I
t's lean. It's green. But is
it mean? Well, n ot really
...But it can b e.
Kawasa ki engineers have imp lemented changes, changes and more changes
to th e 1994 Kaw as aki KX125, but perhaps the most importan t changes of all
must be performed by the b uyer. Say
what?
"During initial R&D testing wit h the
pre-produ ctio n model, we were ve ry
pl eased with the power outpu t of the
KX125's m otor," said Kawasaki's Mel
Moo re. " But 10 and behold, som ewhere
along th e line the production models
- have lost a bit of their sna p."
But fret not. After extensive production mod el testing, Kawasaki engineers
have come up with solutions to the
" missing-powe r mystery." And what
might they be? A little cut here and a little cu t there, but more on that later.
So what's new?
(Above) The 1994
Kawasaki KX125
features all-new
bodywork and what
are perhaps the bestlooking graphics in
years. (Left) The new
plastic is smooth and
easy to maneuver on,
and the integrated
sidepanellairbox
juncture doesn't catch
the rider's boots.
(Below) A little work
is needed to bring the
stock KXl25 motor to
life. Note the trick
master cylinder
guard.
The $4099 price tag is new , tha t's for
sure. With the ever-declining dollar-toyen ratio the $400 price increase was
inevitable, but Kawasaki is confident
that the new KXl25 is well worth it.
The big news in the chassis department is an all-new frame that is
designed to provide improved cornering ch aracteristics while retaining the
KX's traditionally-superb s tra igh t-line
s ta bili ty . This was accomplished by
shortening the wh eelbase and lowering
the steering head pipe. The end result is
a chassis that allows the rid er to cut a
tight er corner.
Out back, the removable sub frame is
now s teel in stead of alum inum. Al on g with n ew
frame gusseting, the steel sub-
frame is designed to improve the torsional rigidity of the entire chassis. The
swingarm has also received a few
changes and is claimed to be more rigid
than its predecessor.
Suspension-wise, the Kayaba fork
and shock are basically the same as last
year's, but both are fitted with stiffer
springs and have received updated
valving specifications. The insides of the
outer fork tubes are treated with a different coating process that is slipperier
and has less friction. The shock's compression adjuster still has the same
number of pos itions, but covers a w ider
range of adjustability.
In the motor department, the engine
has a new four-petal epoxy resin reed
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