Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

........ ........ .... Q.) ..0 8 Q.) u Q.) Cl (Above) The Ninja 1000 returns to pave the way for the other, smaller Ninja sportbikes. (Below) ZG1 ODD's engine is similar to Ninja 's. The KDX200 has been improved for 19 8 6 w ith the fitting of KIPS and a larger flywheel; it also boasts a new frame based on the 1985 KX125. KLR600, KLR250 a nd th e re-introduced KE IOO. T he 564cc KLR600 a nd 249cc KL2 50 are DOH C fo u r-stro ke, four-valv e, liquid-cooled , single-cylinder engine s. T he KLR600 h as a n electric starter. Th e KLR250 h ad a six-spee d tran smi ssion a nd fea tures a n im proved ignition switch for 1986 wh il e th e KLR600 has a five-speed tran sm ission and a n ew strengthe ne d gea r drive for its electric sta rter; a sm all amount o f slippage occ u rs under excep tio na lly high gear torque (d uring kick-back ), preventing damage to th e sta rter system. A new CDI uni t ha s a lso been added to th e KLR600 th at reduces maximum igniti on a dva nce by 2° to improve th e engine's tol erance o f marginal -octane fu el. T h e claimed dry weight on th e KLR600 is 322 pounds wh ile the KL R250 is claimed to weigh in a t 258 pounds dr y. Th e KEIOO returns to th e lineup for 1986. Pow ered by a two-stroke, rotary-valve, 99cc a ir -cooled engine, th e KEIOO featu res an a u to matic oi l inj ecti on system, five-speed tran smission a n d box-secti on swi ng arm; th e bike is cl a im ed to weigh 187 pounds dr y. Th e KDX200 en d uro bike ha s been reva mped for 1986. T he a ir-cooled , si ng le -cy li nder, tw o- stroke 198c c en g ine is fitt ed with the Kaw a saki In tegra ted Pow erva lve System (KIPS) for 1986; KIPS varies th e size o f th e ex ha ust port acc ord ing to eng ine rpm , via a centrifuga l dev ice. for a broader powerband without sacrificing pea k power. O th er mod ificati on s to th e KDX200 include a larger airbox a nd a ir cleaner, revis ed igniti on timing , low- restriction muffl er an d a la rger flywh eel. T he n ew fram e is a modified vers ion o f la st year's KX 125 frame a nd u ses many m otocross co mpone nts . A stro nger KX clutch ha s been fit led a n d so me gea r ratios on th e six speed transmission have been changed . Other cha nges in clude a sim p ler rear wheel qu ick- ch ange system, a larger gas tank , hand g ua rds, wid er fenders, built-in rea r grab ra ils a nd stro nger , welded-on engine guards. Kaw asaki will also co nt in ue to sell its KDX80 a nd KD80M . In the motocross department, Kawa sa ki offer s a lineup o f five racer s KX500, KX250 , KX125, KX80 a nd th e KX60 . T he KX500 is now fi tted with KIPS a nd h a s th e Kawa saki T ravel Contro l Valve (T CV) o n th e front forks. The T CV in creases damping a s th e fork is compressed ; th e in crease in com p ression damping pr events excess ive fo r k tr av el o n sma ll to medi um bumps, yet is by-passed o n severe bum ps (tha n ks to a bl ow- off val ve feature), a llow ing full fork tra vel wh en needed . T h e 1986 KX500 includes a rea r disc bra ke, a larger pi ston a nd sha ft for the U n i-T ra k shock,and a stro nger shock strut bolt a nd a more stable c hai l~ g ui de. T he seat ing position on the b ike h a s been moved forwa rd, th e footp egs have been len gthen ed a nd th e muffler ha s been redesigned ,for in crea sed po wer anddurability, a nd th e muffler is n ow rebu ildable. (A bove) The KLR600 leads the wavln Kawasaki 's line of dual purpose bikes. (Below) The KX250 gets a rear disc brake for 1986. T he KX250 in cludes many of th e updat ed features from th e KX500, incl uding a rear di sc brak e, T C V on th e fro n t fo rk s a n d tra ns m iss io n improvem en ts incl ud ing in crea sed d ura bility a nd red uced weight, accordi ng to Kawasak i. Ka wasa ki ha s also reva m ped the KX 125 for 1986. T h e bik e h as been fitted with a new frame fea turing a bo uom -li n k U ni-Trak rear susp en sion, larger a irbox a nd a rem ovable a lu mi n u m rea r su bfra me. T he twopart fra me is cl ai me d to low er the center of gra vity, ma ke ro om for a la rger a ir bo x, a n d make the KXI25 more co m pact and na rro wer. Th e KX80 a lso gets th e two- p iece frame, a lo ng wi th a narro wer radiato r, smaller fue l tank , a na rro wer a nd long er sea t, hi gh er h and leba rs, a ca ble-o pera ted rea r brak e, strai gh tp ull rear spokes a nd a more dura ble ch ain gui de. T he KX60 is the lea st cha nged in Ka wa sak i 's motocross lin eup a nd is basically the sa me as las t year 's mini motocrosser. C la imed dry weight for th e mot ocro ssers is 221 pounds for th e KX500; 213 pounds Ior the KX250; 191 pounds for the KX125; 133 pounds for th e KX80 ; a nd I II pounds for th e KX60. 11

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