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/126935
. new frame for 1987. Most obvious is the new semi-double cradle to accommodate the center port exhaust system. The steering head diameter has been bumped up from 48 to 54mm to increase rigidity, and the areas around the footpegs have been reinforced because of cracking problems that developed in the 1986 model. The aluminum rear sub-frame section is still removeable. Suspension isn't radically changed over last year's KX. The Kayaba sin· gle shock in the rear has gone to a piggybad reservoir type (formerly a remote reservoir) that now has one 12-way high- and low-speed compression damping knob instead of two separate knobs for easier adjusting. The shock also has 2o-way rebound· damping adjusrrnent. And to top things off, the Uni·Trak suspension linkages have been changed slightly for more progressive action. Up front, the Travel Control Valve; (TCV) Kayaba fork received the finetooth-combrrearrnent. TheTCV main spring retainer is changed from a fixed type to a floating type to reduce sliding friction of the TCV rod. Both . compression and rebound damping have been increased, and there is no longer any pre-load adjusrrnents. The fork does have a 16-way initial cOmpression damping adjuster. The front disc brake has a 4mm larger piston caliper, which Kawasaki claims improves stopping power by 20 percent. The rear disc brake has different composite pads, and the disc plate is made out of steel instead of stainless steel. Riding Plush suspension and smooth power delivery makes the new 10<125 ltaSier to ride than before. Test: Kawasaki KX125-E2 Visually it's the same, but.•. By Kit Palmer When Cycle News first caught a glimpse of the 1987 Kawasaki KX125-E2 a few months ago, we really didn't know what to expect. From the outside the Kawasaki basically looks like the same 01' motorcycle that played second fiddle to th e H o~da CRI 25~ l~st year. But lurkmg deep mSlde the 6 heart of the Kawasaki's engine and suspension are changes - significam changes that just might turn the new KXI25 imo the class leader in the highly competitive world of small-bore motocross competition. The 1986 KXI25 was no slouch when it came to horsepower, but compared to last year's 125cc king -the Honda CRI25 - it simply didn't putthe powerto the ground as hard, or as smoothly. 50 for 1987, the KXI25 receives many imernal refinements, such as switching to a center port exhaust design and modifying the Kawasaki Integrated Power-valve System (K.l.P.S.) inside the liquidcooled. two-stroke motor. The K.I.P.5. power-valve is modi· fied to improve gas fiow ef~iciency, and the valves are larger to Increase gas flow volume. This, combined with new port timing and a new outerrotor-typemagneto, is designed to give the motor stronger mid-range punch and better lractability. Other motor changes include larger walerjackets for increased water flow volume to keep the motor running cooler, larger sub-ports, and an allnew exhaust pipe and piston, which now has a concave-type crown. The new concave crown, single-ring piston matches a redesigned cylinder head to form a semi-spherical combustion chamber, which translates imo what Kawasaki says is a better and more efficem method of burning fuel/air mixture. . Because of all the new porcing and power-valve modifications, '-5mm R-bollom slide, keyhole venturi Mikuni carburetor has all-new jet, ting that feeds into a six-petal carbonfiber reed valve intake manifold, and the airbox now comes stock with a plastic cover to be used in wet conditions. The six-speed rransrnissiol1 now has a slightly closer rdtio to benefit the motor's slronger low-l'ntl. Thl' wet, multi-disc clutch remains unchanged for 1987. Surrounding the engine is an all· Riding the new KXI25 for the first time, it's easy to tell that it is an improved motorcycle despite it's mirror image looks of last year's model. But it's not until you grab a handful! of throttle and clid it through the gears do you realize the new KX has gobs of power; quite a bit more than last year's KX. It pulls stronger out of the corners, and it continues to hook up until tapped out in sixth gear. At low rpm, the KXl25 doesn't have the tendency to fall off the pipe, and if it does, one quid fan of the clutch lever usually brings the motor back to Iife in a hurry and the motor revs quickly and is ultra responsive. Once on the pipe. the Kawasaki hooks up best in the middle of the powerband and con· tinues to pull respectively on top. The transmission works flawlessly. Every now and then we missed a shift, but this usually wound up being more rider error than anything else. The shiftlever is easy to find and 'Kawasaki KX125-E2 Engine type •..•... Liquickooled two-stroke. single Bore x strolut 56.Ox60.6mm ~ 124cc Compression ratio .•...... 9.35: 1 Carburetor . . . . . .. 35nwn Mlkuni Horsepower N/A Torque ......•••......... N/A Starting system .••.• kick Ignition COl lubrication .. .. .. .. • Premix Prim8ry drive ... Stralght-cut geer Finel drive .......•••• #520 chain Gear ratios Primary 3.500; 63/18 Flnal. .•.••..... 3.916; 47/12 6th 0.920; 23/25 5th 1.041; 25/24 4th 1.181; 26/22 3rd 1.400; 28/20 2nd 1.750; 28/16 1st 2.307; 30/13 Frame .•...... Single downtube. 8pIit double cradle 45° Rake PrI.,." Trail •...•.•.....•.....•. 4.6 In. Front suspension type •..•• Telescopic fork Fork tube diameter 43mm Front whMl travel 11.8 in. Rear suspension type ••••• Single shock. swIngarm Rear whMl travel .....•• 13.0 In. Front brake 8.7 in. disc R_ br8ke 7.5 in. disc Fronttire ....•..... 80/100·21 Dunlop Rear tire .. : ....... 100/100·18 - Dunlop Claimed dry weight •••• 190.7 Ibs. Overall length .......... 84.1 in. Overall width •....•..•.• 32.1 in. Overall height .........• 46.9 In. WMelbese 57.1 In. Fuel capacity 2.0 gal. Ground clearanca ..•.•.. 15.2 In. Seat height 37.6 In. Colors Lime green Retail price .•.•...•.••..• 82299