Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126920
Comparison: Can-Am 200 ASE vs. Kawasaki KDX200 The Kayaba forks have no compression or rebound damping setting, but they are air adjustable. The stanchion tubes are now thicker and stronger at 43mm. The rear Uni-Trak suspension is relatively unchanged. A single Kayaba shock with a remote reservoir is used, but the reservoir body is now made out of aluminum instead of steel. The shock now has two externally adjustable compression damping settings, as well as 20 rebound damping settings. Other notable changes include hand guards, a more comfortable seat, a res·haped gas tank, easier access to the airbox, a rear brake cable (instead of a rod) and blue fork gaitors. The hubs are unpainted aluminum, and the tires are Dunlops. The Can-Am comes equipped with justan odometer, while the Kawasaki has a digital odometer, speedometer and clock readout. c.o 00 0") ...... Riding The Can-Am 200 ASE and the Kawasaki KDX200 are leaders in the 200cc enduro cia... but only one rules. Has the KDX met its match? By Kit Palmer Since its introduction into the enduro world three years ago, the Kawasaki KDX200 has enjoyed complete supremacy in the 200cc class. Challengers have included the Honda XR200 Yamaha IT200 Suzuki PE175 'and Can-Am 175 ASE , but none. were as good as the Kawasaki. ,1,8 Last year, Can-Am made its l75cc model a 200cc machine, but CanAm's first 20Occeffort wasn't as good as the KDX. But now Can-Am has a year's worth of experience wilh the 200 ASE, and Can-Am is concentrating·on enduro competition; the pressure is on Kawasaki, and the KDX faces its toughest challenge yet - the revamped 1986200 ASE Can-Am. The air-cooled I99.3cc rotary-val ve Rotax engine in the Can-Am has porting changes, the exhaust ports are now taller and narrower than before to give the ASE more torque compared to last year's peaky motor. The six-speed transmission has the same ratios as before, but the countershaft has been made stronger. A Motoplat ignition replaces last year's Bosch system. The front brake has been changed from a drum to a 9.5-inch Grimeca disc brake, while a drum brake is still used in the rear. The Can-Am uses a Answer Products-made aluminum silencer that comes with an (unattached) add-on spark arrester tip. The motor is surrounded by the same Reynold's 531 chrome-moly steel red-painted tubing frame as used on the 250 ASE. The front downtube is a split double cradle, allowing the use of a centerport exhaust. The front Marzocchi forks are un i" que with the left fork leg controlling t~e compression damping and the nght leg controlling the rebound damping; there are no external adjustments. The fork seals are completely redesigned so they can be removed easier and more quickly, and if a seal has to be replaced on race day, it can be done without having to tear the forks completely apart; seals can be removed after sliding the fork tubes out of the triple clamps. The stanchion tubes have been made stronger by increasing the diameter from 40mm to 42mm. The rear Quad Link II uspension uses a· White Power remote reservoir shock revalved for smoother action. It has seven compression and II rebound external dampingadjustments. Most of the other changes to the Can-Am are minor. The white plastic fenders are now made by Acerbis and have red plastic bolt-on extenders at both ends. The plastic headlight cowling is also made by Acerbi . The handlebar mount is pushed forward 1.0 inch to help eliminate last year's cramped seating position, while the footpegs were also moved a 0.50 inch forward ·and higher. The brake pedal now pivots on needle bearings instead of a bushing. Akront gold-anodized rims carry Metzeler tires. Like the Can-Am, the 1986 Kawasaki isn't radically changed. Theb~g. gest changes are the new front dISC brake and the KIPS (Kawa aki Intergrated Power-Valve System), as found on the KX motocrossers. ~~,~""" ."""" •• 1 The KDX's 196cc motor is also aircooled, with a few minor changes to accept the KIPS, which is designed to enhance bottom-end power without sacrificing power on top; the system includes an exhaust resonator, two auxiliary exhaust sub-ports, two valves to open and close the resonator and sub-ports and a crankshaft-driven ball-ramp governor. At low rpm, the dual valves open the resonator and close the sub-ports top boost power off the bottom. At high rpm, the valves close the resonator and open the subparts to gain power on top. A massive, steel U.S. Forest Serviceapproved spark arrester/silencer is slightly less res"trictive than last year's muffler. A larger flywheel is used in the 1986 Kawasaki, which Kawasaki engineers say helps reduce vibration. The clutch is now slightly larger, and first gear has a slightly lower ratio, while the rest of the gears remain the same. The silver-painted, KXl25-based frame now has two triangular rear frame sections added in the rear to support the rear fender. The Can-Am and the Kawasaki feel completely different. The CanAm feels much taller, but it's actually only 0.50 inch taller than the Kawasaki, and the handlebars are much narrower. The Can-Am is designed for tight woods trails, the kind most often found in the eastern part of the country. The Kawasaki has the kickslarter mounted on the right side of the bike and can be kicked over without smashing your foot on the footpeg. The left-side kick on the Can-Am is simple to use. It has a shorter stroke than the Kawasaki and doesn't smash feet either. Hot or cold, the Can-Am started on the first kick 99% of the . time, while the Kawasaki usually took two kicks. Once running, the Kawasaki is much, much quieter than the Can· Am; we rode the Can·Am without installing the add-on spark-arrestor. The KDX has a smooth, broad powerband and is very responsive; the Can-Am is harder to manage and more difficult to keep in the power· band compared to the KDX, but works well in extremely tight, first· gear sections or tapped out on wideopen trails. In between, though, the Can-Am is hard to keep in the right gear, making it necessary to slip the clutch. The Can-Am also tends to fall off the pipe rather quickly if the rider isn't on top of things at all times, riding the bike aggressively. The Kawasaki is much easier and more forgiving to work with in tight Can-Am 200 ASE Engine type •.....••• Air-cooled. rotary- wive. two-stroke lingle Bore x stroke 64x61mm Displacement 199cc Comp_ion ratio 13.0:1 Carburetor . . . . . .. 34mm Mikuni Horeepo_r N/A Torque N/A Starting system Primary kick Ignition . , Motoplat COl lubrication.. .. .. .. .. ... Premix Primary drive Straight-cut gear Fina. driYe #520 chain Gear ratios . Primary 2.913:1 Finel 46/14; 3.833:1 6th 0.913:1 5th 1.095:1 4th 1.316:1 3rd 1.688:1 2nd 2.308:1 1st 3.004:1 Frame Single downtube. split double cradle Rake 28° Trail 4.3 in. Front suspension type •..•. TeIe· scopic fork Fork tube diameter 42mm Front wheel travel 11.8 in. Rear suspenlion type . . .. Singleshock IJWingerm Rear wheel traYel •...... 12.6 in. Front brakes 9.4-in. diSC: Rear brakes 5.5-in. drum Front wheel 1.60x21 in. Rearwheel 1.85x18 in. Front tire 3.00-21 Metzeler . Rear tire 120/90-18 Metzeler Claimed dry _ight. . . .. 222 Ibs. OYeralllength 87.0 in. Oyerall width 30.0 in. 47.0 in. Oyerall height VVheelbese 59.5in. Seat height 37.0 in. Ground clearance ,. 14.0 in. Fuel capacity 2.76 gal. Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. VVhite Retail price &2150.