Two big surprises from Italy
By Kit Palmer
SAN BERNARDINO, CA, JULY 24
Glen Helen Motocross Park in southern
California was the site for Cagiva's unveiling of its 1988 motocross models to the
motorcycling press. The Italian company
held a one-day tiding session
of the 1988 Cagiva WMX125
. 11
WMX250
and the a -ne~,
. ' as
well as the fum s baSIcally
~changedHusqvama ~3OCR, (Cag-
Iva bought Husq:v ama 10 1986).
~e most .0bVlO~S chan~e to the
Caglva motocross hne up IS the ~llnew, white color scheme, whIch
repl~ces the r~, Honda CR look.
Cagtva felt theu red motocrossers
looked too mud~ like Honda's CRs,
so !iI' the UOlted. States-bou.nd
Cagiva's for 1988 wIll be all white;
the European ver.sioils will retain the
red color styling. Seat covers on both
Cagiva motorcycles ar~ Wue and the
radiator shrouds are sllll black.
. The bi~ news from Cagiv~ is. the
mtroducllon. of the company. s fustever producuon .250. Up unul now,
the clo~st eagtva ever came to a
producuon 250 was a 200cc motocrosser based on the WMXI25 motor.
ut the 1987 WMX250 has an
entirely new motor, and Cagiva
says the engine is capable of
ing a I big-bore top-end, as
well. For now, howe.ver,. Cagiva is
relying on the 430cc Husky as
its Open class production bike.
The \yM?C250 featur~s a twostroke, hq~lld-cO?led, pISton-p~>rl,
reed-valve mdUCllon motor wllh a
mechanical power-valve, unlike the
Husky motors which use an
electronicaJ.ly-activated power-valve.
Cagiva feels the mechanical powervalve is just as efficient as the
electronic ':ystem but is more
reliable.
Handling the carburetion is a
37mm, flat-slide Dell 'Ono, and the.
transmission is a six-speed. According to Cagiva, the WMX250 pumps
oUi 42 horsepower at 8000 RPM at
the rear wheel.
Both the WMXI25 and 250 share
the same suspension components,
but the frame on the 250 is differenL
The upside down fork and rear shock
are made by White Power. The fork
features what Cagiva calls the ProTech System, whidt is designed to
smooth out compression damping.
The rear shock carries a piggyback
reservoir and is attadted to Cagiva's
Both the WMX260 (bottom) and
the WMX126 (right) motors are all
new. Mechanical power-valves
are used. and. like the 126. the
250 has a six-speed transmission.
