Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

left guys like Huffman with no chance of ever racing at! open bike with any regularity, and that's a shame. Watching a good open-bike rider rail his way around a race track is like nothing else. Those who have tried to go fast on the beasts know and appreci'ate the talent required. . For 1996, Kawasaki made very few changes - well, almost none, actually - to the almighty KX500. A new midspeed compression-valve circuit was added to the 43mm inverted Kayaba forks, and the forks' outer tubes are claimed to be more rigid than last year's. Aside from a new front-brake master cylinder that has a sight glass, that's all that's new with the big Kawasaki. Oh, forgive us: Let's not forget the bold, new, purple and green color scheme. (Right) Taking to the air on the big KX Isn't as scary as one might expect. We rode the bike at Shane Trittler's Castaic MX Track (a stadium-style course) for hours on end. Of course, the for~s and shock are a bit on the soft side for such riding conditions, but they yield an excellent ride In the desert. (Left) With the exception of white side panels and purple fuel tank and radiator shrouds, the mighty KX500 remains unchanged. The bike has been basically the same for many years now, but we're not complaining. So is the bike drastically different? In a word, no. The engine still delivers a massive amount of power that is best utilized if the bike is absolutely lugged around the track. Revving the bike out will yield nothing but a heavy dose of hand-numbing vibration - keep the revs low and your left foot dancing on the shift lever and you'll be just fine. Riders who normally ride with one finger on the clu tch lever had to use two on the KX - though the action is smooth, the pull is quite stiff. Thanks to the automatic decompression system, the 500 is actually pretty easy to start. But as Huffman found, a halfhearted stab won't cut it. Commit to your kick, and the KX will fire right up. Apparently, because the majority of KX500s sold are ridden in the desert, Kawasaki wanted to make the forks plusher for such conditions. The new midspeed compression-valve circuit softens the forks up just enough to keep casual riders quite happy, but fa ter offroaders or motocrossers will likely bottom the forks on occasion. On a motocross track we found the forks to be on the soft side, while the rear end was just right. A set of stiffer fork springs will probably balance things out. The rear end gobbles up most anything thrown its way, whether it be the landing from a double jump or a set of high-speed desert whoops. The KX500 is stable. The bike feels like a tour bus at high speed, and it takes a major malfunction in body positioning to get the bike to swap or shake (Right) This is the side of the bike that you don't want to be on. The KX500 throws roost that will make grown men cry. . The huge muftler does a good job of keeping things quiet its head. But surprisingly, the KX feels right at home on a tight MX course. Sure, it's more work to coax through a corner than a 250, but the big bike is actually much nimbler than it feels. And speaking of feel, the KX500 is huge. In comparison to the Honda CRSOO, the KX is monstrous. There's no mistaking the feel of a KX500 - your legs are spread wide and your butt is planted on a seat as broad as a Harley's. The KX's brakes are strong enough to bring it down from speed in a hurry, and dragging the front brake a tad through corners on a motocross track helps keep the front end sticking. 'With the technological race slowing to a virtual standstill in the open class, it's hard to rant and rave about any new 500. The KX500 is basically the same bike it has always been - a good aUaround performer that can be tailored for almost any specific type of riding. Want a bike to race an occasional motocross with, but with which you can still have a blast on in the desert? The KX500 is for you. That is, if you're man enough. fN While Cycle News believes the foregoing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewers only and should not be relied upon in determining the performance or safety of the vehicle. The reader should make his or her own investigation. Kawasaki KX500 Specifications Ust PriCe $5149 Displacement 499cc Engine type .. Liquid-cooled, single-cylinder two-stroke Bore x stroke 86 x 86mm Compression retio NJA cerburetion 39mm Keihin Ignition Digrtal CD Transmission spee

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