CT Racing's Sonic pipe was...
CT Racing's Sonic pipe was an easy way to unlock a little extra performance out of our lagging KFX.
Now that we had the motor and handling dialed in like we wanted, we needed to add some better rubber to the wheels. We chose to go with the six-ply Maxxis Razr tires to give us the improved traction, stability and durability that our drastically improved KFX needed. We trust the Razr tires as they've been proven time and time again throughout the years as being one of the best tires you can mount up for off-road terrains.
Enhancing Ergonomics
When it came to ergonomics, we felt the KFX could use some tweaks. The stock handlebar is a little close to the rider, so we flipped the stem clamps, which moved the bar forward almost an inch. And as for the seat, it is so hard that it could be used as a diamond crusher. We ended up trading it in for a Quad Tech seat foam and cover. You won't believe the difference that it made. We also installed ASV levers, which are easy to pull, adjust on the fly, are virtually unbreakable and are adjustable for any hand size. To top it off, they are a simple and effective cosmetic enhancement. We mounted up some Spider grips as they have a soft compound, are slim and are very durable. After all of these very simple and low-cost mods to the driver's compartment, our KFX was comfortable and ready for a long day of kicking it on the trails.
Protective Armor
We wanted to dress this quad with a strong set of nerf bars which also included heel guards on them. Many of the aluminum heel guards on the market are too close to the rider's heel, not allowing enough room for our big-footed testers. The Pro Armor line has as much room as any of the all-aluminum heel guards on the market and more than most, so we went with its lineup of aluminum hardware. Pro Armor also offers a really nice peg setup it calls the PowerGrip. This peg has gnarly teeth to keep your foot from sliding around; it's wide to give you excellent support and even cushion the big landings. We slapped on the Pro Armor front bumper to give it a good look and add to its front-end protection. And if this bumper doesn't meet your style requirements, Pro Armor has three styles to choose from in both black and polished finishes. For $799, you can get the heel guards, nerfs, pegs, swingarm skid, frame skid and bumper in a complete package; and it even comes with A-arm guards. All of the parts pretty much just fell into place as we mounted them up, which is actually unusual for many aftermarket protection companies.
To improve both traction and...
To improve both traction and durability, it was a no-brainer to mount up a set of Maxxis Razr tires.
With all of the modifications that CT made to the engine, the power was now very linear. It produced good bottom-end and was strong all the way to the rev-limiter. After putting in some time on this motor, we all agreed this is the kind of power delivery that makes it easy to have a quad go fast. The horsepower is not overwhelming at almost 49 hp, but it's awfully fun to ride. If you're looking for a dependable pump gas racer or just a great machine to ride on the weekends, you can't go wrong by emulating what we did on this quad.
Ride Results
Even though our revamped KFX450R's intended use was for a high-performance trail rider, we decided to test it on both the MX track and in the rugged desert. On our initial test, we found the suspension to be plush yet firm enough not to bottom out in the rough terrains unless you just overdid it. The A-arms set with the caster pulled back kept the quad tracking straight with little effort, so you can say that our twitchy handling was cured with the Teixeira Tech arms and proper caster. Overall, the handling characteristics were perfect for GNCC-style racing and just a good overall ride. Why quads don't come off the shelf like this is a mystery us.