2022 Kawasaki KX450SR (KYB suspension, and more...)

FGR01 wrote:

Straight from the press release: "Also new and adding to its true race machine looks is a Hinson Billetproof® clutch cover featuring the Kawasaki Racing Team...

Straight from the press release:

"Also new and adding to its true race machine looks is a Hinson Billetproof® clutch cover featuring the Kawasaki Racing Team logo that improves heat dissipation..."

Seems legit...

Brent wrote:

…and I thought the Honda “Twin pipes for better balance” justification was a stretch.😄 Just another sign that the marketing department has taken precedence over R...

…and I thought the Honda “Twin pipes for better balance” justification was a stretch.😄

Just another sign that the marketing department has taken precedence over R & D…

Brent wrote:

More stunt marketing for fat old men with some spare cash to spend, like me. If history teaches us anything, you will see these bikes the...

More stunt marketing for fat old men with some spare cash to spend, like me.

If history teaches us anything, you will see these bikes the day they come out parked at the Pala and Glen Helen vet tracks, ( right next to the new KTM FE) and being ridden without so much as a tire pressure, spoke, or sag check.

Bike will be too much for a guy who’s last time on a dirt bike was a 125 back in 1998, and will go up for sale on cycle trader with about 4 hours on it- or become a 14,000.00 garage queen that will forever have the new nubs on the OEM Dunlop’s until the day he sells it for a 4000.00 loss.

Mid life crisis vehicle?

ML512 wrote:

https://www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2022-Kawasaki-KX450SR-Special-Racer-Edition,7547 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/10/05/513245/s1200_.jpg.jpg[/img]

https://www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2022-Kawasaki-KX450SR-Speci…

Brent wrote:

Instead of these bullshit pretend “special racers” or whatever, Kawi should just start producing 125s again, they would sell every one they make at a fat...

Instead of these bullshit pretend “special racers” or whatever, Kawi should just start producing 125s again, they would sell every one they make at a fat profit…

And while I’m ranting, what exactly is the point of a Hinson cover without a Hinson clutch behind it ?

FGR01 wrote:

Straight from the press release: "Also new and adding to its true race machine looks is a Hinson Billetproof® clutch cover featuring the Kawasaki Racing Team...

Straight from the press release:

"Also new and adding to its true race machine looks is a Hinson Billetproof® clutch cover featuring the Kawasaki Racing Team logo that improves heat dissipation..."

Seems legit...

Meister wrote:

So... What does this have over the Honda besides XTrigs and renthal sprockets? Any hinson stuff inside?

Heggo wrote:

No APP adjustable ECU like Yamaha and Suzuki. If you are real racer I'd take ECU and Showa 49mm over some forks bling.

kb228 wrote:

Can someone help me justify spending $13,000 on a dirtbike?

Meister wrote:

So... What does this have over the Honda besides XTrigs and renthal sprockets? Any hinson stuff inside?

kiwifan wrote:

Thats about it, Hinson is cover only, no changed internals

And I dont think the SR has anodized rear shock shaft

Brent wrote:

....I'm sure that Kawasaki will sell every one of these models, in fact I think they could have raised the price and still sold them all...

....I'm sure that Kawasaki will sell every one of these models, in fact I think they could have raised the price and still sold them all. If somebody buys this bike and is happy with it, who am I to criticize. For what its worth, Id take the standard KX 450 stocker with suspension set up for me and an ECU and be happy.

This is just my personal preference, and I may be too Old School, but I like to build my own "Factory Edition" bike with the components that help me get on the podium, I don't really care what the bike looks like.

All the other old men I line up with at REM or swapmoto or OTMX have bikes that look beat to shit from racing and practicing - scratched plastic, torn graphics, worn out clutch covers, black rims that have more scratches than black paint- but they all appear to be dialed in with whatever parts their riders need to be competitive.

I don't see too many of these garage queen shiny new factory editions on the gate though - In fact one of the fastest guys in my class races a 10 year old RMZ 450 with beat up white plastic, but he has that bike working for him like a moFo, no factory edition necessary for him to still kick everyones ass...

mx_phreek wrote:

That looks sweet and good value, must be a bit annoyed Eli left as this was his replica bike.

Meister wrote:

So... What does this have over the Honda besides XTrigs and renthal sprockets? Any hinson stuff inside?

kiwifan wrote:

Thats about it, Hinson is cover only, no changed internals

And I dont think the SR has anodized rear shock shaft

mxb2 wrote:

Rear is dlc coated

MXer391 wrote:

Neither does this bike...

Permeance_Flux wrote:

Guess you didn’t watch ML’s video..

Guess you didn’t watch ML’s video..

ML512 wrote:

I said anodized lugs, not billet. If I did say billet, I’m an idiot.

Sandusky26 wrote:

I heard Suzuki is coming out with a Barry Carsten edition next year

mxb2 wrote:

If you had to guess, how much did you spend, time ,money travel etc on helping the mxgp rider ? Lotta new bike parts or even...

If you had to guess, how much did you spend, time ,money travel etc on helping the mxgp rider ? Lotta new bike parts or even a new bike?

SLAPAHO wrote:

So everyone likes the big green claw? Just wondering…..

PNWRider wrote:

If you are totaling what it would cost to build this, remember a couple things… -Kawasaki’s are almost always available mid-year for 2+ thousand off MSRP...

If you are totaling what it would cost to build this, remember a couple things…

-Kawasaki’s are almost always available mid-year for 2+ thousand off MSRP.

-although some have referred to this as “A-Kit” suspension, the PR seems to only refer to coatings.

-It DOES appear to come with a legit Ti PC pipe, which is nice. My KTM only came with a slip-on that doesn’t match the Akra header (meaning id have to buy a full system).

-no WiFi/etc tunable ECU

-“polished intake ports”…BFD

Basically you’re getting a KX450 with some cool looking coatings and a pipe. Buy it if you wish, it looks really cool. But there’s no “bargain” there.

(Yes, I bought a 21 KTM FE-but unlike the Kawi, KTMs don’t get sold for big discounts later in the year that I’ve seen, and I wanted the orange frame and bling bits-but I also recognized I could likely have built a standard SXF for less with actual performance stuff since I’ll be reworking my FE suspension anyway).

mxb2 wrote:

If you had to guess, how much did you spend, time ,money travel etc on helping the mxgp rider ? Lotta new bike parts or even...

If you had to guess, how much did you spend, time ,money travel etc on helping the mxgp rider ? Lotta new bike parts or even a new bike?

Brent wrote:

Way more than I had planned. Im probably missing some stuff here, but this is the rough total. Bike - 11K Performance and consumable parts, a...

Way more than I had planned. Im probably missing some stuff here, but this is the rough total.


Bike - 11K
Performance and consumable parts, a shitload of tires - 9K
VP Fuel for bike 40 gallons - 1300.00
Entry fees for rider and crew - 1000
Team clothing 500
Gas for vehicles 2800
Food 1000
Class A RV rental for the week to drive to Hangtown 4,500
Misc 2,000
Covid Testing for return flights - 400
__________
$33,000.00

SLAPAHO wrote:

So everyone likes the big green claw? Just wondering…..

PNWRider wrote:

If you are totaling what it would cost to build this, remember a couple things… -Kawasaki’s are almost always available mid-year for 2+ thousand off MSRP...

If you are totaling what it would cost to build this, remember a couple things…

-Kawasaki’s are almost always available mid-year for 2+ thousand off MSRP.

-although some have referred to this as “A-Kit” suspension, the PR seems to only refer to coatings.

-It DOES appear to come with a legit Ti PC pipe, which is nice. My KTM only came with a slip-on that doesn’t match the Akra header (meaning id have to buy a full system).

-no WiFi/etc tunable ECU

-“polished intake ports”…BFD

Basically you’re getting a KX450 with some cool looking coatings and a pipe. Buy it if you wish, it looks really cool. But there’s no “bargain” there.

(Yes, I bought a 21 KTM FE-but unlike the Kawi, KTMs don’t get sold for big discounts later in the year that I’ve seen, and I wanted the orange frame and bling bits-but I also recognized I could likely have built a standard SXF for less with actual performance stuff since I’ll be reworking my FE suspension anyway).

dmm698 wrote:

I think you forgot that the Standard KX450 wheels hold up 10x better than a KTM, and the DID dirt stars will be even better. Regardless...

I think you forgot that the Standard KX450 wheels hold up 10x better than a KTM, and the DID dirt stars will be even better.

Regardless of how "works" the KYB's are , or if they're just coated production stuff, how many guys buy the factory edition and spend thousands for a KYB or cone valve conversion?



I dont see kawasaki dealers discounting a limited edition bike, and it may happen in the future, but i'd rather pay 2k less for a bike new, and sell it for 2k less, because I shelled out less money all along.

yota wrote:

there's no way they are selling a 12K bike with 7.5K suspension.

mxb2 wrote:

Well thats 2 fe ktm s with cone valves or 2 new kawy 450 sr models. Lol. I d rather have the bikes. Imo.

Sandusky26 wrote:

I heard Suzuki is coming out with a Barry Carsten edition next year

Darrin Willis wrote:

Post of the year!