Sneak Peek: 2019 Kawasaki KX450F in the flesh...

ML512
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ML512
Edited Date/Time 6/12/2018 3:48pm
Update: We created a quick feature with some cut shots on the bike and observations. Please while you're at it, hit the twitter embed to photographer, he's got some great photos of the HRC and Yamaha bikes too if you scroll down his page a little...there's something new going on with the Honda frame.

Link to our feature: https://www.vitalmx.com/features/Sneak-Peek-2019-Kawasaki-KX450F,5879





Electric start, hydraulic clutch, new frame, new swingarm, new bodywork, and a heavily overhauled engine...
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mxb2
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mxb2 3/18/2018 8:56pm
3/18/2018 8:56pm
ML512 wrote:
Update: We created a quick feature with some cut shots on the bike and observations. Please while you're at it, hit the twitter embed to photographer...
Update: We created a quick feature with some cut shots on the bike and observations. Please while you're at it, hit the twitter embed to photographer, he's got some great photos of the HRC and Yamaha bikes too if you scroll down his page a little...there's something new going on with the Honda frame.

Link to our feature: https://www.vitalmx.com/features/Sneak-Peek-2019-Kawasaki-KX450F,5879





Electric start, hydraulic clutch, new frame, new swingarm, new bodywork, and a heavily overhauled engine...
Air or spring forks?
BobPA
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BobPA 3/18/2018 8:56pm
3/18/2018 8:56pm Edited Date/Time 3/18/2018 8:57pm
Boner.

Look how compact the engine looks compared to the old design.

Anyone want to buy a 2017 KTM 450sx?
ML512
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ML512 3/18/2018 8:58pm
3/18/2018 8:58pm
mxb2 wrote:
Air or spring forks?
Works suspension on both bikes, one KYB and one Showa. All-Japan National bikes usually have a mix of each suspension brand and aren't indicative of what it will come with...but I've heard Showa spring (same fork as RM-Z450 and CRF450R).
mxb2
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mxb2 3/18/2018 9:01pm
3/18/2018 9:01pm
mxb2 wrote:
Air or spring forks?
ML512 wrote:
Works suspension on both bikes, one KYB and one Showa. All-Japan National bikes usually have a mix of each suspension brand and aren't indicative of what...
Works suspension on both bikes, one KYB and one Showa. All-Japan National bikes usually have a mix of each suspension brand and aren't indicative of what it will come with...but I've heard Showa spring (same fork as RM-Z450 and CRF450R).
Nice,. Good info. Thanks.

The Shop

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nolookpass
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nolookpass 3/18/2018 9:52pm
3/18/2018 9:52pm
Awesome! Hopefully spring fork and I'm sold (on a '16 KX450 now).
MX Guy
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MX Guy 3/18/2018 9:54pm
3/18/2018 9:54pm
Will Eli be on it for outdoors Cheerful
ML512
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ML512 3/18/2018 10:10pm
3/18/2018 10:10pm
MX Guy wrote:
Will Eli be on it for outdoors Cheerful
No.
Jackace
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Jackace 3/18/2018 11:04pm
3/18/2018 11:04pm
When do the new models typically start hitting stores?
colintrax
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colintrax 3/18/2018 11:13pm
3/18/2018 11:13pm
Sounds like Honda isnt the only one going after ktm now. Cool
brimx153
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brimx153 3/18/2018 11:47pm
3/18/2018 11:47pm
Dam that s an ugly looking bike . But could be a great machine by the sound of it
Motofinne
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Motofinne 3/19/2018 1:08am
3/19/2018 1:08am
My god the shrouds looks like they come from a chinese pitbike.

But the engine looks really interesting.
#434
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#434 3/19/2018 1:15am
3/19/2018 1:15am
Nice! Hope they can keep the weight where it is now.
mmcmx
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mmcmx 3/19/2018 1:26am
3/19/2018 1:26am
Looks like I'll go back to kawi.
greg570
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greg570 3/19/2018 1:52am
3/19/2018 1:52am
BobPA wrote:
Boner.

Look how compact the engine looks compared to the old design.

Anyone want to buy a 2017 KTM 450sx?
?? Except of the head (still huge) engine looks the same as current model....add electric start, hydraulic clutch, spring forks and you are in the 240 pound ballpark... I expected more from Kawasaki but it looks like they are satisfied being on par with Honda/Yamaha...
Derpin' DJ
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Derpin' DJ 3/19/2018 1:59am
3/19/2018 1:59am
Shrouds look like they're going for the KLR 650 look
PRM31
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PRM31 3/19/2018 3:29am
3/19/2018 3:29am
Engine doesn’t look more compact to me. Head is definitely different. Frame changes aren’t apparent, wonder what’s changed.
280driver
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280driver 3/19/2018 3:30am
3/19/2018 3:30am
I️ hope they tweak the shrouds some before production but looks like a great machine.
280driver
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280driver 3/19/2018 3:49am
3/19/2018 3:49am
A closer look makes me think the plastic is different on the two bikes (?). The shrouds on #331 looks smaller and don’t extend down to cover as much of the radiator compared to the #2 bike. Maybe there still finalizing the plastic?

Pit Row

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kb228
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kb228 3/19/2018 4:27am
3/19/2018 4:27am
Not a fan of the shrouds or copying the last gens front end.

Love kawasaki tho so i might end up buying that instead of a z900. Looks like a ktm killer.
kb228
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kb228 3/19/2018 4:36am
3/19/2018 4:36am
BobPA wrote:
Boner.

Look how compact the engine looks compared to the old design.

Anyone want to buy a 2017 KTM 450sx?
greg570 wrote:
?? Except of the head (still huge) engine looks the same as current model....add electric start, hydraulic clutch, spring forks and you are in the 240...
?? Except of the head (still huge) engine looks the same as current model....add electric start, hydraulic clutch, spring forks and you are in the 240 pound ballpark... I expected more from Kawasaki but it looks like they are satisfied being on par with Honda/Yamaha...
You cant judge weight by pics.. remember when kawi shed like 7 pounds off the 450 when the 16 came out? I bet they do it again. Dont forget a short while ago they were consistently winning shootouts. The head looks way smaller than before. Kickstart portion of the motor is gone. Cases look more compact.
MX915
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MX915 3/19/2018 4:41am
3/19/2018 4:41am
Sweet bike but holy airbox intake batman. If that hole was any bigger it would be a side access filter.
Flip109
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Flip109 3/19/2018 4:47am
3/19/2018 4:47am
X2 on the shrouds looking like a lego bike lol
Florian_Braatz 3/19/2018 5:21am
3/19/2018 5:21am Edited Date/Time 3/19/2018 5:28am
Two more, just the right side:

Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and therefore bigger intake hole.
Shrouds seem almost identical to current gen. But damn the whole intake and number plate part looks so weird.
Also: the exhaust is basically completely uncovered by the number plates. Who ever thought that was a good idea? Hope it`s just because they took a pipe for current 450 and the mounting doesnt fit correctly...
280driver
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280driver 3/19/2018 5:32am
3/19/2018 5:32am
Florian_Braatz wrote:
Two more, just the right side: 外装もこんなんだっけ… pic.twitter.com/qfFom9TeE6— やへー (@yahey772) 18. März 2018 Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and...
Two more, just the right side:

Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and therefore bigger intake hole.
Shrouds seem almost identical to current gen. But damn the whole intake and number plate part looks so weird.
Also: the exhaust is basically completely uncovered by the number plates. Who ever thought that was a good idea? Hope it`s just because they took a pipe for current 450 and the mounting doesnt fit correctly...
The right side definitely looks better than the left side based on these pics.
MX915
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MX915 3/19/2018 5:48am
3/19/2018 5:48am
Florian_Braatz wrote:
Two more, just the right side: 外装もこんなんだっけ… pic.twitter.com/qfFom9TeE6— やへー (@yahey772) 18. März 2018 Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and...
Two more, just the right side:

Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and therefore bigger intake hole.
Shrouds seem almost identical to current gen. But damn the whole intake and number plate part looks so weird.
Also: the exhaust is basically completely uncovered by the number plates. Who ever thought that was a good idea? Hope it`s just because they took a pipe for current 450 and the mounting doesnt fit correctly...
Yeah I guess that makes sense seeing how there is no intake on the right side. Interesting the way the number plates wrap up on the rear fender like that.
greg570
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greg570 3/19/2018 5:57am
3/19/2018 5:57am
Florian_Braatz wrote:
Two more, just the right side: 外装もこんなんだっけ… pic.twitter.com/qfFom9TeE6— やへー (@yahey772) 18. März 2018 Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and...
Two more, just the right side:

Seems the Airbox intake will only be on the left side and therefore bigger intake hole.
Shrouds seem almost identical to current gen. But damn the whole intake and number plate part looks so weird.
Also: the exhaust is basically completely uncovered by the number plates. Who ever thought that was a good idea? Hope it`s just because they took a pipe for current 450 and the mounting doesnt fit correctly...
280driver wrote:
The right side definitely looks better than the left side based on these pics.
Rear shrouds look the same as 16-18 KTMs...
ML512
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ML512 3/19/2018 6:25am
3/19/2018 6:25am
BobPA wrote:
Boner.

Look how compact the engine looks compared to the old design.

Anyone want to buy a 2017 KTM 450sx?
greg570 wrote:
?? Except of the head (still huge) engine looks the same as current model....add electric start, hydraulic clutch, spring forks and you are in the 240...
?? Except of the head (still huge) engine looks the same as current model....add electric start, hydraulic clutch, spring forks and you are in the 240 pound ballpark... I expected more from Kawasaki but it looks like they are satisfied being on par with Honda/Yamaha...
Engine is completely new; head, cylinder, cases, etc are all different...

The 2018 KX450F was the lightest Japanese 450 at 240 pounds full of fuel, eight pounds lighter than the next Japanese model. From what I've heard, their goal is too add spring forks and electric start without a weight penalty. The spring forks alone are a three pound gain, so if they can negate that while going electric start only (with an engine that's designed around it, like Yamaha did and lost two pounds over kick) then they'll be good to go.
Jimfunn
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Jimfunn 3/19/2018 6:26am
3/19/2018 6:26am
If you told me that was an '09 i wouldn't argue.....
ML512
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ML512 3/19/2018 6:27am
3/19/2018 6:27am
PRM31 wrote:
Engine doesn’t look more compact to me. Head is definitely different. Frame changes aren’t apparent, wonder what’s changed.
Frame is completely new...craddle is different, main spares are different, etc.



mx_phreek 3/19/2018 6:36am
3/19/2018 6:36am
I wish bikes had side panels that covered or at least hid exhausts like they used too. I blame ktm for starting the trend lol.

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