Words and Photos: Chris Worden

Kawasaki didn't hold much back in 2009 when they revised their already stellar KX450F. It was at the beautiful Muddy Creek Raceway that we got our hands on it first, and we were quite impressed with the new EFI, frame revisions and excellent suspension. So what does Kawasaki do with an already impressive package for 2010? They continue to tweak and refine, as is the custom in the development of a top-level motocrosser. There are a number if important changes for 2010, most of which require a closer look to realize their presence.

Inside the motor is a new bridged-box (slipper style) piston. It shaves seven grams off the weight and has a 6mm-shorter skirt. They've offset the crankshafts reciprocating weight by 60% as well. The bike gets 40mm trimmed off the single-piece head/mid-pipe and the friction plates in the clutch get 75% more material. This is just the engine refinements!

The bodywork mounts to a chassis that features a new steering stem shaft with the goal of decreasing rigidity. The Kayaba fork keeps the DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating and gets a different spring rate and revised damping to ease the initial stroke. The same goes for the rear end where the shock mounts to revised linkage ratios. Then there's a new swingarm. Seat. And Bridgestones. Oh my!



It may look like last year's bike, but there are some
pleasant surprises hidden between those green shrouds.

We packed up the new green beast and headed out to Milestone in Riverside, CA to put it through its paces. Accompanying me on this day was none other than WMA Pro Elizabeth Bash, who can typically seen aboard a Kawasaki KX250F, but ain't skeered of a big 450.

In use, the bike feels like the KX450F we've come to know and love, only slightly easier to ride. Just like the rest of the 450 stable, it's got a ton of power, but with a few ECU revisions it's extremely easy to translate what you want from the bike, to the back tire. It wasn't many laps into our test before Bash came off track and put the chassis refinements into perspective, "The chassis feels great. It rides a lot like my 250F. It dives into turns nicely and doesn't feel too big. Can I keep it?"

Stock suspension always needs a bit of fine tuning, so we went to the clickers to find a better setting for what felt like a bit too soft of a ride. After a few additional clicks to the compression we were content. The revisions to the suspension and related components over the last two years has really smoothed out the back end. Now, exiting or entering turns with large bumps doesn't beat up the rider as bad and the rear end tracks much better, translating more power to the ground when you need it most. Speaking of traction, the new Bridgestones are a welcome addition, though we couldn't spin enough laps in one day to determine their tread life.

Overall we continue to be pleased with the quality of dirt bike Kawasaki is churning out. There was a slight bump in price for the 2010 model, ringing in at $8049 for the Lime Green model, a fair price for what may be the best bike in the big-bore category.

Photos>>

After a very competitive 2009 season, which saw factory Honda Red Bull Racing rider Ashley Fiolek take the championship as well as increased national television coverage, MX Sports announces the 2010 Women's Motocross (WMX) schedule.

With an increasingly deep field of talent, the series features eight races alongside the traditional 250 and 450 Classes. After introducing the eight-race season last year, the schedule receives a few small tweaks that are designed to broaden the reach and exposure of the WMX Class. The series will visit two new venues in 2010, with the first being at RedBud on July 3, followed by Spring Creek Motocross Park in Millville, Minn. on July 17.

"The action in the WMX Class during the 2009 season exceeded all of our expectations," said Davey Coombs, vice president of MX Sports. "Fans could always count on riders like Ashley Fiolek and Jessica Patterson to provide some of the best racing on the schedule and thanks to the commitment of our title sponsor Lucas Oil, they were showcased on national television. By introducing two new events for 2010, we expect to continue broadening the national exposure by visiting new parts of the country".

The WMX season will kick-off at the season-opening round from Hangtown on May 22 and will conclude Labor Day weekend from Steel City on September 4.

Season VIP tickets are on sale now at www.allisports.com (visit the motocross section) and available for every event on the schedule. VIP ticket benefits vary by track, but generally include such special features as an all day pit pass, a special viewing area, VIP parking, catered lunch, complimentary event program and many other special benefits. These are the best seats in the house and are available only in limited quantities, thus they will sell out quick.

2010 Women's Class of the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship Schedule

May 22 Hangtown Motocross Classic Rancho Cordova, Calif.
May 29 Glen Helen Raceway San Bernardino, Calif.
June 5 Freestone Raceway Wortham, Texas
June 26 Thunder Valley Motocross Lakewood, Colo.
July 3 RedBud Buchanan, Mich.
July 17 Spring Creek Motocross Millville, Minn.
Aug 28 Moto-X 338 Southwick, Mass.
Sept 4 Steel City Raceway Delmont, Pa.

For more information, please contact Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5752.

MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world's most prestigious motocross series - the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. An industry leader in off road powersport production and management, its mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the production of professional championship racing events nationwide. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing fields more than 60,000 action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of active fans, spectators and enthusiasts. For more information, please visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.


Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports
Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, is a global business that encompasses national and international action sports tours and events, multimedia production, and a consumer facing lifestyle brand. The Alliance includes: the Dew Tour, Winter Dew Tour, China Invitational, Maloof Money Cup, Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, King of Wake series, and the Gatorade Free Flow Tour; Alli TV Productions, which creates original content, produces and presents content with partners, and distributes Alli content through a variety of channels. Alli is owned by NBC Sports and MTV Networks and represents a network of athletes, fans, brands and properties. Its mission is to facilitate the momentous growth of action sports, through competition and lifestyle, for a new generation of fans and athletes. The Alli properties are home to more than 550,000 spectators each year and broadcasts more than 150 hours of original content in 100 countries and 280 million homes worldwide. More information can be found at www.allisports.com.

Lucas Oil Products
Lucas Oil is a worldwide leader in the production of oils, greases, and additives. Based in Corona, Calif., Lucas Oil Products is one of the fastest-growing additive lines in the consumer automotive industry, featuring a premium line of oils, greases, and problem-solving additives. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil Products has established itself as the top-selling additive line in the American truck-stop industry.

Forrest Lucas and his wife, Charlotte, founded Lucas Oil Products in 1989 after he spent 20 years as a truck driver and owner of a nationwide long-haul trucking fleet. They experienced firsthand the need for better lubricants and fuel treatments to maintain their equipment.

Lucas Oil is involved in an array of motorsports sponsorships, including the "Official Motor Oil of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship." For more information on Lucas Oil, please visit www.LucasOil.com.

AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT. AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.