Everyone is aware of this trend. The local motocross racing scene isn’t drawing numbers like it once did. There are a million theories as to why. However, at the same time that local motocross racing is shrinking in numbers, off-road racing is growing big time. From GNCC, National Enduro, Full Gas Sprint Enduro, J-Day, and more in the East, and WORCS, National Hare and Hound and more in the West, people are taking off-road racing seriously. Some of the dynamics make complete sense. When you race off-road, you race all day. You feel like you got plenty of saddle time for your dollar and day. Plus, the races are usually lower pressure and more laid back than the hyper dynamics of short motocross races. 

Off-road is growing big time, and now you’re seeing manufacturers respond in kind. I’ve written this for a dozen years now: for far too long, KTM (and Husqvarna) took massive market share by producing the bikes off-road racers want. They want the latest, fastest, best-suspended motocross bikes, but with some off-road tweaks, like slightly softer suspension and power delivery, 18-inch rear wheels, a skid plate, and a kick stand. That’s it. They don’t want slow, heavy, soft trail bikes. The Austrian brands owned that market because they were the only ones delivering for that market. 

Now, the other brands are coming. Over the last few years, Yamaha and Honda have fixed the problem, with Honda’s RX line of 450s and 250s, and Yamaha adding the X designation to its YZF line. They’re the motocross bikes, tuned just slightly for off-road racing.

For 2021, Kawasaki gets in on the game with its just-announced XC lineup. There’s a new KX250XC and a new KX450XC. These are based on the latest 2021 KX450 and KX250 models (which includes a full redesign of the 250) and follow Kawasaki Team Green’s re-entry into the off-road racing game in 2019. That whole program got a nice shot in the arm with Josh Strang’s GNCC overall win at the Camp Coker Bullet GNCC on a KX450 a few weeks ago. Strang told us he’s seeing more green fenders at the races lately.

“One of the biggest things we noticed during our time when we were looking into returning to the off-road world, is we realized how many people participate in the off-road races across the country,” says Ryan Holliday of Team Green. “Motocross gets the most attention and the most buzz, so it seems, but the big thing in off road is that these are real customers. They’re people that buy bikes, they buy aftermarket products, and they’re weekend warriors. They’re great customers for our brand and for the industry as a whole. The off-road world is growing, and we recognize that, and that was the biggest reason why we thought it was important to come back.” 

Now, it’s going to be easier to race a Kawasaki off road, because of this new XC lineup. You can read all the gritty details from Kawasaki’s press release below, but just know this: these are the 2021 KX450 and KX250 models, just optimized for off-road racing.

Here are the details from Kawasaki’s press release today:

KAWASAKI KX^™450XC

Color: Lime Green
MSRP: $9,599
Availability: Summer 2020

The all-new 2021 KX450XC has been designed as the flagship model of the KX XC lineup. Whether in the woods, desert, or cross-country the KX450XC is a race-ready championship winning machine right off the showroom floor, and shares numerous winning traits of its motocross counterpart, the KX450.

An cross-country race machine tuned for more experienced riders, the 449cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine, slim aluminum perimeter frame, Showa A-KIT technology suspension, hydraulic clutch and electric start are the ultimate combination of a championship winning package.

The KX450XC is built with race-winning components to help Kawasaki riders get to the top step of the podium. From the showroom to the racetrack, the performance of Kawasaki’s KX family of motorcycles is proof of its engineering pedigree.

ENGINE

The four-stroke, single cylinder, DOHC, water-cooled 449cc lightweight engine package utilizes input derived directly from the factory race team, with optimized engine mapping and settings for off-road racing. The potent KX450XC engine features an electric start, which is activated by the push of a button and powered by a compact Li-ion battery.

Kawasaki brought top-level road racing technology to the KX450XC valve train, 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. For increased performance on the 2021 KX450XC engine, the piston also features a dry film lubricant coating on the piston skirt to reduce friction.

A close-ratio five speed transmission features lightweight gears and shafts to keep weight down, yet retains strength, while contributing to the motorcycle’s winning performance. The KX450XC has shorter gearing than its counterpart, the KX450, with a final gear ratio of 51/13. The transmission is paired with a coned disk-spring hydraulic clutch that is designed to provide a consistent feeling through minimal change in play as the clutch heats up during heavy use. The coned disc-spring contributes to a light clutch actuation and a wide clutch engagement range, which facilitates increased control. 

CHASSIS

An industry-leading slim aluminum perimeter frame provides pecise cornering through excellent front-end feel and the ultimate agility when riding at high speeds. The frame’s lightweight construction is composed of forged, extruded and cast parts, while the engine is used as a stressed member and adds to the frames rigidity balance. A lightweight alloy swingarm is constructed of a cast front section and twin tapered hydro-formed spars in a raw aluminum finish, complementing the frame’s raw look. Engineers carefully placed the dimension of the swingarm pivot, output sprocket and rear axle locations, helping to focus on lower center of gravity and balanced handling.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

The race-ready suspension found on the KX450XC features front and rear spring rates and damping settings that have been optimized for technical off-road and cross-country racing environments. High-performance Showa 49 mm coil spring front forks with A-KIT technology can be found up front, featuring large diameter inner tubes that are the same size as those found on Kawasaki’s factory racing team’s machines. The forks enable the use of large damping pistons for smooth action and firm damping. A super-hard titanium coating on the outer surface of the inner/lower fork tubes helps prevent wear and abrasion. The increased surface hardness of the dark navy-blue coating also helps to prevent scratches and damage to the tubes. Kashima Coating on the fork tubes also helps prevent wear and abrasion while optimizing performance.

On the rear, a  new Uni-Trak® linkage system is designed to work in conjunction with the Showa shock, aluminum frame and swingarm. The linkage, which is mounted below the swingarm, allows for a longer rear suspension stroke and more precise rear suspension tuning. The Showa Compact Design rear shock boasts A-KIT technology with large diameter compression adjusters, improving on the high frequency movements found when racing cross-country. The Showa shock features a self-lubricating alumite coating on the shock body to help prevent wear and abrasion, while also reducing friction for smoother suspension action.

An oversized 270 mm, petal-shaped front brake rotor from the renowned manufacturer, Braking, is fitted to perfectly complement the powerful engine of the KX450XC. Optimized for cross-country riding and increased control, the rear is equipped with a 240 mm petal-shaped Braking® rotor that matches the large front disc. Both are gripped by Nissin master cylinder and caliper setups with XC-specific pads. 

XC SPECIFIC COMPONENTS

The KX450XC is equipped with many specific cross-country components, such as the 21” front and 18” rear wheel combination paired with Dunlop GEOMAX AT81 tires, which were selected for optimal handling in off-road racing conditions. Other cross-country specific components include the durable plastic skid plate and side stand.

ERGONOMICS & ERGO-FIT® ADJUSTABLE COMPONENTS

Kawasaki continues its umatched commitment towards providing riders with class-leading comfort thanks to its ERGO-FIT® adjustable handlebar mounting system and footpegs to fit a variety of riders and riding styles. The KX450XC is equipped with factory-style 1-1/8” aluminum Renthal® Fatbar® handlebar, as standard equipment. The handlebars feature four-way adjustable mounts. The multi-positition handlebars offer two mounting holes with 35 mm of adjustability, and the 180-degree offset clamps boast four individual settings to suit different size riders. The footpegs feature dual-position mounting points, with a lower position that reduces the standard setting by an additional 5 mm. The lower position effectively lowers the center of gravity when standing, and reduces knee angle when tallers riders are seated.

BODYWORK & SEAT

Complementing the championship proven technology, the 2021 KX450XC features aggressive styling along with in-mold graphics on the radiator shrouds that result in an ultra-smooth surface and a factory-racer look needed to finish at the top of its class. The sleek bodywork has been molded to match the V-mounted radiators and narrow chassis design. Each piece of the bodywork has been designed to help facilitate the rider’s movement with long, smooth surfaces. The rims are coated with tough, durable black alumite treatment. Adjusters on the fork and shock both feature a high-quality green alumite finish. A gold finish on the oil cap and the both plugs on the engine cover further contribute to KX factory-racer looks and styling.

KAWASAKI KX^™250XC

Color: Lime Green
MSRP: $8,399
Availability: Summer 2020

KAWASAKI KX^™250XC

The all-new 2021 KX250XC has been designed for the rising stars in the XC2 250 Pro or Pro 2 Class and provides riders with a race-ready off-road motorcycle. Built from the legendary motocross winning pedigree of the KX™250 motorcycle and tuned to best suit off-road race-experienced riders, the 249cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine, slim aluminum perimeter frame, top of the line KYB suspension components, hydraulic clutch and electric start are the ultimate combination of a championship winning package.

The KX250XC is built with race-winning components to help Kawasaki riders get to the top step of the podium in all off-road and cross-country racing enviornments. From the showroom to the racetrack, the performance of Kawasaki’s KX™ family of motorcycles is proof of its engineering pedigree.

ENGINE

The four-stroke, single cylinder, DOHC, water-cooled 249cc lightweight engine package utilizes input derived directly from the factory race team, with optimized engine mapping and settings for off-road racing. The powerful KX250XC engine features an electric start, which is activated by the push of a button and powered by a compact Li-ion battery.

Kawasaki brought top-level road racing technology to the KX250XC valve train, using designs from Kawasaki World Superbike engineers. It uses 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®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team’s motorcycles.

A close-ratio five speed transmission features lightweight gears and shafts to keep weight down, yet retain strength, while contributing to the motorcycle’s winning performance. The KX250XC  has shorter gearing than its counterpart, the KX250, with a final gear ratio of 51/13. The transmission is paired with a coned disk-spring hydraulic clutch that is designed to provide a consistent feeling through minimal change in play as the clutch heats up during heavy use. The coned disc-spring contributes to a light clutch actuation and a wide clutch engagement range, which facilitates increased control.

CHASSIS

The industry-leading slim aluminum perimeter frame is all-new for 2021 and provides precise cornering through excellent front-end feel and the ultimate agility when riding at high speeds. The frame’s lightweight construction is composed of forged, extruded and cast parts, while the engine is used as a stressed member and adds to the frame’s rigidity balance. A lightweight alloy swingarm is constructed of a cast front section and twin tapered hydro-formed spars in a raw aluminum finish, complementing the frame’s raw look. Engineers carefully placed the dimension of the swingarm pivot, output sprocket and rear axle locations, helping to focus on center of gravity and balanced handling.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

High-performance KYB 48 mm coil spring front forks can be found up front, featuring large diameter inner tubes that are the same size as those found on Kawasaki’s factory racing team’s machines, but with optimized spring rates and damping settings for off-road riding. The forks enable the use of large damping pistons for smooth action and firm damping. Kashima Coating on the fork tubes helps prevent wear and abrasion while optimizing performance.

In the rear, a new Uni-Trak® linkage system is designed to work in conjunction with the KYB shock, aluminum frame and swingarm. The linkage, which is mounted below the swingarm, allows for a longer rear suspension stroke and more precise rear suspension tuning. The KYB rear shock features dual compression adjustability, allowing high-speed and low-speed damping to be tuned separately. Kashima Coating on the shock helps prevent wear and reduces friction for smoother suspension action.

An oversized 270 mm, petal-shaped front brake rotor from the renowned manufacturer, Braking, is fitted to perfectly complement the powerful engine of the KX250XC. The rear is equipped with a 240 mm petal-shaped Braking® rotor that matches the large front disc. Both are gripped by Nissin master cylinder and caliper setups and feature XC-specific pads.

XC SPECIFIC COMPONENTS

The KX250XC is equipped with many specific cross-country components, such as the 21” front and 18” rear wheel combination paired with Dunlop GEOMAX AT81 tires, which were selected for optimal handling in off-road racing conditions. Other cross-country specific components include the durable plastic skid plate and side stand. 

ERGONOMICS & ERGO-FIT® ADJUSTABLE COMPONENTS

Kawasaki continues its umatched commitment towards providing riders with class-leading comfort thanks to its ERGO-FIT® adjustable handlebar mounting system and footpegs to fit a variety of riders and riding styles. The KX250XC is equipped with factory-style 1-1/8” aluminum Renthal® Fatbar® handlebar, as standard equipment. The handlebars feature four-way adjustable mounts. The multi-positition handlebars offer two mounting holes with 35 mm of adjustability, and the 180-degree offset clamps boast four individual settings to suit different size riders. The footpegs feature dual-position mounting points, with a lower position that reduces the standard setting by an additional 5 mm. The lower position effectively lowers the center of gravity when standing, and reduces knee angle when tallers riders are seated.

BODYWORK & SEAT

Complementing the championship proven technology, the 2021 KX250XC features aggressive styling along with in-mold graphics on the radiator shrouds that result in an ultra-smooth surface and factory-racer look needed to finish at the top of its class. The sleek bodywork has been molded to match the V-mounted radiators and narrow chassis design. Each piece of the bodywork has been designed to help facilitate the rider’s movement with long, smooth surfaces. The rims are coated with a tough, durable black alumite treatment. Adjusters on the fork and shock both feature a high-quality green alumite finish. A gold finish on the oil cap and the both plugs on the engine cover further contribute to KX factory-racer looks and styling.