Kawasaki KLX 450R

The Kawasaki KLX 450R is an off-road only motorcycle from the Japanese brand, and is the flagship in the trail and off-road riding range from Kawasaki. Priced at Rs. 8.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Kawasaki KLX 450R provides performance and handling that will make expert riders appreciate is capabilities while intermediate riders can explore the levels of their off-road skills with the additional performance and equipment. The Kawasaki KLX 450R is powered by a four-valve, 449 cc, single- cylinder, liquid-cooled engine mated to a five-speed transmission. Although it’s an off-road only motorcycle and cannot be registered for street use, the KLX 450R does come with a digital instrument panel with a speedometer, twin tripmeters, odometer and a clock. The bike also gets a headlight and LED taillight, as well as both electric starter and a kickstarter, so that the bike can be easily re-started if the engine stalls or has to be stopped.

The Kawasaki KLX 450R uses a perimeter aluminium chassis and top-spec suspension for off-road use. The front suspension is a 48 mm, inverted AOS type telescopic fork with 22-way compression and 18-way rebound damping with 310 mm of suspension travel. The rear is a Uni-Trak monoshock with 22-way low speed, 2 turns or more high-speed compression damping, 22-way rebound damping and adjustable spring preload with 315 mm of travel. The KLX 450R rides on a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel, while braking is handled by single 250 mm petal disc on the front wheel gripped by dual-piston calipers, and a single, semi-floating 250 mm petal disc gripped by a single-piston caliper on the rear wheel. The Kawasaki KLX 450R has a ground clearance of 315 mm, and with a kerb weight of 126 kg, it promises to be lightweight and powerful enough to tackle all kinds of off-road terrain.