Kawasaki D-Tracker

The Kawasaki D-Tracker is a dual sport bike. And any dual sport owner knows that it is going to spend more time on the tarmac in the urban jungle than on any trail in an actual jungle. This means that this bike needs to be better suited for urban use. Hence the slim and compact dimensions of 2030 mm (L) X 830 mm (W) X 1340 mm (H). The bike also comes with supermoto like 17-inch spoked wheels on either end with dual purpose 100/80 tyre for the front and a 120/70 tire for the rear. The styling similarly takes a motocross-inspired approach. The front end gets a sharp headlamp design and uses a halogen bulb. A small visor covers the simple analog instrument display flanking which are old style indicators. The bike has a high front fender along with covers for the lower part of the front suspension. The front wheel otherwise, is left completely open. There is scant bodywork on the bike as is the norm for off-roaders. But the two-piece shrouds for the radiator help in keeping the profile of the bike sharp and slim while also providing the rider enough of a grip while aggressive cornering. Moving to the rear, the bike’s rear end with the seat tapers off into a sharp tail with similar indicator setup as on the front. Skyward pointing side mounted exhaust gets a heat shield that does not make the bike look ungainly. Kawasaki has made the D-Tracker available in only one color scheme (white with orange and black accents). Overall a design that works well both in the wild and in the city.

The Kawasaki D-Tracker comes with a very rigid, lightweight, and compact steel perimeter frame. This gives it excellent handling and a low weight of just 120 kg. Also, included in the package are 35 mm inverted front forks with a 150 mm of travel and 5-way adjustable for preload Uni-Trak suspension for the rear that absorb the bumps on the trail.It also allows the rider to drag their knees on fast corners. The stability at higher speeds offered by this suspension and road-focused tyres is also commendable. The only thing that comes in the way for highway cruising is the motocross style seat which is not the most comfortable. The footrest also comes in the way of getting lean angles higher than 40 degrees. A larger front wheel and a smaller rear wheel would have made it even better suited for climbing trails. Otherwise, the motocross handlebars give it excellent slow speed maneuverability on and off the road. The seat and the handlebar position, gives it a slightly forward leaning riding stance that is otherwise upright and relaxed. 270 mm of ground clearance comes with the territory. But this raises the seat to 840 mm making it unusable for shorter riders.

The engine powering the Kawasaki D-Tracker is an air-cooled and carbureted, 144 cc 2 valve, SOHC single-cylinder that produces 11.53 hp at 8000 rpm and 11.3 Nm of torque at 6500 rpm. The bike uses a 5-speed transmission. The transmission uses long gearing that gives it a mid-high range focused engine performance. The shorter final gearing also gives it good acceleration. 5 gears mean that the bike also works well for cruising for long distances with a gear for every kind of occasion.  The bike comes equipped with only an electric starter but with such a long record of reliability and performance, this should not worry adventure riders. The bike’s fuel tank has a capacity of 6.9-litre that should serve it very well.

Braking on the Kawasaki D-Tracker is relegated to a single semi floating 300 mm petal disc with a two-piston calliper on the front and a 220 mm disc on the rear with a single piston calliper for the rear.

The Kawasaki D-Tracker has spent a long time in the Malaysian market with very little change. This could be because the company does not care about the segment. Or because the D-Tracker works so well that it needs no change. So, if you really want a dual sport, head on over to the local Kawasaki dealer and give the D-Tracker a test ride and decide for yourself.