My buddy has one, and I have ridden it quite a bit. I have to say it sure isn't the "magic carpet" that the magzines are saying it is! Keep in mind that the magazines always tend to love whatever is the latest thing to come out.......
That said, it is a very nice handling machine. The best thing is its razor sharp steering. Suspension does seems stiff and tuned for MX rather than cross-country, but that can be fixed. The power (bone stock and corked up) was mild for a 450 and the powerband very linear, which made it very easy to ride.....nothing at all like the "jerk the bars out of your hands" hit I am use to on the Honda.
I loved that the enigne will lug down....something that the 450's don't typically do well at all. This gives the machine some promise as a fast trail quad!
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So. Calif. Deserts and Mountains!
Desert- 450R
Trail- 400EX
Mountain Technical Trail- Rancher 420 and 350
Kids- Two 250EX's, TRX 90
Dual-Sport Bikes- KLX250S, XT225
...and I didn't think it wheelied as easily as I would like. I ride my 450 mostly in the desert, and when you are flying along at 70 mph you had better be able to loft the front end over any obstacle....or smack it and endo over the bars.
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So. Calif. Deserts and Mountains!
Desert- 450R
Trail- 400EX
Mountain Technical Trail- Rancher 420 and 350
Kids- Two 250EX's, TRX 90
Dual-Sport Bikes- KLX250S, XT225
I have one and i think that it handles well, has plenty of power, and turns on a dime. it pulls hard through the gears but because of this it definitly looses a lil on the top end. overall i love it. even though it does look a lil funny.
Did some tight woods trail riding on the Kawi yesterday. These trails are 50" wide with just enough room to slip it between the trees in a lot of places. Lots of turns and a few hairpins, and rocky and semi techinical in a few spots. Of all the 450 engines, it is the most lugable....but still I had to go faster than was safe if I didn't want to do a lot of clutch slipping. The chassis handles it great, but this is a place for a 400EX (better yet a 300EX!), not a 450.
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So. Calif. Deserts and Mountains!
Desert- 450R
Trail- 400EX
Mountain Technical Trail- Rancher 420 and 350
Kids- Two 250EX's, TRX 90
Dual-Sport Bikes- KLX250S, XT225
Hey fellas, this is my first post here. Looking into getting one of the 450's. Which one do you all recommend? I like the idea of fuel injection so I'm leaning towards the KFX or the LTR. Which one? Thanks.
Well I sure like my new kfx, & after we got the shocks set up for me, its a blast just rode about 120 miles on saterday, & the only thing I have to bitch about is the seat is hard for that long of ride & it need's a 33 or 34 tooth sprocket in the rear for a bit more top end....
KFX 450
