Dirt & Trail Aug2020

Kawasaki
launches new XC
off-road models
Kawasaki Motors has re-entered off-road and enduro with the
launch of two new models, the 2021 KX450XC and KX250XC.
Kawasaki is proud of its off-road
racing history with, they remind
us, more than 25 championships
in WORCS, National Hare & Hound,
GNCC, and Endurocross over the
past 20 years. Remember team
Green in SA? It would be awesome
to see a few green machines on the
start lines…
Kawasaki have kicked back into
off-road officially with the new
KX250XC and KX450XC models
for 2021. Based naturally on their
motocross counterparts with
common engine, frame, chassis
and styling, the closed-course XC
models differ with new and unique
engine tuning, suspension settings
and off-road specific components.
2021 KX XC model highlights:
• New off-road engine mapping
and tuning
• New final drive gearing
• Electric start
• Softer Showa suspension
settings
• 21” front wheel and 18” rear
wheel combination
• Dunlop GEOMAX AT81 tyres
• New Braking brake rotors with
Nissin master cylinders, calipers
and pad compounds
• New Skid plate
• New Kickstand
XCs in detail – Engine
• The four-stroke, single cylinder,
DOHC, water-cooled engine
packages have revised mapping
and settings for off-road racing
and features an electric start,
activated by the push of a button
and powered by a compact Li-ion
battery.
• Kawasaki say they brought
top-level road racing technology
to the KX XC valve trains, using
designs from Kawasaki World
Superbike engineers. It uses a
finger-follower valve actuation,
enabling larger-diameter valves
and more aggressive cam profiles.
The intake and exhaust valves are
formed from lightwight titanium,
while a bridged-box piston uses
the same design as the Monster
Energy Kawasaki race team’s
factory motorcycles. The piston
also features a dry film lubricant
coating on the skirt to reduce
friction and improve performance.
• The new XCs use a close-ratio
five speed transmission but with
shorter gearing than the MX
counterparts, with a final gear
ratio of 51/13 (on both 450 and 250
models).
The transmission is paired with
a coned disk-spring hydraulic
clutch which they claim sees
minimal changes in play as the
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