| Kawasaki
KFX450R ATV Links |
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2010
Kawasaki KFX450R |
San Bernardino, CA - Round seven
of the WORCS Racing series at Glen Helen Raceway
in San Bernardino, California would play host
to the 2010 Kawasaki KFX450R debut. The date is
September 26th, and throughout the northern parts
of the U.S. the days are getting cooler and shorter
as winter slowly creeps southward. In southern
California however, things seem to be heating
up, at least in southern California where a heat
wave put temperatures over 100 degrees.
While we all know any ATV racing discipline
is taxing on mind, body, and equipment WORCS
racing is an especially potent cocktail blend
of motocross, desert racing, and cross country.
This isn't your local motocross race with two
minute lap times and four lap motos. This is
a serious endurance event that pushes body and
machine to their limits. The amateur competitors
race for just shy of an hour while the pros
compete for a full 2 hours. Take this already
potent mixture and set it ablaze with 105 degree
temperatures and you've got one tough event.
When I heard that Kawasaki was unleashing their
2010 KFX 450R at a WORCS ATV Racing Series,
I thought that they were either completely crazy
or maybe very confident in the capabilities
of their machine. Personally, I was leaning
towards completely crazy. Take the rocks and
ruts of a GNCC event, the big air of a motocross
track, and the endless sand whoops of a desert
race and you can begin to get an idea of what
a WORCS race can do to an ATV. Good or bad,
it was sure to be interesting.
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| ATVriders.com
along with 7 other ATV Magazines/Websites
were invited out to Glen Helen to test
ride the KFX450R at Round 7 of the WORCS
Series |
When we arrived at Glen Helen early Saturday
morning the air was surprisingly cool, and I
was thinking that we might get lucky with cooler
than expected temperatures. The race was set
to take off at 11:00 AM, growing excited I looked
at my watch and to my disappointment it was
only 7:30 AM! Of course, as it does in the desert
the temperature climbed about 10 degrees per
hour as the sun rose across the sky. By race
time the temperature would be about 95 degrees
and climbing.
As we prepared for our race under the big
Kawasaki tent, I did a quick check over on the
KFX450R that I would be riding. As I hopped
on the ATV, the first thing I noticed is how
balanced the ergonomics feel. I am 5' 10”,
and everything from the bar height to the lever
position, and even the seating position felt
just about where I thought it should be.
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| Kawasaki
only had to add a set of Nerf Bars &
Tether Cord to make the KFX 450R ATV race
ready to compete in the WORCS Industry
Class |
I also have to note that Kawasaki installed
some DG Race Peg nerf-bars with netted heel
guards, and for me this was the icing on the
cake of an already solid feeling bike. The extended
wider pegs of the DG nerf-bars provided ample
traction in any riding position, and never got
in the way or felt restrictive when trying to
move around the KFX 450R.
