Posts: 559
Joined: 12/5/2014
Location: FIN, FIN
How is the 19 Kawasaki kx450 been holding up? They’ve been out for a while now and I’m sure there is some 100- 150 hour bikes out there. I’m going to buy a new bike in a moth or so, am looking at this bike or an leftover 18 crf450r Honda but i have seen some engine problems on the honda that i dont like so maby the kawi engine is holding up better.
Posts: 312
Joined: 10/4/2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Been riding mine once a week since July, moto only. Stock plastics are pretty thrashed, but I'm always hard on the grip areas. Chain, sprockets and sliders need to be replaced. Suspension could use a rebuild. pretty normal stuff, nothing drastic.
Posts: 110
Joined: 9/1/2016
Location: Placerville, CA USA
51 hours on mine. Valves still in spec. Swingarm pad and guide last about 20 hours. Lower roller last 12 hours, put on an '18 with doubles bearings, much better. Installed stiffer fork springs, and fluid change front and rear. Remapped ignition with Keefer settings. So far so good.
Posts: 583
Joined: 3/23/2014
Location: Loganville, GA USA
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
Posts: 2433
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: MA, USA
JohnnyD13 wrote:
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
Posts: 583
Joined: 3/23/2014
Location: Loganville, GA USA
JohnnyD13 wrote:
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
Have you ridden the 19 kx yet? You won’t need more then 2 laps to feel really comfortable.
Posts: 42
Joined: 1/18/2019
Location: AUS
JohnnyD13 wrote:
Have you ridden the 19 kx yet? You won’t need more then 2 laps to feel really comfortable.
Tell that to Tomac
www.cromp.com.au
MX | Enduro | Adventure
we ride it. we know it. we love it. we sell it.
Posts: 583
Joined: 3/23/2014
Location: Loganville, GA USA
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
Tomac bolted all his 18 stuff on the 19. Everyone told him he could ride the 19 bone stock and smash everyone but you know how 20 somethings are. Won’t listen. He said he’s switch to 19 stuff next weekend. So guess we will see
Posts: 32
Joined: 4/23/2014
Location: Wilmington, NC USA
JohnnyD13 wrote:
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
I have a 2009 rmz450 and I know what you are talking about but that bike turns like a dream
Posts: 559
Joined: 12/5/2014
Location: FIN, FIN
JohnnyD13 wrote:
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
ahh thats is something that im worried about the honda that it will be high speed instable,
Posts: 98
Joined: 10/28/2018
Location: Yuba City, CA USA
The new Honda chassis are unstable at speed and at corner entry they are darty. I went from a 17’ Honda to a 18 yz450, which is sort of a comparison but there is definitely a chassis stability problem with the new Honda’s. I have no such feeling with the new yamaha. People that I know went from a 17 to a 19 said it was better than also got rid of the 19 Honda for a more stable bike (yamaha/kawi). If the kawi is your other option I’d get that. But the 19 Yamaha should be in your consideration as well.
Posts: 2433
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: MA, USA
JohnnyD13 wrote:
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
BRAPPWHIP86 wrote:
I have a 2009 rmz450 and I know what you are talking about but that bike turns like a dream
It turned like a cat on carpet but click 3rd in the rough and you found religion. Click 4th and you saw Jesus through the eyes of a paint shaker.
Posts: 2433
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: MA, USA
JohnnyD13 wrote:
I came off a 18 Honda. I wasn’t crazy about the Honda and I thought some of the stability issues were because of me. But then I road a 19 kx. Buy the kx. Trust me
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
JohnnyD13 wrote:
Have you ridden the 19 kx yet? You won’t need more then 2 laps to feel really comfortable.
I have not but my best friend just bought one. In fact, it's in my basement. I plan on putting a few laps on it once riding kicks off here.
I currently have a 17 with Cone Valve springs and I'm super happy. I'm curious to see it the Showa forks feel better than my CVs.
Posts: 505
Joined: 8/6/2015
Location: Auburn, CA USA
MXD wrote:
I went from an 11 RMZ450 to a 16 KX450 and it took me a few months to untrain my brain from saying Hail Mary's every time I went down a fast bumpy straight. The KX chassis is so good.
BRAPPWHIP86 wrote:
I have a 2009 rmz450 and I know what you are talking about but that bike turns like a dream
MXD wrote:
It turned like a cat on carpet but click 3rd in the rough and you found religion. Click 4th and you saw Jesus through the eyes of a paint shaker.
Now that's some funny shit right there, you boys are on a roll
Hail Mary's, seeing Jesus through a paint shaker
Posts: 775
Joined: 3/29/2016
Location: Ithaca, NY USA
I have about 40 hard hours on mine. I love the bike, and haven't had any major problems that weren't inflicted from crashes. All my issues have been little things like guards, guides, etc.
My bike looks super rough and beat up... But, hey it's a race bike.
The rundown so far is:
Fork seal started leaking after my 2nd ride
Aluminum fork guard bolts break (I've gone through 3. Not sure if they're 1st turn impacts or rocks/ruts shearing them off...)
Rear disk guard fell off. Bolts weren't tight from the factory.
Rear chain guide got mangled on a rock or a rut. Replaced with an Acerbis one.
Broke my RH shroud when I hooked my boot on it.
Water pump guard is only held on by one bolt. The thing keeps twisting up from roost/ruts. After a moto it is always sideways. Ended up drilling and safety wiring it to the frame to keep it straight finally.
She needs some TLC before this season starts ?
