Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Miscellalleous The Kawasaki and KTM are the most changed bikes of the group. Not only did they make a number of performance-minded changes, the companies also tweaked them to make them more comfortable. KTM addressed their "stink-bug" problem by lowering the rear sub-frame 5mm and moving the footpegs 3mm forward, which, overall, greatly improve the bike's ergonomics. As mentioned earlier, the bike sits lower and flatter now, which makes the bike easier to move around on and improves comering and jumping comfort. Now, they just have to do something about that brick they call a seat. Kawasaki changed everything this year. When it comes to the KX's all-new chassis, the bike is narrower, sits lower in the back, and has a flatter layout and smoother body· work (which means no more catching your boots on the side panels). AU of these changes combine to give the Kawi a more updated and newer feel and make it far easier to move around on. The KX just "feels" 100 times better than before. As far as the Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha are concemed, not much has changed when it comes to ergos. The Suzuki still feels slim and neutral, the Honda flat and firm, and the Yamaha ... well, just like it has for quite some time - no sense messing with a good thing. All of the bikes have decent controls, but the KTM definitely has the edge with its tapered handlebar, "shorty" clutch lever and light-operating hydraulic clutch. Our only complaint in the controls department involved the Yamaha, whose clutch dragged slightly. It seems that all of the manufacturers have braking figured out. All of the bikes here had excellent binders in terms of both power and feel. ()ne-I.inel's Yamaha: "The Yamaha is easy to move on, and riders who ride aggressively will get along great with the YZ's layout and ergos. The brakes are very strong, and the rear maintained a good feel, but the front faded a little bit with aggressive use." "I instantly felt comfortable on the Yamaha. It was easy to adapt to, but the footpegs seemed to be a little too far back for me. " "The Yamaha just feels right. Everything is in the right place." "Ride it hard, and it responds in kind." Kawasaki: "I felt that the KX's handlebars were a little high for me, but I still thought the bike was very comfortable." "The flatter seat and smooth side panels make moving around on the KX a lot easier; it's nice not getting your boots caught on the side panels anymore." "Especially considering how much we rode the bikes, the Kawasaki's shifting, clutch and brakes held up extremely well. My only complaint was that I could feel the exhaust pipe with my leg." "The exhaust pipe helped sound the death knell for my boots, but it felt so good to ride, what's a pair of boots?" "It's good overall, but kind of cramped for tall riders." Suzuki: . "The rider layout is comfy and all of the controls are easy to reach and operate. The clutch and shifting operation were excellent, even under a heavy load." "I thought the Suzuki's seat height was a little tall and that there was no transition between the seat and the gas tank. I felt as if I could slide right off the bike." "I liked the Suzuki's soft seat and overall layout." "It's super flat, which I like. Everything is easy to reach when sitting or standing." KTM: "The KTM's layout is unique but comfortable. It takes time to adjust to the light feel of the front end, and the shifter and rear-brake pedal are sometimes hard to reach." "The KTM's clutch, shifting and braking action were good and consistent." "A softer seat would go a long way to help reduce the KTM's overall harsh feeling." "My butt hurts. But the tapered bars and consistent controls make up for the tough seat, somewhat." e"oryOodys Got 01t&..Op;It;01t8 I was really excited to test the 125s this year, because as usual, the manufacturers have all reworked their bikes significantly. I spent a huge amount of time last year riding and racing our 2002 Cycle News Shootout winner - the RM 125. I was excited to see how the others stacked up this year. 1was pleasantly surprised to find that all five of the '03s were a blast to ride. I was still surprised how different the bikes feel in terms of power delivery. It seems that two-stroke tuning is still, after all these years, a black art. The two different tracks we rode on were as different as they could possibly be: one a sand pit and the other hard, rough and jumpy. in the end, three bikes really stood out for me: The RM, KX and YZ. In the end, the Kawasaki impressed me the most for its overall balance between power, handling, brakes and suspension compliance. Blake Conner Boy was that close. I wouldn't feel bad at all about calling it a tie between two bikes for my favorite in this shootout, but some may accuse me of copping out if I did. So, 1picked the YZ 125 - by a hair - over the KX. The oniy reason I picked the YZ was that I felt it had just a touch more power where I liked it - everywhere. The bike is really fast straight out of the crate, and even though it's not quite as nimble as the KX, pretty much all 125s are quite agile, and the YZ is no exception. The KX was easily second in my mind (even though its fat exhaust eats right boots), and I could've named it first and not felt bad at all. But, at 195 pounds, I need power, and I feel the YZ gives it to me. Steve Cox The last shall be first: 1 hated Kawasaki's 2002 KX125, but 1 absolutely love everything about the all·new '03 rendition - except the cramped riding position, which doesn't go so well with my lanky bod. Still, its robust motor, supple suspension and knife-like handling make for an overall package that· in my eyes - can't be beat. Not bad for a first-year effort. Picking my runner-up is harder. I'd go with the 250-like power of the KTM, but its bizarre handling characteristics (not evident when I first rode the bike, but glaring when trying it back-to-back with the others) restrict it to third. Instead, I pick the Suzuki, which has handling and suspension on-par with the Kawi, and power that's just a tick off. The other guys think I'm crazy, but the Yamaha and Honda just seem too underpowered to me. Chris Jonnum Picking your favorite 125cc motocrosser out of the current lineup of eighth-liter bikes is about as difficult as having to choose from five homecoming queens for the big dance. They're all pretty damn good, and it comes down to some real nit-picking to find the partner that's just right. In my case, I'd opt to date the KX125. But what a difficult choice it was, and 1almost feel badly for the Yamaha and the Suzuki - both of which came in a close second in my pecking order. As you've already read, our two days of testing took place at two distinctively different tracks. One featured deep, horsepower-robbing sand and not a lot of rough stuff; the other was Glen Helen: rough, hard-packed and fairly fast. Some bikes seemed to like one track better than the other, but that's why the Kawasaki seemed to shine. It did equally well at both places, despite the diversity between the two layouts. And that's what made it a standout for me. With just the right balance between power and handling, the little KX is much improved over last year's model, and that's why it has leapfrogged a lot of the rest. But it wasn't just handling and power that sold me on the bike - it also feels right. Comfy, wellbalanced and ergonomically spot on, the KX feels like your favorite old T-shirt - the one you just want to keep wearing. Paul Carruthers Holy cow! What a difference a year makes. This was my first thought when! rode the KX for the first time. Kawasaki certainly did a great job revamping their 125, transforming it from an underpowered, archaic-feeling pack-follower to a rejuvenated, up-to-date leader. No longer is the KX slow, no longer does it feel like a clapped-out beater right out of the crate, no longer does your boot hang up on the side panels, and no longer is this bike the laughingstock of the 125cc class. Obviously, I'm impressed with the new KX125, the bike that tops my list of the five bikes tested here. The KX might not have the best motor of the group, but it does have a very good and capable motor that's surrounded by the best chassis/suspension combination of the group. The KX's now modern feei and super-stable and predictable handling and plushyet-sturdy suspension put this bike over the edge for me. It was again a close one between the Suzuki and the Yamaha for my runner-up pick, but, just like last year, the Suzuki gets the nod, mainly because of its lightweight feel, lessharsh-feeling chassis and "zippy" motor. I was really pulling for the KTM throughout our testing, and there was a time when I thought the KTM just might pull off a win here, but its harsh suspension, quirky front end and hard seat took their toll on me on the rough Glen Helen track; the bike just wears me out. If you take out the bumps, then the KTM would rule - hmrnm, kind of sounds like it's set up for the Anaheim Supercross. Kit Palmer 125 SX: The KTM motor is Insane. It's probably more powerful than any stock 125cc motocrosser in the history of 125cc motocross. At least It feels like It is. cue' e nevvs NOVEMBER 13, 2002 19

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