Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
Look through the last few pages. Some good discussion after I asked the same question
Thanks, did you end up drilling yours?
Yes. Get the 9mm piston Brembo and then you can get a line from Core moto. Get the stock clutch line but in the order comments add this in, "On the clutch master cylinder end, I will need P/N: (1.0 Direct Thread) M10x1.0 NON SWIVEL COPPER SEAL CONNECTOR, install clutch line boot at master cylinder. This will be going into a brembo master cylinder"
Works great and clutch feel is much better.
No, I did the bar mounts and EVO bars and called it good
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
So i pulled the trigger and picked up a new 25 kx 450. Anyone coming off of ktms to this kx feel the kx front brakes isn't as powerful as that on the ktm?
Yes, the KX Brembo definitely feels weaker than my KTM Brembo. Not sure if it's a different piston size in the master or what, but my KX Brembo has been spongy since day 1. I have bleed it multiple times and nothing has fixed it. I ended up putting a Nissin from the previous gen KX on and it's much better.
Clean the rotor and scuff up the pads. If you already wrecked the pads from the oily rotor, try cm46 pads.
There were a few 24 KX450s I was peeping in this thread for ideas before I got mine in the spring and your bike was definitely one of them. Winter is coming up for me and getting ready to do some upgrades while the snow melts. Curious about the direction you chose for some of the parts.
-Which part of the water spout did you revert back to old gen?
-Did you revert back to the Nissin front caliper for the feel, adaptability to the 280mm rotor, or both?
-Do you have clearance issues with your PC exhaust? Been running 120/80-19 forever but having issues with the MX14 specifically brushing against the canister. Extra washers haven’t solved the issue for me.
-Have a good friend who's selling a Vortex ECU for a 24 because he no longer has the bike and I know for a fact he will not screw me over. That said, is it worth the money or would you rather refine the stock ECU?
I've attached pics of mine for reference in case you want to compare, which just crossed 30 hours this weekend.
-Used to run 370cc in the forks on my previous 21 KX450 but they would always bottom on the rough landings. It became more manageable with 390cc (clickers are heavily modified from base). Currently weight 180ish and tuned for 'pro' level rider 😅 but I'd like to think I'm easy on bikes.
-Using recycled RideEng 22mm clamps. Helps the bike corner a bit sharper but not night/day different. Had the lime-ish anodizing vapour blasted and clear coated.
-Gutted most of the plastic in the airbox to help the powerflow kit. Will cut the holes in the airbox panel eventually. Wish there was a way to accomodate a bigger filter than the powerflow ones, as I go through filters like crazy.
-Stock gearing, 116 link chain and blocks set back.
-Recently decided to try the new AT82 tires to see what the hype is about. Haven't used the rear yet, nor do I have enough time on the front to judge it. Will try 110/90 on the rear instead of standard 120/80.
-Carried over an older Warp 9 Elite wheel set from my last bike but replaced the rims after one of them flat spotted.
-Plan on converting to steel braided brake lines. Used a company called CORE on my last bike but couldn't save the lines. Will run them again.
-Will invest in a proper skid plate after cracking my ignition cover at an LL qualifier. Tempted to invest in a carbon one, but curious what long term reliability is like. Otherwise I'll choose the Acerbis plastic one as it looks solid.
Scuff them with what, just some sand paper?
Yeah if you got smudge all over the pads from the rotors being coated basically in cosmoline when new , scuffing them can get through the oily top layer and hopefully give you a fresh layer to work with.
Does the tire rub the muffler more or less between your 2 back wheels? The dish may be off on one of your wheels. You can measure both of them to compare. In any case, you can always adjust the dish of the wheel slightly more to the left to get a little clearance.
Another trick, if pads are fouled by oil, clamp them in a vice or pliers by the tab and cook the oil out of them with a propane or map torch.
The wheel is pretty true. I'm thinking about filing down the bracket on the muffler to influence the angle a little bit.
I have the P3 Carbon skid plate and it fits pretty well and has seemed to hold up. I ride a lot of rocky tracks and you can hear the rocks blasting off the thing. I had the factory one originally but was worried after I got a few dings on the ignition cover. The only real downsides are they are a bit pricey and kind of a pain to take on and off when washing the bike.
Me as well. I well second the not so friendly removal and installation.
As for the water hose fix- it’s just a previous Gen spout, and I think one hose. If you pull up the diagram it’s easy to figure out. I used my 24 sensor. Bought new take off spout and hoses from the bay. Easy and cheap fix. Well worth it
Brakes- I prefer a non floating rotor and the more progressive feel of the 280. I abuse front brakes pretty bad, and I’m grown accustomed to the motostuff setups. The Brembo was fine, but just my personal preference for feel.
Tire rubbing exhaust. No issues, but not on a 14, yet. The 34s have been fine, both stock wheels and the ones I cobbled together have not rubbed. I’m be bummed if a 14 rubs. Thanks for mentioning it.
Vortex- I’d say it’s a worthwhile purchase, especially since you already hacked your air box and have an exhaust. I wish mine was adjustable, but it’s still way better than stock ecu imo. Be warned, it may require fuel which can be the gift that keeps on costing you bucks. I’m a washed up vet, so I don’t mind springing for fuel, but it does get pricy.
Fork oil volume. I rode with 370 this week and pleased with the choice. Little more work to do for deep and hard late day conditions, but slowly getting there.
Chopping air box- it must be done, as does the side panel. Throw some holes in it. It does nasty up the filter quick, but just buy a box of filters and treat them as very consumable, and swap all the time. It sucks, but you get used to it.
Good looking bike by the way!
So I have been getting people asking me on my IG where I got this from. It’s from lightspeed. I have no idea what bike it’s for. I found it in my spare stuff from years ago lol. But figured I would try it. Looks good but it does make the filter dirty quick. Slightly quicker than the holes drilled method.
But non the less figured I would share it. I’m sure if you gave Willy at lightspeed this info and pic he would know what bike it’s for.
Since we’re showing off our side panel mods, here’s how I did mine. Used the xpr template and a stepped drill bit. Then stuck frogzskin round mesh on the inside. I think it turned out pretty clean and helps keep the dirt and water out.
Pit Row
2025 KX450 with vortex ECU, PC exhaust, full hinson, and pc water pump with 7.5 hours
Today i thought I had run out of gas landing from a large step up at the end of a 25 minute moto but still had a 1/4 tank. It almost put me over the bars as i landed wide open and bike just cut out. Yesterday it did the same thing coming out of tight sandy corner. Not sure what's going on. Anyone have this issue? Any help would be appreciated.
On my ktm I had a similar issues and it ended up being the fuel pump. I’d start there if it was me.
I had a similar issue with my vortex and TD explained they are super sensitive to all your sensors, but don’t see any having internal issues. They suggested I check the fuel pressure. I ended up finding the positive on the battery was loose. I tightened it up and it has been perfect since. Good luck. Keep us posted when u find out what it is!
I had my ground wire for the battery come loose after a few hours on a Kawi 450. Might seem obvious, but check all your battery wires.
Anyone have trouble shifting into 4th? When the gate drops i can get to 3rd no problem but struggle to get to 4th. Not power shifting or anything like that. When just cruising around in a field or the track I can shift no problem to 5th. Any thoughts. 17 hours on it.
How big are your feet? I wear size 14 boots and I had a really hard time shifting until I bought an extended shift lever.
I wear size 12.
Buy a longer shift lever. Mine is +20mm. Best $50 I ever spent. You might be able to get away with +10mm. Hammerhead shift levers are distributed through Moose now.
Off topic, do you race at Lincoln trail?
I do.
Do you by chance run t4+ fuel?
Post a reply to: 2024 Kawasaki KX450 and KX450X