2020 Kawasaki KLX300r

duckdog77
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duckdog77
Edited Date/Time 7/24/2020 11:30am
Is this thing going to compete with the ktm/huskys in the off-road world? Or be just a simple trail bike?

I’ve gotten into harescrambles and off road racing. Currently on a Kx250f but looking to go to an E start and was going to make the switch to KTM. Any one know if that’s the market they are trying to get in with this bike? or is it just another doggy trail bike?
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OldHalfway
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OldHalfway 6/18/2019 7:40am
6/18/2019 7:40am
Looks to be another trail bike. Not competitive with any other 300 2t or 4t.
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WDSRCR
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WDSRCR 6/18/2019 7:43am
6/18/2019 7:43am
Yes. It has to be their option for a "full size" trail bike to offer alongside the 230 that is coming as well. I don't hate them for offering those two bikes because that is a market segment that has little options but I am also wishing and waiting for an X model that competes with the Yamaha and Honda Cross Country models. As it is, my dealer is a Kawasaki KTM shop and I know which brand I'll be buying.
sam hain
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sam hain 6/18/2019 7:48am
6/18/2019 7:48am
At 282lbs that's about 60lbs heavier than a KTM 300 2stk and about 55lbs heavier than a 250xcf which would smoke that bike.
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byke
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byke 6/18/2019 7:49am
6/18/2019 7:49am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2019 7:49am
You'd think that if the bike were "all new", they wouldn't make it look just like the old one with new plastics.
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MB109
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MB109 6/18/2019 7:51am
6/18/2019 7:51am
It doesn’t seem to be much different than the previous generation. I had one and plated it, put KX250 forks on it, different carb, etc, and it was “fun” but wouldn’t be on the list if I was buying a trail bike today. Planet KLX was a good site for information. Not sure if the link will still work;

https://web.archive.org/web/20170518174833/http://planetklx.org/

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MOTORSPORTFOX
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MOTORSPORTFOX 6/18/2019 7:51am
6/18/2019 7:51am
"Recreational trail bike with high level of capability"
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duckdog77
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duckdog77 6/18/2019 7:54am
6/18/2019 7:54am
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are missing out on. It’s all blue and orange at my races. I was the only kaw this weekend.

I got excited for a small second as I’m contemplating going to a 150xcw or 350 Xcwf. As e start is a huge thing for me as my races are dead engine starts. And my 11’ Kx250f if the worst starting thing I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t have got it if I knew all the “find tdc” bull crap.
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WDSRCR
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WDSRCR 6/18/2019 7:55am
6/18/2019 7:55am
duckdog77 wrote:
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are...
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are missing out on. It’s all blue and orange at my races. I was the only kaw this weekend.

I got excited for a small second as I’m contemplating going to a 150xcw or 350 Xcwf. As e start is a huge thing for me as my races are dead engine starts. And my 11’ Kx250f if the worst starting thing I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t have got it if I knew all the “find tdc” bull crap.
Get that 150 and never look back. They are awesome.
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sam hain
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sam hain 6/18/2019 8:01am
6/18/2019 8:01am
IDK how much truth there is to this but my local shop sells KTM/Kawi and the sales guy there told me that the Babbitts Kawi off-road team got the old factory hauler that Eli's team just moved out off. Babbitts told them he'd run the off-road team if Kawi would build them off-road spec bikes to compete with KTM/Yam/Honda etc. They said "ok".

Again, IDK how much (if any) truth there is to that but if it is true good on Kawi for jumping in the off-road scene. Hopefully they show up for '21 with some XC bikes.
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byke
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byke 6/18/2019 8:04am
6/18/2019 8:04am
MOTORSPORTFOX wrote:
"Recreational trail bike with high level of capability"
I know it's one of their little marketing slogans, but it's pretty true. My buddy had one and there were times I had to ride it through the harder trails sections for him. Torquey little motor with great gearing. And that seat, it sure was easy on the ass. Really nice bike to ride trails all day and it certainly didn't feel 60lbs heavier than a trail smoker. It was 40lbs heavier than my bike, but also really didn't feel like it. Looks like they messed up one of the nicest features of the old bike though, that awesome seat.
uneasy_rider 6/18/2019 8:09am
6/18/2019 8:09am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2019 8:11am
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of reliability from years of production experience. At $5499 it is thousands less than the competitors. Hopefully the extra cc`s would pull it ahead of the 230 as they don`t really fit a "Full size" model for me.
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duckdog77
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duckdog77 6/18/2019 8:11am
6/18/2019 8:11am
sam hain wrote:
IDK how much truth there is to this but my local shop sells KTM/Kawi and the sales guy there told me that the Babbitts Kawi off-road...
IDK how much truth there is to this but my local shop sells KTM/Kawi and the sales guy there told me that the Babbitts Kawi off-road team got the old factory hauler that Eli's team just moved out off. Babbitts told them he'd run the off-road team if Kawi would build them off-road spec bikes to compete with KTM/Yam/Honda etc. They said "ok".

Again, IDK how much (if any) truth there is to that but if it is true good on Kawi for jumping in the off-road scene. Hopefully they show up for '21 with some XC bikes.
I think they need to. Around here there are more people lined up at the harescrambles than at the mx track. It seems silly to let ktm/Husky run away with this market.
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byke
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byke 6/18/2019 8:15am
6/18/2019 8:15am
Same for Northern California. I had always used the mx track as the reference for rider volume. First harescramble was an eye opener. Even pre-bubble mx turnout has nothing on today's harescramble turnout.
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duckdog77
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duckdog77 6/18/2019 8:16am
6/18/2019 8:16am
uneasy_rider wrote:
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of...
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of reliability from years of production experience. At $5499 it is thousands less than the competitors. Hopefully the extra cc`s would pull it ahead of the 230 as they don`t really fit a "Full size" model for me.
Agree with that. Also agree with wdsrcr an x model would be nice for us trying to compete with the other brands that have race ready trail bikes.
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GPrider
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GPrider 6/18/2019 8:30am
6/18/2019 8:30am
sam hain wrote:
IDK how much truth there is to this but my local shop sells KTM/Kawi and the sales guy there told me that the Babbitts Kawi off-road...
IDK how much truth there is to this but my local shop sells KTM/Kawi and the sales guy there told me that the Babbitts Kawi off-road team got the old factory hauler that Eli's team just moved out off. Babbitts told them he'd run the off-road team if Kawi would build them off-road spec bikes to compete with KTM/Yam/Honda etc. They said "ok".

Again, IDK how much (if any) truth there is to that but if it is true good on Kawi for jumping in the off-road scene. Hopefully they show up for '21 with some XC bikes.
Kawasaki has an off road race team already, https://precisionconceptsracing.com/race-team/
early
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early 6/18/2019 8:31am
6/18/2019 8:31am
uneasy_rider wrote:
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of...
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of reliability from years of production experience. At $5499 it is thousands less than the competitors. Hopefully the extra cc`s would pull it ahead of the 230 as they don`t really fit a "Full size" model for me.
How is this bike 1k less expensive than a yz125? Is the kyb suspension on the yz that much more money? That seems like the only components on the yz that would be more expensive to produce.
duckdog77
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duckdog77 6/18/2019 8:32am
6/18/2019 8:32am
duckdog77 wrote:
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are...
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are missing out on. It’s all blue and orange at my races. I was the only kaw this weekend.

I got excited for a small second as I’m contemplating going to a 150xcw or 350 Xcwf. As e start is a huge thing for me as my races are dead engine starts. And my 11’ Kx250f if the worst starting thing I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t have got it if I knew all the “find tdc” bull crap.
WDSRCR wrote:
Get that 150 and never look back. They are awesome.
So go 150 over the 350f? Any opinions on why would be great. I’m about to dive in deep on research for a new off road machine!
Stuntman949
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Stuntman949 6/18/2019 8:34am
6/18/2019 8:34am
Big Kawi fan here- To me, it looks like a Chinese knockoff of a Kawasaki. A full size 230 with upside down forks and water cooling

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Stuntman949
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Stuntman949 6/18/2019 8:38am
6/18/2019 8:38am
The older ones looked cooler IMO


That being said, golf-clap for a manufacturer stepping outside the box
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byke
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byke 6/18/2019 8:40am
6/18/2019 8:40am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2019 8:41am
I can't speak for how others feel about bikes, but I see a small bore 2t as a second bike and a 250/350/450 4t as being a great primary. Sometimes I just don't feel like a shit-ton of clutch work to get moving. I've ridden a 2014 350 and it was an awesome offroad bike. For starts though, I don't think an e-start is any advantage over a 2t kicker. I was always top five in a sea of orange e-start bikes on my old cr250 at dead engine start scrambles. Put it in second, get your foot on the kicker, one pop and you're gone. 2t's just love to start. I couldn't hear anything with all the 4t's and had no idea if the bike was actually running until I dumped the clutch, but it started first kick every time.

Agree the old one looks better.
HighPlainsSquid 6/18/2019 8:41am
6/18/2019 8:41am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2019 8:48am
duckdog77 wrote:
So go 150 over the 350f? Any opinions on why would be great. I’m about to dive in deep on research for a new off road...
So go 150 over the 350f? Any opinions on why would be great. I’m about to dive in deep on research for a new off road machine!
I have two friends with 350 XCF and after riding my 150 XC-W both of them are seriously thinking about selling and getting a 150. I've ridden theirs and here's what we all say about the 150 vs the 350F- stops on a dime, turns on a dime, LIGHT!!!!, quick, LIGHT!!!

I think the 350 is my favorite 4S and has a great combination of lug vs rev, but I REALLY feel the difference when needing to flick the bike around a sudden turn. The 150 is LIGHT!!! Of course, I'm all about "fun". If you're into winning races and becoming the next Kailub Russell... different story.

The suspension sucks on the 150 and you'll want to get an RK Tech head insert and JD Jetting jet block gasket kit immediately. I had Kreft do the suspension and it's night/day from stock. Expensive but it transformed the bike.

As for the Kawi, I think they've been out of the off-road game for so long (were they EVER? The beloved KDX was a trail bike, mostly) they'll have many many years to catch up to KTM/Husky. The new bike looks like a nice trail bike, for which there is _definitely_ a niche, esp at that price point.
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Ebs
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Ebs 6/18/2019 8:45am
6/18/2019 8:45am
Warmed up KDX200/220 in the 250f frame would be a pretty strong offering. 18" wheel, kickstand, done.
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SPYGUY
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SPYGUY 6/18/2019 8:48am
6/18/2019 8:48am
duckdog77 wrote:
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are...
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are missing out on. It’s all blue and orange at my races. I was the only kaw this weekend.

I got excited for a small second as I’m contemplating going to a 150xcw or 350 Xcwf. As e start is a huge thing for me as my races are dead engine starts. And my 11’ Kx250f if the worst starting thing I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t have got it if I knew all the “find tdc” bull crap.
Why are you looking at the “W” models and not the “XC” line?

Every XC-W or XCF-W I’ve ever ridden left me completely unimpressed, including the 150 XC-W.
byke
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byke 6/18/2019 8:48am
6/18/2019 8:48am
Seems like they never made any real attempts. Around '90 they made one based on the KX and around '08 they made one based on the 450, but they never stuck it out developing the product line.
BAMX
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BAMX 6/18/2019 8:55am
6/18/2019 8:55am
byke wrote:
Same for Northern California. I had always used the mx track as the reference for rider volume. First harescramble was an eye opener. Even pre-bubble mx...
Same for Northern California. I had always used the mx track as the reference for rider volume. First harescramble was an eye opener. Even pre-bubble mx turnout has nothing on today's harescramble turnout.
About 350 riders at the last D37 Sprint Enduro, mostly on KTM's or Husky's. It's hard to see why they are giving that market to them.
duckdog77
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duckdog77 6/18/2019 8:56am
6/18/2019 8:56am
duckdog77 wrote:
So go 150 over the 350f? Any opinions on why would be great. I’m about to dive in deep on research for a new off road...
So go 150 over the 350f? Any opinions on why would be great. I’m about to dive in deep on research for a new off road machine!
HighPlainsSquid wrote:
I have two friends with 350 XCF and after riding my 150 XC-W both of them are seriously thinking about selling and getting a 150. I've...
I have two friends with 350 XCF and after riding my 150 XC-W both of them are seriously thinking about selling and getting a 150. I've ridden theirs and here's what we all say about the 150 vs the 350F- stops on a dime, turns on a dime, LIGHT!!!!, quick, LIGHT!!!

I think the 350 is my favorite 4S and has a great combination of lug vs rev, but I REALLY feel the difference when needing to flick the bike around a sudden turn. The 150 is LIGHT!!! Of course, I'm all about "fun". If you're into winning races and becoming the next Kailub Russell... different story.

The suspension sucks on the 150 and you'll want to get an RK Tech head insert and JD Jetting jet block gasket kit immediately. I had Kreft do the suspension and it's night/day from stock. Expensive but it transformed the bike.

As for the Kawi, I think they've been out of the off-road game for so long (were they EVER? The beloved KDX was a trail bike, mostly) they'll have many many years to catch up to KTM/Husky. The new bike looks like a nice trail bike, for which there is _definitely_ a niche, esp at that price point.
Thank you for the feed back.

No I don’t think they have ever been in the off road market as far ask competing with ktm in harescramble off road racing. I just think they need to be. All the manufactures need to be. It’s a sea of orange out there!
duckdog77
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duckdog77 6/18/2019 8:58am
6/18/2019 8:58am
duckdog77 wrote:
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are...
I was really hoping for a bike from them that would compete in the enduro world. Seems like a big market right now that they are missing out on. It’s all blue and orange at my races. I was the only kaw this weekend.

I got excited for a small second as I’m contemplating going to a 150xcw or 350 Xcwf. As e start is a huge thing for me as my races are dead engine starts. And my 11’ Kx250f if the worst starting thing I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t have got it if I knew all the “find tdc” bull crap.
SPYGUY wrote:
Why are you looking at the “W” models and not the “XC” line? Every XC-W or XCF-W I’ve ever ridden left me completely unimpressed, including the...
Why are you looking at the “W” models and not the “XC” line?

Every XC-W or XCF-W I’ve ever ridden left me completely unimpressed, including the 150 XC-W.
I’m just starting to look into all the different models. So I’m not sure Xc xc-w I need to find all the differences. I race Grand Prix. Which is a shorter harescramble. And would like to do some full on harescrambles once I’m ready.
Dirty Points 6/18/2019 8:58am
6/18/2019 8:58am
uneasy_rider wrote:
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of...
As a trail bike for some of us old(er) farts, it looks pretty damn sweet. It is dated tech, but that also comes with years of reliability from years of production experience. At $5499 it is thousands less than the competitors. Hopefully the extra cc`s would pull it ahead of the 230 as they don`t really fit a "Full size" model for me.
early wrote:
How is this bike 1k less expensive than a yz125? Is the kyb suspension on the yz that much more money? That seems like the only...
How is this bike 1k less expensive than a yz125? Is the kyb suspension on the yz that much more money? That seems like the only components on the yz that would be more expensive to produce.
If it is like a KLX250s at all, they are a toy compared to a YZ125.
byke
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byke 6/18/2019 9:04am
6/18/2019 9:04am
The klx250s was based on the klx300, but on a gnarly tight rocky trail, the klx would be a huge advantage over a kx125.
Dirty Points 6/18/2019 9:05am
6/18/2019 9:05am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2019 9:06am
byke wrote:
The klx250s was based on the klx300, but on a gnarly tight rocky trail, the klx would be a huge advantage over a kx125.
For sure, just speaking to the price difference. EVERYTHING on a YZ125 is more expensive/modern/substantial.

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