1978 Kawasaki KX250-A4 - 7-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article

Description

1978 Kawasaki KX250-A4 - 7-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article
Original, vintage motorcycle article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
It’s been a long time since Kawasaki built
even a remotely competitive production
motocrosser-a long time. Sure. Ka-
wasaki foots the bill for a reasonably suc-
cessful factory team, but until now about
all that the production bikes had in com-
mon with the mega-buck factory scoots
was their green color. In fact, to the casual
observer it might have seemed as if Ka-
wasaki had lost interest in production mo-
tocrosscrs all together. But the folks at
Kawasaki hadn’t been paying Jimmy to
jam and Semics to smoke just for (heir own
corporate amusement. They were plan-
ning.
Kawasaki figured a new line of KX
motocrosscrs that looked and worked like
the factory bikes would have customers
bashing down the showroom doors to ea-
gerly part with fists full of money. This
may sound like a foolproof plan, but Ka-
wasaki has had other “foolproof’ plans
turn sour in years past. What would hap-
pen if another company introduced some-
thing tricker and faster al about the same
time the KXs were released? Kawasaki
could end up with a whole bunch of
middle-of-the-pack machines that
wouldn't sell much belter than refrigera-
tors al the North Pole.
Kawasaki’s marketing people decided
that rather than build boatloads of these
new and costly machines, they would plav
il safe and limit the first production run of
250s (which were io be released first) to
2000 units—which averages out to a little
more than one bike per dealer. The com-
pany is also urging each dealer lo hang on
to his lone KX25O and sponsor an experi-
enced local rider on it. This should vir-
tually guarantee good showings al local
tracks, which should, in turn, bring poten-
tial buyers out of the woodwork. No doubt,
if enough interest is shown in the new KXs.
Kawasaki will be more than happy to
crank up the old assembly line and stamp
out enough of the green gravel-grinders to
meet the demand.
Judging by the way the new KX25O
performs, there should be plenty of de-
mand. Within our first few laps it became
apparent that the engineers at Kawasaki
PHOTOGRAPHY ART FRIEDMAN
pul forth a serious effort to keep the KX
light. The machine responds quickly and
positively, lo even small rider movements,
giving a feeling of control that is only
possible with a light bike like the Ka-
wasaki.
At 211 pounds without gas. the KX is
about 15 pounds lighter than most other
250s. This gives the KX advantages on the
racetrack that its competitors may have a
hard time overcoming no matter how-
much suspension travel or dyno-bending
horsepower they might have. A light ma-
chine is inherently easier lo control and
less tiring to ride than a heavier bike that is
otherwise just as competent.
The Kawasaki’s light weight makes the
rider feel like the machine is willing lo
cooperate with just about anything he
might w-anl lo try. We found that lhe KX
encourages the same never-shut-off riding
style that is so much fun on a good 125.
Just hold lhe throttle as far open as cour-
age w ill allow and bash off every berm that
gets in the way. Hopefully, a lol of berms
will gel in the way. because flat, hard-...
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