (Editors Note: We tried the FMF full system and although it was good, we wanted a little more excitement down low. FMF has since re-configured the headpipe and we will test ASAP).

Want to learn about a specific system, tell Kris! I am sure we can make it happen. -Dominic Cimino

Ok, this was supposed to be a “quick-read”. I guess it is easy to talk about something that you really like, and that is the case with this new 450 from Kawasaki. As stated, there is a lot to love about this bike, and we are just scratching the surface on the things that will prove to improve. My focus is to really get the forks dialed in, to polish of the great chassis combination that this bike has to offer. I am confident that when this happens, all of the others things that we will get to test moving forward will become the cherries on-top. You know the drill - keep an eye on KeeferIncTesting.com for all of this stuff and more. Thank you for reading!

2019 Kawasaki KX450 Optional Set Up Notes

I have been spending a lot of time on this 2019 Kawasaki KX450 lately and have been enjoying my days with the green machine! The Kawasaki engineers should be proud with how their production machine came out and the consumer/buyer should be as well. However, that doesn't mean I will not experiment and try other settings to see if I can improve on the this 2019 Kawasaki  KX450. I wanted to share with you some of the settings that I have came up with since the "First Impression" podcast. If you have a 2019 KX450 and want to "tinker", give these a whirl and see if it helps you out on the track! As always feel free to email me your questions, concerns or maybe how you liked these settings! Hit me up at kris@keeferinctesting.com. Enjoy!   

Engine: 

Optional Keefer_1 map (Linear, More Control, Bottom End Pull With Increased Mid To Top End)

The engine on the 2019 KX450 in stock trim is exciting and makes the Kawasaki feel light. It has great RPM response, but does have a little dip from bottom to mid, so we created this map to help fill that dip in and make it pull slightly longer. You will notice a slightly more linear (more control at low RPM) pull down low without the jerky feeling through corners. With this map installed it helped settle the chassis down through long ruts. In the testing world we call this "cornering stability". With this map installed it helped the 2019 KX450's cornering stability, especially on intermediate terrain. You will need to plug the white coupler in and use the Kawasaki FI Calibration Tool to create this map. *SEE BELOW*

Optional Keefer_2 Map: (To Try With After Market Muffler System To Help De-Cel Popping) 

If you plan on installing a slip on or full aftermarket muffler system on your fresh 2019 KX450, use this map below to help reduce de-cel pop and increase pulling power through mid-top end. Chances are that you might have some de-cel popping when you install an aftermarket muffler and are running the white or green coupler. Simply installing the black coupler will help this de-cel popping, but takes aways some of the Kawasaki's RPM excitement. By using this map with the black coupler you get that RPM excitement back with a small amount of mid to top end pull increase. Try it if your aftermarket muffler gives you "The De-Cel Pops"! If it is NOT popping DO NOT worry about it and continue on with your life. This is for riders that experience de-cel pop only. *SEE BELOW*

Suspension: 

The 2019 KX450 can experience a little pitching on de-cel especially when the track is tilled up deep or sandy. I spent some time with the Kawasaki technicians and really worked on trying to keep the KX450 balanced (while keeping comfort) around the track. Below are two settings that I came up with that will help two different types of tracks/dirt. One is for very soft/heavy dirt and the other is geared towards more Southern California type tracks. Try these if you're experiencing any type of pitching or if you just want to experiment when you're riding. Note: "Pitching" is when the bike dives too hard towards the front end (fork is low) and makes the rear of the bike feel high when off-throttle. This causes instability coming into corners.

Soft Dirt Setting: (Note: "Plus" means stiffer or slower and "Minus" means softer or faster. When trying clicker ranges go one click at a time on fork as this Showa suspension is sensitive to clicks. When stiffening low speed compression on shock "4 clicks" equals "1 turn")   

Fork: 

Spring Rate 0.51 Spring (0.50 is stock) *If B level rider and over 200 pounds 0.52 springs is also a great option*

Oil Level: Standard

Compression Range: Stock to Plus three

Rebound Range: Stock To Plus One

Shock:

Spring Rate: Standard

Low Speed Compression Range: Plus Eight Clicks (Equals Two Turns) 

High Speed Compression Range: Stock To Minus 1/4 Turn

Rebound Range: Stock To Plus Two

Southern California Dirt Setting: (Note: "Plus" means stiffer or slower and "Minus" means softer or faster. When trying clicker ranges go one click at a time on  fork as this Showa fork is sensitive to clicks. When stiffening low speed compression on shock "4 clicks" equals "1 turn")

Fork: 

Spring Rate: Stock

Oil Level: Standard

Compression Range: Plus Three To Plus Four

Rebound Range: Minus Two (Important to speed up your rebound when going stiffer on this fork. If you don't speed up rebound, when going stiffer, the fork stays too low in stroke and almost feels sticky on de-cel.)

Shock:

Spring Rate: Stock

Low Speed Compression Range: Plus Eight Clicks (Equals Two Turns)

High Speed Compression Range: Stock To Minus 1/4 Turn

Rebound Range: Stock To Plus Two

2019 Kawasaki KX450 First Impression

Kawasaki has a brand new KX450 without the “F” people! Who needs more “F” in this world anyway?! Seriously though, Kawasaki has a brand new 450 and it is probably the most anticipated motocross machine of 2019. I headed down to Pala, California last Tuesday night to attend the presentation that Kawasaki had for the media, to get a feel of the new parts that are on this 2019 KX450 machine. Kawasaki has a lot of R&D invested in this bike and definitely are looking for some great results come shootout time. The 2019 KX450 is available now at our local dealers and cost $9,299.00. Will it be in the hunt for a shootout win this year? It’s quite possible, but first things first, let me break you down some things I felt on the first day of testing so you can get an idea of what this bike is all about.  

Engine Feel Compared To 2018 KX450: Ummmm…No comparison. The 2019 comes on quicker with a lighter, more free-revving feel! I am usually not a guy who likes to de-tune a stock 450cc motocross bike, but the Kawasaki simply is too crisp from 0-5% throttle opening. Yes, too crisp! Where you feel this 0-5% is when you are barely on the throttle through ruts. The KX450 gets jumpy with the stock green coupler and it upsets the chassis, which makes you very inconsistent through corners. Once the black coupler is installed it controls that 0-5% and gives you an incredible, yet smooth pulling power that feels similar to a KTM 450 SX-F. The mid range has a ton of meat and the increased top end/over-rev is noticeable on the second lap. I felt like I lost zero mid to top end pulling power with the black coupler (compared to the stock green one) and I could ride the KX450 more aggressively through corners. The engine is super connected to the rear wheel and never steps out coming out of corners. This is an impressive power plant! After I was done testing I was chatting with McGrath and he even said he preferred the black coupler. So there’s that, if you don't want take my word for it. 

Cornering/Chassis: The new 2019 KX450 is more cornering “neutral” than in previous years. I am able to get more front end bite than last year, but also am still able to rear steer the green machine very well too. I had a rear end steering tester with me at the intro and he liked how well it backed into corners as well as I liked the front end bite from mid-end corner. I say mid-end because the KX450 still does have a slight vague feel on entrance of corners. Raising the fork up 2mm in the clamp helps this feeling somewhat and gives you increased front bite. 

Suspension Comfort: Thank you Kawasaki and sweet baby Jesus for the return of spring forks!!! The 2019 Kawasaki is so much more balanced than last year’s bike and I was able to set the front end down where I wanted to without feeling like the front end was going to snap my wrists. The fork has tons of comfort, but is also too soft for my liking. At Pala there are some sizable jumps and the fork bottomed at too many times. Going stiffer on the compression only hurt de-cel bump comfort, so I settled on going slower on the rebound, which helped some. The shock is soft as well on slap down landings, but going eight clicks (two turns) in helped keep the rear end up and thus helps wallow feeling. 

A-Kit Style Fork: When asked about the Showa A-Kit style fork to a Showa technician, I was told that this is truly an A-Kit style fork. When the Showa tech saw the drawings of the 2019 KX450 in its pre-production stage he thought it was a race team fork at first glance. Many parts that are inside of this production Kawasaki Showa spring fork is what comes inside the factory boys forks. 

Weight Feeing (Chassis): I was told that the 2019 Kawasaki KX450’s frame is 1.87 pounds lighter than it was in 2018. The total weight of the new machine has only increased roughly three pounds from 2018, but to me it feels lighter than the 2018. Why? I feel it is because of the way the 2019 Kawasaki makes its power. It is very free feeling and snappy which makes this bike have a very light feeling through corners. I am ale to lay it down with ease and cut down under a blown out rut almost as easy as a KTM/Husqvarna. I do get a little twitch on de-cel, but it wasn't a horrible or un-easy feeling. Straight line stability is still the same straight and arrow Kawasaki feel that you expect. The frame absorption is one of the Kawasaki’s strong points and although the Pala track wasn't rough, there was some hidden square edge that I managed to hit during the day to test this. 

Hydraulic Clutch: The Nissin hydraulic clutch feels nothing like a Brembo or Magura. The Nissin hydraulic feel is a little bit of cable and hydro. What the hell does that mean Keefer? It means that there is a little play in the Nissin hydraulic lever that makes it feel like a cable pull initially. Unlike a Brembo where there is no play and is very touchy (on/off feel), the Nissin has more of a progressive feeling. So far I prefer the Nissin feel over the Brembo. I like to ride the clutch a little with my finger while I ride, so having that little bit of play makes sure that I don't burn up my clutch as quick. The clutch feeling as you would expect was superb and I had zero fading or lever movement while riding. Kawasaki is the first Japanese manufacturer to have a hydraulic clutch on a motocross machine. Impressive! 

Muffler: Ehhhhhh boy, here we go! Everyone complaining about the bazooka of a muffler from the 2019 Kawasaki. Yes, it’s long. Yes, it’s not that attractive, but the muffler tone is ten times better than the 2018. I will gladly take a long muffler that sounds good and provides excellent power delivery. This bazooka does just that!  

Rider Traingle: The footpeg to seat to handlebar ratio is also another improvement. The seat is flatter, which puts me more on top of the machine than “in” it like last year. I like this feeling and it makes maneuvering on the bike better for my 6’0 frame. 

7/8 Handlebars: Some manufacturers go away from 7/8 handlebars but Kawasaki keeps them around and I approve! They flex, they offer better vibration characteristics and unlike what most people think DO NOT bend THAT easily. I have crashed my brains out on 7/8 bars and they didn't bend as bad as I thought. I can live with 7/8 bars on a production machine. 

Brakes: Kawasaki also went to work on the front and rear brakes of the 2019 KX450. The rear brake has a 250mm rotor (which is the largest rear production disc on a motocross machine), new master cylinder/hose and the front brake also has a new master cylinder. I would have to say that the front brake was more impressive than the rear because of how good its modulation was. It wasn’t a grabby feeling front brake and was more progressive to pull in. I could drag the front brake more through corners without getting that stabbing front end feel. I didn't notice that much of a power difference in the rear brake compared to the 2018, but it still worked well enough for me. Kawasaki riders that update to a 2019 will be able to feel the front brake improvements on their first ride.