Kawasaki KX500
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 | |
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Production | 1983-2004 |
| Predecessor | Kawasaki SR500 |
| Successor | Kawasaki KX450F |
| Class | Motocross |
| Engine | 499 cc (30.5 cu in) liquid-cooled two-stroke single |
| Bore / stroke | 86 mm × 86 mm (3.4 in × 3.4 in) |
| Compression ratio | 8.4:1 |
| Top speed | < 90mph |
| Ignition type | CDI |
| Transmission | Five-speed with wet multi-disc manual clutch |
| Frame type | steel |
| Wheelbase | 59 in. |
| Dimensions | L: 85 in. W: 32 in. H: 50.1in. |
| Seat height | 37 in. |
| Weight | 220 lbs. (dry) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.6 gal./9l |
| Related | Kawasaki KX125 |
The Kawasaki KX 500 is a 500 cc (31 cu in) two-stroke single motocross motorcycle made by Kawasaki from 1983 until 2004.[1]
The Kawasaki KX500 was developed as an air-cooled 500cc motocross bike for competition in the 500cc and Open-Class of motocross. At the time of its release, several top manufactured sported entries in this class, including Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and the class-leading Maico.
Kawasaki developed the bike on an annual basis through the 80's. The addition of liquid cooling in 1985, a new frame with improved suspension in 1987, engine updates in 1988 and reversed forks in 1990 highlight these revisions.
Kawasaki would take several years to produce a competitive bike, and when it finally did, would find the KX500 winning in events for which it was not initially designed for. Its first victories came in 1986, when Donnie Griewe won two National Hare and Hound events. These only foreshadowed Kawasaki's dominance in distance and desert racing that exploded in the 90's.
In 1989 Kawasaki captures its first National MX championship on a KX500, repeating in '90 and '92 before the series was discontinued at the close of the '93 season. But that would not be the end of the KX500's racing legacy.
Beginning in 1992, the KX500 took the victory in every Desert Nationals race through 1995, and continued to win the Desert Nationals Championship every year though 2001. It further cemented its legendary dominance in desert racing by being the victors bike at the Baja 1000 from 1988 through 1996.
The first Generation of KX500's were air cooled, and remembered for their suspension more than overall performance. The air cooled engines were poorly reviewed in publications at the time, with Dirt Bike magazine most famously calling the bike "unridable" in their June of '83 issue. Kawasaki responded by lower compression ratios to make the bike more manageable and reliable, but would ultimately design a new engine from the ground up for the '85 model year.
Second generation (1985–1986)
In 1985, Kawasaki released their first liquid cooled iteration of the KX500. The bike, with its highly praised multi link suspension and newly designed power plant, is considered the first truly competitive 500cc Kawasaki, yet failed to win a National championship.
In 1986 Kawasaki added the KIPS power valve system to the KX500 becoming the first power-valved production 500cc motocross bike. This feature along with improved performance in nearly all areas over the 1985 model allowed the 86 to win the Motocross Action Magazine 500 shootout. This was against the cartridge forked, liquid cooled, more powerful but harder to ride Honda CR500.