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whats it for?

It's used as a conversation starter.

When you figure it out we will tell you what it really is grasshopper!

Seriously, this has been discussed many times here on the forum and no one knows.

Pipe protector. Look in from the side and imagine if it wasn't there, what a well placed rock would do in a fall.

Slick_Nick wrote:Pipe protector. Look in from the side and imagine if it wasn't there, what a well placed rock would do in a fall.

Disagree. The e bikes have them on both sides. Last time I checked the pipe is only on the RH side. I still think its just a grab handle.

Julien D wrote:

Slick_Nick wrote:Pipe protector. Look in from the side and imagine if it wasn't there, what a well placed rock would do in a fall.

Disagree. The e bikes have them on both sides. Last time I checked the pipe is only on the RH side. I still think its just a grab handle.

Disagree. I think that it is way too close to the HOT pipe to grab ahold of. At least on mine.

And why add grab bars there when there are already two grab handles under the seat?

Could the E have the second bar to help protect the coolant tank? Maybe something to do with supporting the side panels?

rbates9 wrote:Could the E have the second bar to help protect the coolant tank? Maybe something to do with supporting the side panels?

Perhaps. I use mine as grab handles on both sides, the E doesn't have any other good place to grab it, at least for short folks. Grabbing under the rear fender doesn't give good leverage if you're trying to pull it out of the mud or something since it's so high, and there are no handles under the seat. Someone write Kawasaki and ask! lol

I still say pipe guard. Aside from the thin plastic shroud, there is literally nothing protecting the pipe without that bent piece.

Slick_Nick wrote:I still say pipe guard. Aside from the thin plastic shroud, there is literally nothing protecting the pipe without that bent piece.

Except for maybe the subframe frame rail that is directly outside the pipe right there??? A rock would have to go up inside the frame rail in order to damage anything. For a bike that barely has a skid plate in stock form, I just can't see them considering that during the design phase. Heck, it doesn't come with any provision for protecting the pipe in any other area, including the header portion, so why would they care about a 3" section at the stinger? And what about the one on the LH side of the E bikes? Not like the japs to waste good steel just to make it match on both sides. I'm not buying the pipe guard theory. I suppose anything is possible since nobody knows, but it just doesn't make much sense to me.

See what I mean

You guys are freakin hilarious!

LOL. Pretty sure this is at least the third time we've had this discussion in the past few years.

How about we just go ahead and call it (We are the leading KDX forum on the web so we can do this) a pipe guard / hand hold / ice cream maker.

And now we have an answer.

I subscribe to the grab handle theory as well. Use it all the time to sit the bike on my "custom" 5 gallon bucket. Not too hot if you have gloves on.

I'm goin' with "ice cream maker".

I do rather like the ice cream maker theory. Seems the most plausible at this point.

Given that there are pedal guards built into the frame, I would speculate that it is indeed some form of guard. The bike is Japanese, so perhaps to keep the samurais from slashing your back tire with their swords....Or maybe it is to mount a chopstick holder....

For the 'E' series, I am going to go with a definite 'grab handle'......or number plate support........or jig mount for frame assembly.