Supermoto Kawasaki KLX300SM 2021
Everyone has such a friend - a charming, but completely asocial type, ignoring social norms and rejecting the rules of decency, doing it so charismatically and touchingly that he immediately becomes the life of the party.
Imagine that this charming hooligan shared his character with a motorcycle. This motorcycle will undoubtedly belong to the supermoto class - openly encouraging riding in the spark plug, braking - in the front, slides in the corners at every opportunity. Sound like a great way to shake up the mundanity of your life? Then I am pleased to introduce you to the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM.
Kawasaki KLX300SM 2021
This model is the Greens' first foray into road motard territory, and the price point they've chosen clearly tells us that they're aiming to grab market share from the Suzuki DRZ400SM. Comfortable, manageable power and a hefty price tag make Kawasaki's new supermoto an extremely attractive purchase for beginners. Moreover, the performance of the Kawasaki KLX300SM can please even accomplished motorcyclists.
Based on the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 enduro model, the 300SM is equipped with almost identical components, to which a number of road and racing features are added. First of all, we are talking about 17-inch spoked wheels, then the suspension is somewhat stiffer and with less travel, the final gear is slightly higher, and the front brake disc is larger.
Supermoto Kawasaki KLX300SM 2021
Main competitions
There were 2 most important events, in addition to the already mentioned TV show, for the establishment of supermoto as an official sport:
- Guidon d'Or (translated from French as “golden steering wheel”) is a series of grandiose races that annually brought together French and foreign riders on combined tracks in the early 90s and became one of the most significant impetuses for the further transformation of the entertainment program into a strictly regulated motorcycle sport .
- The first official supermoto championship organized by the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) in 2003.
Currently, the most important event for the discipline is the Supermoto World Championship (aka Supermoto S1GP), held under the auspices of the FIM in 2002-2003 and annually since 2010. It also regularly hosts the European Championship and an event similar to the “Motocross of Nations” - Supermoto of Nations.
The most significant for domestic athletes is the Russian Supermoto Championship.
Engine Kawasaki KLX300SM
At the heart of the Kawasaki KLX300SM is the same magical 292cc liquid-cooled, twin-overhead, single-cylinder engine found in the KLX300 and KLX300R. Having all the advantages of its off-road relatives, it is equipped with more aggressive camshafts, making it more torquey and peppy.
Convenient starting with an electric starter and a sharp, clear response to gas thanks to a modern injection power system. Good low end and peppy mids allow you to conquer asphalt roads with confidence, and thanks to a higher gear ratio (14 teeth at the front and 37 at the rear), it is easier for it to maintain high speeds, reaching a maximum of approximately 130 km/h. At high speeds the engine sags somewhat in thrust, but it is quite enough until the cut-off.
A balance shaft smooths out most of the single-cylinder engine's vibrations, and beefy footpegs with rubber spacers make the ride even more comfortable - even at wide-open throttle.
And that's great for civilian riding, but supermoto is designed for something else. So after driving around the city, I went to explore the karting track!
Kawasaki KLX300SM at the karting track
A couple of laps around the back-end karting track showed that the stock performance of the Kawasaki KLX300SM will be quite enough for most amateur motardists. Predictable, linear power instills confidence in beginners, allowing them to open the throttle with confidence. Advanced guys (and possibly girls) will be able to have a lot of fun at full throttle - just like in enduro, supermoto training necessarily includes powerful accelerations, powerful braking and skillful flirting with the grip when riding on the edge of the rubber tread. All this improves your riding skills on any motorcycle, which is why your idols from WSBK and MotoGP hone their skills on powerful supermotos.
Kawasaki KLX300SM at the karting track
The Kawasaki KLX300SM six-speed gearbox shifts clearly and confidently, with a short stroke and soft clutch release. This clutch doesn't have a slip function like more expensive (and powerful) motards, so the Kawasaki KLX300SM teaches the importance of using the clutch lever and throttle correctly when making aggressive downshifts. Personally, I would like a little more distinct feel on the gearbox lever, but I’m already nitpicking.
basic information
Supermoto, at its core, is a mixture of motocross and road racing. The routes for it are always winding, closed in a ring and have a combined surface consisting of asphalt (about 70%) and dirt (30%) sections. On the latter, various natural or artificial obstacles are necessarily organized. The total length of the route is from 1 to 2 km. A standard race includes a series of heats, each lasting 20 minutes + 1 lap. Participants start at the same time.
Chassis and suspension Kawasaki KLX300SM
Despite sharing an identical steel perimeter frame and aluminum swingarm to the Kawasaki KLX300, smaller wheels and lowered suspension radically improve the SM's handling and geometry. Its modest wheelbase of 1435 mm, a steeper (25 degrees) fork offset angle and a trail shortened to 7 centimeters made it an incredibly nimble and nimble motorcycle, instantly turning into turns literally from mental effort. Such light and confident steering is liked and helps all riders, regardless of skill level, and the stated weight of the Kawasaki KLX300SM at 138 kg makes this model even more attractive and controllable .
A 43mm inverted fork with compression adjustment and a fully adjustable Uni-Trak gas shock absorber play a direct role in the handling of the motorcycle. Stiffer than on off-road models, the suspension has become somewhat shorter in travel - 23 cm in the front and 20 cm in the rear . Thanks to this, more features of the road surface are felt through the seat, but the stability of the motorcycle on the road or track is significantly increased. The main thing is that the SM fork does not bite during sharp braking, and the shock absorber sags moderately when exiting corners with powerful gas. Those who prefer the most technical riding will want to firm up the suspension, but the stock Kawasaki KLX300SM combines compliance for road riding with sharp handling on the track.
The same goes for the brakes: they are designed with higher speeds and aggressive use in mind. The front wheel of the Kawasaki KLX300SM is equipped with an enlarged (compared to its off-road relatives) 300 mm disc and a 2-piston caliper on it. The power and informativeness of the brakes are quite adequate, but again, for hardcore drivers they may not be enough, and at the very least you can start with worse pads. The rear single-piston caliper on a 240 disc helps maintain the trajectory or rip off the wheel for a slide. Both brake circuits are surprisingly devoid of ABS, which sometimes seems to be installed on all motorcycles indiscriminately.
Kawasaki KLX300SM
After the rather enlightening experience of swapping a supermoto for a road bike, one thing became clear: switching from a motard to anything else is very difficult. This is how the Suzuki DR250 appeared in my garage.
I recently wrote a story about the revival of the Honda CB-1. The mot is certainly very good, but it’s not my thing. I was overcome by a longing for reckless rides through forests and forested park areas, scaring away the couples who were quickly walking. Yes, yes, I'm angry, and I scare people with my exhaust. No one has died yet, but I caught admiring glances quite often :) So that’s what I mean - the Honda was quite successfully exchanged for a motard. The man wanted to travel to long distances in peace, and he wanted to change. At first I didn’t understand why he wasn’t happy with the DR on road tires... But more on that later. And we had a journey of more than 800 km ahead of us. After having breakfast and loading the motorcycle into the trailer, we hit the road.
Upon arrival home, the motorcycle was wiped with a cloth and put in the garage, and the trailer was returned to the owner. Oh yes, about the new motorcycle. 1990 release. The original engine finally died not long ago, which is why an engine from a fairly recent year was installed. It looks clean, drives great, I think there’s no reason to go inside yet.
The version is quite rare - electric starter, 6 gears (the Internet mentions 5), inverted fork, protection for everything possible.
The most important thing is aluminum double rims with stiffeners. These are the rims that are used on top-end motards, which are filmed in colorful videos with jumps and high-speed rides on stairs and other obstacles that make ordinary endurable steel rims bend into their wheels.
Everything is fine with the suspension, too; during high-speed crossings of bricks, curbs and logs, it was not possible to break through it. This is also a minus - it almost does not react to small bumps and holes. I suppose over time I will figure out the settings and everything will be as it should.
By the way, the stiffness of the suspension has a good effect on handling; I have never been able to get a motorcycle to the pegs so easily on the track. This, of course, is more due to the good road tires, which suffer greatly in wet mud. I'm not a big fan of motocross, and pulling a motorcycle out of a swamp is not my favorite activity, so this arrangement suits me quite well. The lubrication system is dry sump. Oil is poured into the frame
For me this is a plus - he is not afraid of falls, the cooling is better. The latter, by the way, is facilitated by an oil radiator, carefully covered with a metal grille. About character The next morning I went to the garage to get to know the new aircraft better. There is a huge star at the back, a short-throw throttle, the engine has 30 horses, and it weighs like a bicycle. Do you realize what it gives in the end? An absolutely wild and unbalanced motard. With two throttle positions: engine braking and stalling. If there is asphalt under the wheels, then the motorcycle lifts its muzzle, and if there is dirt, then the rear part is carried away in the direction opposite to the turn. I was leaving the garage and carelessly dropped the clutch on a turn. I regretted it while lying in the bushes. After just a couple of hours of riding, I realized that you can turn around in one step on any road, simply by adjusting the speed of rotation of the motorcycle with gas;) The landing, by the way, is uncomfortable given my height of 195 cm - my knees are strongly bent, it’s inconvenient to stick the gears in. One of these days I’ll try to grab it with a girl, I’ll write about the feelings of the second issue. By the way, is it normal to ride enduro with number two? In a stance, driving just fine - on an absolutely ruined road, which summer residents are mercilessly trying to repair with pieces of broken brick, you can stick in 5th gear and fly, jumping over puddles and especially large cobblestones, while experiencing the purest thrill. They say that a person receives true pleasure only when natural needs are satisfied. No. There is something else:
I can say one thing about this motorcycle: I am happy. I can't say that I found myself in it. I found in him what I always lacked: he is wild and unpredictable, it seems incredibly difficult to control him, but the excitement and adrenaline in the blood stimulate him to conquer him again and again. This is what a real motard should be. PS Traditionally, this ugly duckling will undergo a transformation. So follow the posts and remember him for what he was;)
Ergonomics of Kawasaki KLX300SM
The spartan ergonomics continue on the long bench seat, which is supportive without being too hard. Thanks to the redesigned chassis, the seat is three centimeters lower than the enduro version, its height is now 86cm . This, of course, is quite high, but soft suspensions with significant sag (drawdown) make it quite easy for a person of average height to reach the ground. The steering wheel could use some protection for the levers, otherwise everything is in its place, the ergonomics are quite adequate.
