Brandon Brown’s Motosport.com Built KFX450

EnricoPavia

• October 21 2008
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APPLICATION 2008 KAWASAKI KFX450

THE HOP UP Thirty-four-year-old Brandon Brown of Umatilla, Oregon, grew up a tried-and-ture Honda guy. His first ATV was a three-wheeled Honda 200s, and then he progressed to racing 250Rs, and then TRX450Rs. Everything he rode and raced was red from the early 80s until 2008. Three open-pro-class championships and two times as runner-up for the overall ATV in the WORCS races landed him a Team Green Factory Support ride with Motosport.com Kawasaki. One of the coolest things about a factory support ride is that while Kawasaki would be supplying the ATVs, Brandon would be able to carry over any and all previous sponsors to build his new race quads.

The first thing Brandon did after getting his Kawi 450 was get it over to LRD for some arm-wrenching-yet-reliable horsepower. LRD first ported the head and then added in a multi-angle valve job and a 13.5:1 Wiseco piston. The KFX450 intake has been proven to be very restrictive, so LRD hand built a replacement that flows much better. Then an LRD Pro 4 injection controller was added, as well as boring the throttle body and installing an oversized throttle plate. LRD installed its anniversary edition pipe that produces great power while keeping the decibel rating at 94-95 dB, easily passing the sound tests at all of the WORCS vvenues. LRD also went with stock KX450F dirt bike cams and had the intake cam reground by Crower. The end result is a rocket ship of a 450 at 59.13 peak horsepower and 37 foot-pounds of torque.

With an engine package now capable of competing at any pro-level race venue, Brandon had to make it handle. ARS FX designed a long-travel A-arm package that not only provides the Kawi with great useable suspension travel, but also more frontend clearance than any other front end on the market. ARS FX also supplied one of its long-travel linkages to help the rear end work like the front. Brandon chose to pair his ARS FX suspension package with FOX Float X Evol DSC front shocks and a Fox Podium X DSC Long-travel shock in the rear. Brandon has been a firm believer in Fox Racing shox for a few years and has become spoiled by the ease and amount of adjustability that they possess. Brandon says that the Fox DSC shocks allow the user to adjust for maximum traction without sacrificing any smoothness or plushness of the ride.

Brandon uses Massix Razr2 tires in the front and Razr tires in the rear, which is a very popular combination in both WORCS racing and the GNCC series. His Maxxis tires are wrapped around HiPer-Technology CF1 beadlocks, with the Tire Johny’s flat protection insert system, creating one of the most lightweight, strongest, flat-proof tire and wheel combinations on the market.

An IMS desert tank with dry break is installed as a necessity for the hour-and-a-half-long moto, as is a super-trick UPP polyurethane rear skid plate, case saver, and chain roller/slider package. Brandon next installed an X Factor bumper, nerfs, and belly pan skid plate for additional protection. To aide in further protecting the machine, as well as looking ultra trick, the Motorsport.com Kawi uses Fullbore plastic and a PC Carbon hood cover, carbon front cowling, and shock guards.

Next up was the more personal, unique addition that Brandon swears by—a Rekluse Z-Start Pro Clutch, which is used to entirely eliminate the need for hand clutching. This semi-automatic clutch used along with the Rekluse Hand brake kit allows for complete control of the back brake with the fingers of your left hand.

For the full story see issue 28 pages 102-107