Tested | FCP Engine Mounts - 2024 Kawasaki KX450 4

The 2024 Kawasaki KX450 has been my personal testing steed since last November and while I regularly spin laps on other bikes, the KX450 I'm aboard has racked up around 55 hours over the past four or five months. In that time I've tried a host of upgrades...from engine/power, to suspension, and even some chassis goodies. Amongst the items I've been spending a notable amount of time on is Factory Chassis Parts's (FCP) engine mount kit for the latest generation big-bore Team Green machine.

Product Information

FCP's 2024 KX450 engine mount kit consists of four mounts. Two top mounts, which are billet aluminum and anodized, are meant to increase torsional flex. The kit also includes two front engine mounts which are titanium and replace the stock aluminum mounts, adding stiffness in certain areas. The overall kit is actually slightly heavier than the stock parts and retails for $449.00

Top mount weight: Stock aluminum mounts 4.6 ounces | FCP billet aluminum mounts 4.9 ounces

Front mount weight: Stock aluminum mounts 1.4 ounces | FCP titanium mounts 2.9 ounces

FCP's recommended torque specs for this kit are:

Titanium front mounts: 22 ft lbs M8 studs, 35 ft lbs M10 bolt

Aluminum top Mounts: 22 ft lbs M8 bolts, 34 ft lbs M10 bolts

Learn more here: FCPracing.com

Install

The installation process for FCP's kit is about as straightforward as it gets. The mounts in the kit are direct replacements for your OEMs mounts, so it's just the process of removing said stock parts and replacing them with the much more eye-catching FCP versions. As engine mounts are integral parts of the interface between the chassis and engine, and directly affect the handling character of the bike, it's imperative to use a torque wrench during install. If you're willing to spend over $400 on engine mounts but not willing to spend $50 on an entry-level torque wrench...then we have a serious problem here. Anywho, setting the torque values to the recommended numbers is key to getting the feel that the product is meant to deliver to the end consumer.

Install can easily be done by one person. If you're out at the track and have a buddy on hand though, having someone hold an extra wrench or socket and driver on the through bolt nut is quite helpful.

On Track

After about 30 hours of riding, there wasn't a standout issue that I had with the chassis on the KX450, so I wasn't really sure what to expect with the mounts equipped as I wasn't chasing a specific feel. For clarity reasons, at the time of the test, I equipped the bike with a fresh set of MX34 Dunlop tires. I also had a slightly longer wheelbase with one link longer on my chain, a fully stock chassis (stock clamps, etc), and a set of re-valved suspension by Factory Connection. There was also a host of power-up upgrades on the bike (airbox, ECU, pipe, and clutch).

First impressions were all related to how the bike worked on lean angle and some of the changes to rear-end traction. Overall, the 2024 Kawasaki KX450 has a very "comfortable" chassis, without some of the jaring and harsh points that appear here and there on other machines. However, I'd still like to feel a bit more from the bike on lean angle and be able to trust it. Particularly on faster corner entries, when the front end is light and there's not a lot of braking involved. From a front-end standpoint, the new mounts offered a bit more of "planted" feel when on lean angle, while still retaining a similar amount of comfort. The change in pressure on the front was enough that I ended up trying one click stiffer on my forks and also tried one click faster on rebound to maintain a similar ride height to what I had been running. Trusting the motorcycle on lean angle while initiating corner entry is something I've personally struggled with when I'm not riding often, so the benefit here was quite well appreciated. Was it a massive difference? Not exactly. I have felt a larger difference on front engine mounts, such as when changed on the outgoing and current generation YZ450F. However, I was given the opportunity to try a set of mounts that was a bit more aggressive in this area on the KX450, but it threw off the fork position and feeling too much. So overall, I think the version they landed on for a consumer helps the bike without taking away in other areas.

The other most noticeable character change with the mounts was the rear-end feel under braking and acceleration. The braking change is a bit more minor of the two, but I still noticed the rear feeling just a bit more comfortable on corner entry. Basically, there was a little less harshness fed through the bike into my shoulders and legs when dragging the brakes into chop. On the acceleration side of things, there was a bigger difference. In straight-line acceleration, there was a noticeable improvement in comfort and bump absorption, but again lean angle came into play. Overall, the bike felt more compliant while exiting ruts under power while still at a lean angle. Traction and comfort were improved in these situations, adding confidence along the way.

Overall, the improvements listed above were appreciated and some were more noticeable than others. Compared to mount combinations I've tested on Yamaha and Austrian models, this KX450 version wasn't as big of a difference but again, I didn't feel any drawbacks. The FCP crew let me test some prototype sets that made a much bigger difference in certain areas, but these advantages were also met with disadvantages and drawbacks in other areas. So in my opinion, they chose the right combination to put on the market as they're easy bolt-ons that will always give a positive interaction.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of great products on the market these days and commonly I think of what I would add to a bike to make it the "perfect machine". However, on that list there's a host of products that are good but the difference they make, and when compared to the price, maybe isn't as large as others. In this specific case, when speaking of the 2024 KX450, FCP's engine mount set slightly leans towards that category. Great product, the overall feeling and addition were appreciated, but the stock components aren't too shabby themselves. Yes, they were a positive change all of the way around and I'll be keeping them on the bike, but it isn't near the top of the list of upgrades I'd do if I was on a budget when it comes to this specific bike. I've tested their products on models that fall more into the must-have category and again, these are solid, but it slightly falls more into the "I'd like to have" category for the '24 KX. If the description of the improvements made earlier in the review is what you're looking for, then grab a set! The only drawback is the money you spend, that's it.