2012 Kawasaki KFX 450R

Press release

You’ll know you’re on a muscular ride from the moment you thumb the KFX®450R’s electric starter. With its lightweight aluminum frame, long lower front A-arm suspension and a fully adjustable rear shock, this ATV offers track dominating handling and confidence-inspiring stability to compliment its powerful engine.

Sharing engine DNA with the highly acclaimed KX™450F motocrosser, the KFX450R is ready to race. Equipped with titanium valves to keep reciprocating weight low, the engine is fitted with a highly responsive 32-bit digital fuel injection (DFI®) system that automatically compensates for temperature or altitude. DFI enhances the KFX450R’s ability to translate its four-stroke power into outstanding thrust, with easily accessible torque in the low- and medium-rpm ranges.

The fast and reliable KFX450R also includes a lightweight reverse gear system integrated with its five-speed manual transmission. The KFX450R’s reverse gear allows riders to quickly and easily extricate themselves from first turn chaos, trail bottlenecks or any other on-track incident, using the normal shift lever, plus a convenient handlebar mounted lock-out lever.

Built to handle tough trail conditions and win races, the KFX450R’s lightweight all-aluminum frame has both incredible stiffness and significant strength. The high-tech chassis also provides a low center of gravity and excellent roll resistance for higher corner speeds and race-level handling.

The front suspension design utilizes long lower A-arms mounted to a single box-section lower frame tube, paired with dual-rate front springs for excellent rough-terrain handling. In the rear, an adjustable shock with low- and high-speed compression and rebound damping adjustability is mated to a cast aluminum swingarm that offers the ideal balance of flexibility and rigidity. Regardless of track surfaces or conditions, this race-oriented chassis makes the KFX450R a potent weapon.

The KFX450R is easy to work on, so owners can spend more time in the dirt than in the garage. The two-piece front and rear “lapped” fenders make it easier to customize the size of the fenders or quickly replace damaged sections. Even the headlight assembly is quickly detachable for closed-course races — this ATV looks just as aggressive with or without headlights. These features leave little doubt that the KFX450R was designed to be on the track and winning races as quickly as possible.

Owners can customize their KFX450R, using a full line of Authentic Kawasaki Accessories from their local Kawasaki dealer.

As with all off-highway vehicle recreation, Kawasaki encourages ATV riders to ride responsibly and to respect the environment. Kawasaki will pay first-time buyers of a new Kawasaki ATV $100 for completing an ATV rider safety course conducted by the ATV Safety Institute (ASI). Interested consumers can call ASI toll-free at 800-887-2887.