KAWASAKI KX450 PROJECT: THUMPER THURSDAY

When the 2019/20 Kawasaki KX450 appeared, all thought and discussion of the 2018 model was put on hold. The new bike was a show-stopper. But the older KX is lighter and has a sweet power delivery and many riders still prefer. On this week’s Thumper Thursday we take our 2018 Kawasaki test unit and pay attention to the specific issues that it lacks compared to the newer 2019/20 model. We couldn’t give it electric start, but we could make it into a performer, capable of holding its own in the current 450 class.  We installed an Acerbis all black plastics kit, Backyard Designs matte graphics, SDG seat cover and green accent pieces throughout. Major suspension upgrades were made by Race Tech that included Gold Valves and a Spring Fork conversion. Bolt-On upgrades galore! P3 Carbon skid plate, Boyesen Supercooler, Rekluse Torque Drive kit, Ride Engineering performance link, CV4 Hoses, IMS Pegs and a Titanium Pro Circuit Exhaust. Internally we installed stage 2 Hot Cams, high compression piston, and a Rekluse Torque Drive clutch pack for a little added performance without going overboard.Our KX450 is adorn with Specbolt Nickel Wurks hardware throughout. The matte finish of the Backyard Designs custom graphics match perfectly with the custom SDG seat cover. Don’t miss the exclusive link to a Travis Fant produced video of this KX450 project at the bottom of this post.

We wanted a completely different look for our Specbolt Kawasaki KX450 build. We installed an Acerbis all black plastics kit, Backyard Designs matte graphics, SDG seat cover and green accent pieces throughout. Major suspension upgrades were made by Race Tech that included Gold Valves and a Spring Fork conversion.

Bolt-On upgrades galore! P3 Carbon skid plate, Boyesen Supercooler, Rekluse Torque Drive kit, Ride Engineering performance link, CV4 Hoses, IMS Pegs and a Titanium Pro Circuit Exhaust.

The P3 Carbon tank cover gives the bike a cool look and cost a fraction of what a real carbon fiber tank.

IMS Core MX pegs have an aggressive tooth design and are wider than the stock units.

The Pro Circuit Ti6 exhaust, Rekluse Torque Drive clutch pack, stage 2 Hot Cams and higher compression piston improve performance but with a smooth delivery.

Ride Engineering 21.5mm clamps allowed us to run larger diameter Tag handlebar, provided quicker turning and gave the bike a cool look.

Internally we installed stage 2 Hot Cams, high compression piston, and a Rekluse Torque Drive clutch pack for a little added performance without going overboard.

 

Our KX450 is adorn with Specbolt Nickel Wurks hardware throughout.  The matte finish of the Backyard Designs custom graphics match perfectly with the custom SDG seat cover. 

4-STROKE THEATER