1972 Kawasaki 250 Enduro Dirt Test - 6-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1972 Kawasaki 250 Enduro Dirt Test - 6-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm)
Condition: Good
■ The first 250 Kawasaki to be im-
ported into the United States was the
238 scrambler, in 1967. Two years
later, the first street/trail dual-purpose
250 Kawasaki appeared, utilizing a
detuned version of the same 238
engine. This four-speed enduro
machine bore more than a passing
resemblance to the Yamaha DT-1. It
remained on the market for two years,
designated the F4 Sidewinder.
But these early models were ob-
viously stopgap measures by
Kawasaki, while their engineers
developed their own unique designs
which would be copies of no other
companies. The original 350 Bighorn
introduced in 1970 was the first of the
new breed of street/trail machines.
One of the smaller brothers that
followed is the new F8 250 “moto-en-
duro” model for 1972. While the
machine would not be competitive in
motocross, it is more than adequate for
most enduro events. Perhaps the
biggest disadvantage of the Kawasaki
250 is that it inevitably suffers from
comparison with the F9 350. Never-
theless, the two machines are of
different sizes, and in competition
Up front there’s a 21-inch wheel,
a chrome headlamp, and a
well-styled dual
tach-speedo combination.
A handsome,
high-performance
machine, the 250
enduro has come
a long way...
12925-AL-7212-43