Kawasaki Vs. Honda Dirt Bikes: Which Has The Better Reputation For Reliability?

Dirt biking began over a century ago in the U.K. when rider's set out to experience the backcountry on motorcycles made for roads. It wasn't until the '60s that dirt bikes (specifically made for off-road use) started to appear from large manufacturers. Today, Kawasaki offers several models of its KX motocross and cross-country line ranging from youth up to robust adult variations. Honda also offers several options for dirt bikes including its XR and CRF product lines. In terms of reliability, while both Japanese manufacturers produce a fantastic product, many consider the highest build quality and longevity squarely in Honda's corner.

But why does Honda have such a solid reputation in the world of dirt bikes? For starters, it was Soichiro Honda (the inventor who established Honda) who developed the first motorcycle model highly accredited for popularizing two-wheeled vehicles among the public in the late 1950s, the Super Cub. In fact, 2017 was witness to a special ceremony marking the Super Cub series' 100 millionth unit made, according to Honda.

The 1961 CR60 was Honda's first off-road bike and Kawasaki followed shortly after with B8M in 1963. Even though Honda's first motocross bike, the Elsinore, launched in the early 70s, later than other Japanese manufacturers, it brought with it brand recognition and a solid reputation. Although, with five decades of experience in the dirt bike industry, Kawasaki isn't far behind, and in the list of every major dirt bike brand ranked from worst to best, it's among the top manufacturers.

According to one rider, "Amongst the major bike manufacturers Kawasaki has more of a budget reputation ... while Honda has a reputation for the best build quality and reliability." Another dirt bike enthusiast echoed, "Honda is more reliable. You'll get a better price on Kawasaki." However, many in the off-road motorcycle community cautioned that in terms of a used bike, its longevity was based significantly on how well the previous owner cared for and maintained it.

According to Bikepics.com, Honda dirt bikes don't typically experience considerable issues until they reach between 15,000 and 20,000 miles, whereas Kawasaki models can suffer serious problems as soon as 10,000 miles. The first rider above went on to explain, "It's little things like the quality of the welds and paintwork rather than anything major like the engine internals, but the Hondas I've owned have been generally bullet proof and have seemed to be nicer bikes with smoother gearboxes." One example is the Honda CR500, which is still considered by fans to be the best dirt bike ever made. Some of the notable issues described by Kawasaki owners have to do with lower-quality plastics, and a difficult-to-install filter in comparison to Honda models.

However, once you equip a Kawasaki dirt bike with premium add-ons, it remains more affordable than some of Honda's offerings and still has a strong following among off-road riders. In fact, owners specifically recommend a handful of Kawasaki dirt bikes for the best trail riding.