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/1539081
S ibling rivalry has been a real thing for a mighty long time. There is the story of Cain and Abel in the Hebrew Bible. Greek mythology brought us the tale of Romulus and Remus. And everybody who reads this Ar - chives column can still hear the woeful lament of young Jan Brady, cursing her snarky, prettier older sister. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! In its February 5, 1974, issue, Cycle News tested not only the F-11 enduro machine but also its brother, the KX250 motocrosser. One machine was a contender for the best in its class, while the other was a competent, if some - what unremarkable, motorcycle. Motorcycling's sibling rivalry, from the Land of the Rising Sun. "The KX 250," CN wrote in its February 5, 1974, issue, "is an easy bike to ride. The machine itself takes very little of your concentration or physical energy, allowing a rider to refine his personal techniques (especially if they're good techniques), try different lines, or just play ride around, though that's not what this Kawasaki is all about." If one wants to play ride, turn the page to the staff test of the F-11 250. The crew took the street-legal, dirt-ready "Kwacker" to the Rocky Mountains for a Christmas vacation ride. Reading through the test, it becomes evi - dent that the F-11 ride took place after the editors had wrung out the motocrossing KX, because there are numerous references to the enduro bike's dirt-going inefficiencies. Like the kid whose older sister was a better math student, the teacher here seemed to expect more of the F-11. "Handling, in general, was like a heavier, more softly sprung, not-so-neatly-suspended version of the KX250. Damping wasn't as spot on, but it was close." Power- wise, the staff struggled with jet - ting in the high altitude, trying to CNIIARCHIVES P136 BY KENT TAYLOR The 1974 Kawasaki KX250 & F-11 250 We were impressed with the Kawasaki KX250 motocrosser in our 1974 review. SIBLING RIVALRY The KX250 was pure motocross.