1984 Kawasaki KX125 Classic Motocross Review
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- čas přidán 24. 04. 2021
- This is a look back at Kawasaki's all-new KX125 for 1984. This is the last year before Kawasaki introduced the KIPS system one of the best 125 machines of its era.
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I had an 84 KX125 when I was 14 (in 1985). I wanted my first dirt bike and was expecting an 80, my dad got a good deal on a slightly used 125. It was too much bike for me at first, but I stuck with it and got pretty good on it. That thing screamed!
It did more than scream my son, the bike was a Rocket ship of its time and I had one and could not keep the front wheel down for it was so powerful...That bike could do 80 inless than 9 seconds!!..Jeff Ward won that year on it in the 125 class in the world and also the next year....Your dad like sent you out on your first marge like if you where a musician and he gave you the band;Motley Crue with the album Shout at the Devil ..For it was (at that time).
But I am mostly glad to hear you speak and that you are ALIVE, for so many people died on that bike, along with the statistics of a black Trans Am from the years 1978-1980, with the model 1977-78.
Think i was 17 when got a 85 (works replica) with KIPS,, Was a damn good bike!
This was my first motorcycle. I had a 3 wheeler atc 185 before I got the kx. I was 15 I got it used after one of the local expert class riders got the new 85. Paid $900.00 with money from picking up hay. I loved this bike I can smell that 2 stroke smell right now. Tony thanks so much for the review.
Before the 1986 production rule, I was able to buy several new and one used bike all for under $850.00 as a kid too.
Yep, all the local trails and tracks we made as kids back then, are all grown in,---and no kid could afford a new bike anymore.
Do you understand how lucky we were? this sport formed my entire life, and I even port small 2-stroke engines for a living after becoming a manufacturing expert, (lots of non-union jobs and self paid education of 3 degrees). I am very sad that a kid can't afford it anymore. I have no idea what I would be doing for a living with out this sport in our young days. But I know I would not have as much fun making money, and be so sad about the future lost opportunity for millions of kids.
I bet you never forget the huge grin on your face the first time you went though the gears, like I did on my first MX bike new for $800.00, a 78 YZ100 at the age of 14.
I made $1.00/hr at my Dad's little highway gas station,---part time for 6 years, and bought 5 bikes, (2 used), over that period. Then came the 1986 production rule, that tripled the cost of a bike in 5 years, with really no new advancements, (but refined).
The only thing different on my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke, compared to my 1982 YZ250 2-stroke, is some electronic garbage on the carburetor. But it is all refined much better than 1982, (except the 2019 being so tall I had to shorten it).
You and me, we experienced something that will never be experienced again. A kid from modest means, buying a dirt bike. I think you paid too much for it though used. :) I bet he only paid about $1,200 for it new in 84, and because of the production rule, they went up nearly 1 grand in one year of 1986. That is when kids started having a hard time buying a new bike, and the beginning of the decline of the sport. You caught the last 2 great years.
@@EarthSurferUSA ahh thank you for sharing all the info I forgot about that price jump . I mowed lawns an painted apartments moved rocks ,pulling tumble weeds enough to buy a used 76 KX 125 then had my life set on getting a 83 Kx125. Man I remember the day my dad said well let’s go down to the dealership an check em out 🎉😊. We get there an it’s around dusk an this sales guy is all hopped up an ask me if I wanna test ride it uh yeah. He’s wearing slacks & a tie says “let me warm it up “, fires it up takes off in the back lot area small paved 100 ft comes screaming back at us over shoots locks up the rear brake lays it down sparks flying off foot peg people rushing out from parts department 😂. With his knee bleeding an ripped pants rolls the bike back into showroom.
Awesome review. The 84 and 85 KX125 motors were definitely the class of the field.
Yes it was
My dad had an 85, I had an 86. The 86 was faster and handled way better. But the motor on the 85 was so much better, especially in the trails. Loved both of those bikes
Your magisterial review stopped me from my routine to sit down and have a listen. In the late 80s, I bought the back issue of Dirt Bike magazine specifically for its review of the 84 KX 125. I still have it. The magazine, unfortunately, not a Ward-image KX. :)
in January 1984..(they didn't release the new yers models so early as they do now) ..I was at settle international speedway mx track..there was a few new 1984 kx125s..Man the first race there was about 4 kxs in the first race .and they went 1 thru 4 in the first turn and had like a 6 or 8 bike length lead at the first turn..everyone one ws talking about the new kx by the end of the day..these bikes were s fast as a 250 from just couple years ago..but the next month half the field was 1984 kxs125s..the year before the kx 80 was all the rage ..83 and 84 were the years mx changed forever..great time to be a mx teenager tons of places to ride and you could ride to your favorite riding spot..feel sorry for the kids today the 80s were free and great
Wow great I mean fantastic review . My first full size bike came of a 80k . On the this bike . Thanks for the memory 😅
I had a KX 125 in 1980, slowest 125 ever made. Got a new 1983 KX 125 actually liked it, raced it all year with no problems. 1984 switched to Honda CR 125, everybody else was on Kawi's ! Remembering a lot of broken frames on those bikes.
I thought the 1983 YZ125 was the slowest bike made in the 80's. But I realized it was not the bike as Kelly Smith's Dad (Hershel), introduced his 180lb self to me on a local practice track a friend owned, as he smoked me on my 250, going into and out of a corner on that slow bike.
The 81 would rival the 1980 in slowest ever made and they fell apart..the Honda u had in 84 was a very good bike and absolutely beautiful just a little slower than the unbelievable power of the kx that year..I lived and raced these early years my self..the ergos were goofy on the kx compared to excellent cockpit of the crs. ..I remember early 84' I went to the track and there was a few new kxs out there and I saw that first Moto and every kx bolted out to 8 or ten bike length lead to the first turn..every one ..dam they were fast..
The 84 cr125 was a good bike . But of course the kx year that was a powerhouse of epic proportions it was the year u saw alotta green for the first time in the big bike class
The 1985 KX125 was my introduction to Kawasaki; my parents started a Kawasaki franchise in around march or April of ‘85. I postponed college and moved to coastal Oregon (Astoria/Warrenton) to help them and continue racing motocross. Great times! I really liked the ‘85 bike. I never cared much for the ‘83 version though and never had a chance to try the ‘84 bike.
That was like listening to my exact experience with this bike. The engine was amazing. My buddies rode a CR 125 and a RM 125 of the same year and they agreed that the KX was king with the power. Cracked frame, constant front brake bleeding, cracking front fender etc, All of the problems faded to minor inconveniences when I twisted the throttle on that one. Good memories. Thanks
Great job. I remember these bikes dominating that year. Cool look back.
Great video! Takes me back
Excellent job like usual Tony! Do the 1985 250 shootout please.
Yes the stock yz250 was faster than the 84 works Hondas they said lol
Great stuff Tony, you still owe us a 1983 80cc shootout! First year all liquid cooled and single shock! It was a big year for the minis.
I love all the reviews mate, happy to wait 😊
Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
First year for single shock was the 1981 for the KX 80 and the first liquid cooled was 1983
@@TheFykle yeah for sure. YZ80s were liquid cooled in 82.
I like the 1983 season as the all minis were liquid cooled and single shock. Cool stuff
Great bike, nice review 💯
Thanks! 👍
I had the 1985 model as a play bike in the late 90s. It was easy to ride and felt fast but I bottomed out the suspension since I was 180 lbs.
This bike started a new philosophy on how a 125 2-stroke made power. A 125 was typically a high RPM screamer, (If you keep the same torque, and raise RPM, HP goes up, and it was easier to make a 125 screamer than a 125 grunter with good power.). For the 125 class, if you had the best engine, even if other entities were not so good, you had the advantage. This bike made starting gates for amateur racing all across the nation,---"racist", (hell, I might as well use the word out of context too.). The amateur 125cc classes all turned green for this and the next few years. The thinking behind this engine changed the way a 125 makes power. The later blue YZ125 did very well with such changes too.
Good vidéo 👍
Watching these videos really make me wish I hadn’t rolled these old bikes into a dumpster in the mid nineties. Thinking they’re to old even at the time and could barely get parts for them back then before the internet
Good story. I'd like to see one on the totally redesigned '82 YZ125 that only lasted one year until they redesigned it again in '83.
Noted!
You missed so many key points I raced one in 86 -88.the frames cracked all over after every race ,tear down welded and next weekend do it all again. But was it fast ,it would pull hole shots of 250s.no bull shit.
Had one. Bought it as a basket case. Parts were missing and finally got it together but it ended up having a damaged cylinder. I just got rid of it after that. I didn't know they were so highly praised until after I sold it.
The Kawasaki cylinder plating was not very good, but only cost about $150.00 to have it replated at US Chrome. You were so close. :(
@@EarthSurferUSA the story of my life🤷
I had the 84 KX80F2 in 84 and just about everyone seemed to have one as they were the bike to have back then. 70% of the class were green then, if not more.
Even the next year in 85. Both the 80 and 125 classes for those years were dominated by Kawasaki.
I had an 85; awesome bike. Put the 100cc kit on it. Bike ripped
I remember that. All across the nation at amateur events, the 125cc starting lines were "green" with envy. :)
It was the motor.
Forks were stiff, frame broke, had only a little low end power then dropped off , wasn't a great bike. was kinda fun to ride though.
Better or worse than 1984 rm125
Way better
The rm125 had way better suspension and handling. With some work done to the carburetor, reeds and cylinder it will run with kx125.
@@dalehicks6112 With some work done to the carburetor, reeds and cylinder it will run with "a stock" kx125.
Another kwacking video 🤣