There are some pretty good look at the new forks on these bikes and a few other ~trick stuff.. http://www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2015-Kawasaki-KX450F-and-KX250F,3575
Finally ergonomics become an important feature in dirt bikes. It's always made me wonder why bicycles are all sold in XS through XXL. Yet motorcycles are built for one size person and that's it. Cant wait for full air forks/shocks as a standard feature on dirt bikes.
A bicycle frame can be downsized or upsized with very little drama. They could make smaller and larger motorcycle frames, but all the guts like engine, gas tank, airbox and shock will stay the same size. Making all those parts fit several different frames while maintaining the same performance and handling across all sizes would be pretty hard I imagine. Not to mention cost of tooling up various sizes.
I certainly hope not. Also this is a SFF design meaning only one fork is the spring so if it loose seal your completely done. Do not like. Like the EFI and couplers, like the adjustable ergoes, bet the motor is amazing. Just not wild over air forks. But then again I'm not the target for these bikes.
The air suspensions on mountain bikes are amazing now. I can truly say that I welcome the introduction into the enduro/dirt bike realm. Just like MTB frames, you can buy one fork or shock and accommodate riders from 100 to 250 lbs. As well as a variety of riding styles. All with clickers and an air pump. That's not to say that there wasn't some growing pains over the years in MTB air suspensions, but now they are the defacto standard, and there is no reason to go to different designs.
That air-spring will certainly help get the stock bike dialed-in without the cost of the new springs ... Good to hear you guys been testing this stuff -- If these forks did break in the woods, and if you can ride the bike out, thats acceptable I guess ... It will be like "My fork had a flat"... -- 2 sets of different forks on the bikes ... 1 air type and 1 not ... 450s stuff 250 still uses these from 011
Heck, I'll split the difference between you Boogie and Shawbagga, and take me a 275 enduro KDX. Put one more kidney in the pot. What's Kawasaki to do with all these kidneys?!?! As far as air suspension goes, I suspect if air/oil set ups are the wave of the future, someone will get very rich by going old school and selling antiquated double oil forks as an aftermarket option. I personally think the SSS forks from Yamaha are pretty good. But if a manufacturer can build a bike that has tunable suspension (i.e. air) that allows riders weighing 150lbs to get as good as a suspension action as a 225lbs rider from the same bike, I'd think the writing is on the wall.
