The History of Kawasaki's Open Class Two-Strokes 1973 2004

This is a look back at Kawasaki's big-bore two-stroke motocross machines from 1973 through 2004. This video covers a look back at the F-12MX, KX400, KX420, KX450, and KX500.
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[@chaseredlinger532]

this channel w/o a doubt has taught me more than middle school math

[@Phil-pw7ko]

had the 83 KX 500, was a Team Green race bike, it was properly sorted, had a 79 RM 400 before it, still smile when think about these years

[@1969cmp]

....after years of struggling, the 84 125 was a sign of what was to come - and then came the entire 1985 range :-) Love 'em. Kawasaki really put together nice machines from 85 to 89.....

[@Davido50]

Yes they did well said!

[@easley421]

See them going for TOP DOLLAR here in the deserts of Arizona. Anything dirt related really but the late 80s Kawasaki's and Hondas.....woo wee. Was looking at a CR500 from 87 in mint condition a month ago. Guy wanted $9,000 for it. I was willing to gladly pay it. Got bought out from underneath of me by someone offering more.

[@thulsa5218]

Poor old YZ490 never had a chance in these magazine shootouts. Still a cool machine for what it is.

[@rossberry2137]

Drum brake on rear right up to 1990 I had that one it wasn't as fast on take off but handled like a 250 on corners and in the rough terrain so it's impeccable handling was never rated 100 times better than it's competition

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

Stock they sucked, but the application of a little time and money in the right places brought it up to par. Except for the rear brake. It allways sucked.

[@ollejohansson7266]

Thanks Tony as I requested a KX 500 story, great and long😃👍I didnt realize Kawasaki started ”big” already in 1973...I have had my beloved 1999 Honda CR 500 for 20 years now😁✌️ would love a 2004 KX 500 but 1998 was the last year here in Sweden so will probably never get one😃 Long live the big-bores

[@717rocket]

Wow, enjoying your videos. Grew up in the 70s as a kid dreaming of all those bikes. Cool to see them all again.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@geneswiech4381]

Thanks for keeping the vintage dirt bikes a live... big fan from Pittsburgh

[@whalesong999]

Interesting history. I worked for a Suzuki/Kawasaki dealer all through the '70s, left the concern in '79 and did not keep touch for decades. We had a rider from our shop that went from a TM400 (on which we tried several things to improve it's behavior to no avail) to a F12MX, the limited production example. Within weeks we were sent a frame gusset kit to be tig welded on the front down tube. I expected him to start winning on it considering its status as a near factory bike but he didn't progress to that and we didn't discuss it. He moved on to speedway racing. I test rode it once and it did feel "springy" at times but the engine was strong and light. The only open class bikes I tested seemed to have the weight and rider position too far back. I was used to 250s, did race a TM400 a few times but it left me totally wondering if I was in the wrong sport.

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

Still rockin my '97 KX500!

[@ryanbarker4422]

Long live the 2-stroke.

[@sethhughes2163]

Enjoyed the trip back! I was a HS junior in 77'... and was waiting for the new open bike... right? I was pissed... the factory had sent us three South Texas riders several " pump up " letters... trying to keep us loyal to green. We all switched... lol... I went back to Jawa and to Speedway, David Taylor- Honda, and Stewie went and opened a dealership and service venue. Thanks alot my friend, I have a project sitting, staring at me for 2 years... yep... a Maico 700... whew, at 63 it is only gonna be a " fireroad " and Saturday night lurker for the " kids " going stoplight to stoplight! I built it for an ex pro rider who was doing just that with the bike 1/8th mile drags in town... $1500. a go. Lol... Thanks again, Seth

[@zrxer2]

Love your videos and your unbiased approach at telling us about bikes. Back in 1996, me and a buddy were planning to buy a new KX500 for ourselves, provided our credit was approved. My buddy was a 2-stroke guy and I had always been a 4-stroke guy but I was seriously enamored with the mighty KX500. We went to the Kawasaki dealership and applied--I was approved but he wasn't. Now I had not even ridden a KX500 before and wanted to test ride it but the dealer wouldn't let me. So, I passed and went down the street to the Honda dealer and bought a new XR600R. Funny, I don't remember the purple tank when I was looking at the KX back then. Looking for a basket case KX500 to build now. Keep up the great vids! Really enjoy them. :) --Bruce

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you!

[@timconnell5878]

I think I saw a picture in the 1978 brochure of my kd100. It was my first dirtbike and I rode the wheels off it. Thanks for bringing back such good memories. I'm going to check out your merchandise as I can always use new t-shirts. I had a red Toyota 4×4 that I drove in high school. At that time a buddy and I used the truck to haul are then new Honda XR's. The bikes were the 1983 XR350 and XR500.

[@Derekmartin20]

Lol I had a kd100

[@ahighervibe4086]

I LOVE the rear fender number plate combo found on the Kawasaki KX Motocross bikes from 1983 and 1984!!!

[@Sparky78739]

Brilliant clip, absolutely awesome to see the almighty green machine back in its prime, please do more videos, especially the history of the magnificent CR500, absolutely well done mate down to every little detail 👌👍🤙❤️

[@bohealy2743]

Keep the vids coming. A blast from my past keeps me going.

[@jerodrobinson4040]

My first like Adult Bike was an 86 KX-125, and it was great. I had no issues running with way more Modern Bikes.

[@1969cmp]

1987 KX250 and 500........beautiful....

[@LBrawn]

I Love the 1982/83 bodywork.

[@interstellaraxeman4468]

Very well done comprehensive production,....great video. I was lucky enough to have owned an original 1974 KX 450 with the F12 motor, finned hammerhead shocks, and a horrible leaky plastic tank,...but I loved that bike, even if it was a deadly rocketship for the handling limitations. Thank You for this video...but alas for the Kawasaki 2 stroke afficianados it surely seems.... ...... The Good Times have rolled......

[@Zombytes]

I wish that some of the japanese brands would start making re-issues of their old bikes. That would be awesome.

[@ianmangham4570]

In the line of duty the FBI murders, a film starring David soul, I always remember there's a nice kx500 in it, a young couple discover a body in the glades and its a mint condition Kx500 👌🙏👍

[@Derekmartin20]

Every Kawasaki I had was great bikes.

[@chadkimmel8957]

History of Maico open class mototocrossers, please.

[@JETZcorp]

Yes! They're SO GOOD.

[@deanwaring6100]

Love the late model KX 👍🏻👍🏻

[@williamlookinggoodoldguy1964]

Love your channel. I'm a Honda guy, mid 80s CR250s 1991CR250. Always wanted a KX anything

[@mrzaroc4149]

I had a 91 KX500. Loved that bike.

[@EscapeVelo]

Thanks for sharing your passion with us. I just found your channel.

[@jacobanderson9495]

Great Video Tony - thanks!

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you for watching

[@terrywillis5784]

Loved the KX500

[@EarthSurferUSA]

One thing you could buy back then to make the front disk brakes stronger, (for all models I believe), was to replace the stock plastic brake line with a steel braided brake line. They didn't "swell" as much. Then a company called "Braking" made over-sized front disks and the caliper bracket for it. Mike Laracco was using them, and that thing (the big rotor) is way too strong on my OEM 2019 YZ250 2-stroke for me. :)

[@sambuvca22]

you do a good job with these older bikes. you tend to keep your review, period correct. nice job tony

[@kenkl5204]

Love this black set ups.

[@richards933]

i had a 86 KX500,first year with rear disc and kips power valve it was an absolute torque monster,had power everywhere wish id kept it

[@user-ev5og3uj3u]

Good show and information

[@alexmelgoza1425]

Make more of these Awesome vids bro maybe more 2 stroke quads 💯

[@p3kab00icu]

I stumbled onto a hack for the fragile/leaky gas cap on my 1993 KX500 (which leaked all over my crotch). After 3 failed attempts from China, I swapped it out with the quality part found on my 1986 Honda XR80. Since that bike just does camp duty and goes all weekend on a quarter tank, it works well enough... and now I can climb hills all weekend on the 500 withOUT it being a ball burning experience.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

My 1987 KX125 gas cap cracked mid moto and my balls were on fire in a hurry. lord knows where Kawasaki bought that junk plastic from

[@ryanbarker4422]

I agree the 90 KX line looked great.

[@timfogle7337]

Awesome vid👍👍!!! Still waiting for the tecate 3& 4 vid

[@TheMotocrossVault]

I'm working on it

[@gg-ie4te]

Bought a brand new 84 kx 500. Kinda liked it, when it ran... Fouled plugs like mad. I always brought extra plugs to starting line. Tried every jetting/fuel combo, no luck. Only at the end of season did someone tell me the hot set up was a Lectron carb. Ended up with a 85 Honda cr250 following year.

[@mrburn6119]

I use a kmx for daily commute / green laning. . . . only because I owned one in 86 aged 17, and yes the disc brake and kips was a game changer

[@caseymckeeborrego]

Ooooooooo A vid on big Kawis? I'm in for the duration!!

[@fizzy49cc]

Restoring an old MX bike in the 90's I spoke to an ex-semi-works rider (UK) who said the most powerful MX bike he raced was the 1985 & 86 KX500. It was so fast (he said) it would blast past anything else & was expecting them to ban it. Later models were easier & probably quicker lap times. But 85/86 were monsters he said 66bhp . But not sure how it was measured. I asked if the Power valve (KIPS) was better. Typical racer said yes a bit but the 85 came in with a bang & he loved that. He sold me a works OHLINS & ported barrel & owned the Kawasaki dealership so there must be some truth in it. BTW when I had the ohlins rebuilt the mechanic tried desperately to buy it off me.

[@mperhaps]

Darn it. I have been all over you tube looking for someone that was involved in the Team Green lighting system that Roseler, Ty Davis and Danny Hamel use in the Baja. IT IS NOT JUST A REWIND OF THE EXISTING COIL. From what I remember the mechanics pulled a stater plate from an older Kawasaki street bike that allowed much more wrapping. I would love to know how they ran 3 huge 10 inch lights up front.

[@Beardmondy67]

Excellent vid, good sir ,..

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you kindly

[@hank1556]

9:19 diggin this ad!

[@Logsquadshop]

Do Suzukis open class history please. Awesome video

[@mymotheris4sale]

Thanks Tony Again ..Can you start another channel with playboy ...lol thank you for your time

[@albertodebarrosibrahim401]

Love the Channel . Best regards from Rio de Janeiro/ Brazil 🇧🇷

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Obrigada!

[@davidgoude2551]

Really appreciate you buddy 👍🏻😁

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you!

[@TheSteveSteele]

Let the good times roll!

[@LBrawn]

Don't let good times pass you by.😂

[@TheSteveSteele]

@@LBrawn What?

[@boogiewoogit5597]

Great content, thx bruva

[@ianmangham4570]

Beast of a machine, especially the 90s through the naughties animal's with the power valves, BAJA beasts 🇬🇧

[@jeffv.akaonsjeffke9865]

Nice to see the KX500 evolution. I have allways liked the 88 style bodywork, anyhow a pitty that they didn't gave the 500 an update on this. Here in spain they were populair for supermotard races quite a long time, until people started to realize that the then new ktm 520 and yzf400-426 were a better option for the small karting circuits people mainly rode on. With the arrival of the CRF all big bore 2T vanished.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Ahhh, the 80's and 90's, when MXA would say the Euro bikes and the Kawasaki were too damn tall! Now, the bikes can't be too tall. Yes they are. "I will take 81-97 for the off camber inside line Bob."

[@1969cmp]

My pick......the 89 500 and that 89 KX250 is one of my favourite 250s of all time.

[@ianmangham4570]

I rode a kx 500 early 90s, she was a ripper, lifted front wheel all through the box and was like hell to stop 🛑 😂

[@siyz250]

Well done again Tony. Great insight.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@acuraintegrar5]

Great vid! I wish they would bring back these bikes and more off road bikes, not just mx bikes re-named

[@TheMotocrossVault]

You and me both!

[@Tklatti01]

Shirt came the other day! Thanks

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Hope you like it!

[@ollejohansson7266]

I think the reasons Kawasaki kept the Kx 500 for so long, was because of its offroad/desert appeal, and that they didnt have a big four-stroke around. By 2001 Honda had the potent new XR 650R for desert/offroad riding, and the new CRF 450 was soon up for release, making the trusty CR 500 not needed. I have had my 1999 CR 500 for 20 years now, and will probably never sell it🥰🤠

[@arthurcutting9227]

I owned the 1973 f12m and they were not for the general public. Some say less than 200 were made but I think less than that. Probably the higher number were the spares. The bike was a development mule and was faster than you know. Trust me no CZ, Husky, Bultaco or Maico were any faster. With the suspension of the day, nothing was really good. The frame was hand made and very nice, lots of magnesium in the hubs, engine cases, and forks. The bike was close to 212 pounds which was very light for an open class bike. I believe the engine was used in later years, in fact the 400 was everything we had tried to get the 450 to be. A less frightening wider power band by making the pipe smaller, less displacement, a lighter flywheel and recurved ignition. One thing that almost nothing is ever said about is how people raced these beasts with only drum brakes. Think about it.

[@anthonyaguilar6106]

Do a video about the banshee

[@TheMotocrossVault]

I am planning to

[@paddyoconnor5362]

Great video 👌

[@diggs7252]

This was Awesome!

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thank you!

[@ryanbarker4422]

I like the purple my CR was purple.

[@ryanbarker4422]

Bradshaw won the UK 450 4-stroke motorcross on a CR 500.

[@enduroclan2784]

Super vidéo j'adore 👍👍👍

[@worldsnextsupercar4362]

Your comments always seem to accentuate the negative of each bike. These old bikes bringing as much as a Porsche now. Gotta be a little more positive on the original bikes of motocross. Man , they did it ! They started the sport !

[@billdraeger1481]

Love my 88 490, would like a 89 KX 500

[@mikepreciado7807]

I bought a 85 86 89 cr500. I bought a 93 kx 500 new. Crs wore you out. Kx did EVERYTHING great. On the top end it wasnt even close. KX shoulda had a NASA sticker on it😂

[@lawrencefoster2120]

The dirt bike of after 1979 was a whole new product mostly because of the power of the suspension to land from high in the air. That didn't exist before then.

[@jacobhendrickson8935]

Been looking for a sweet kx or cr 500 for a long time. They are just so high.

[@shoominati23]

The 450 / 500s were supposed to compete pound for pound with 250 2 strokes though when that set of rules was in existence (maybe it still is I dunno) so there is really no open class 4 strokes to be had

[@advent35]

I'm still riding my 2003 KX 500 at 62 years old and one leg. 🦿🦿🦿

[@ronchappel4812]

Those mid eighties KX's looked awesome right? To this day i still think they're pretty

[@billallen4793]

1983 bodywork is that way because of the rule's in Europe required a number plate on the side where it was an unobstructed view behind the rider's leg's...from Wyoming USA 🔫🤠🇺🇸p.s stay safe

[@boogiewoogit5597]

Up until 89, Japanese economy was raging. Major bubble they didn’t know was a bubble. You see drastic differences in resources available after 1990, the days of annual or every other year redesigns was long gone.

[@jpmorgen5726]

1985 was/is fantastic! 500's don't need no power valve...

[@boogiewoogit5597]

My pothead buddy, KX 420 only bike he’ll ride

[@jonruger]

The KX500 never felt as nasty to me as the CR did and they felt out of date compared to the Honda’s the KX was bulky and the suspension and frame felt like it was twisting and moving I only rode a 97 KX though and I’ve road several different years of CR500 could just be the one I rode.

[@baby-sharkgto4902]

I always preferred the CR500 for every reason, it was better.

[@jacobhendrickson8935]

I want the Toyota truck with a Yz in the back.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Which YZ?

[@jacobhendrickson8935]

@@TheMotocrossVault prefer a 05-22 yz250 2t

[@brianraymer5542]

I need to completely rebuild my 96 cr250 Motor....I'm in the process of a complete restoration ....where do I find the parts that I need. Not at honda

[@dwalker2431]

History of the 200x ATC Honda

[@ReneePanarese]

no comment on 3rd gear huh

[@richkalbus4346]

i disagree with your description of all the terrible attributes of the old kx420's. my 78 was incredibly exciting and fast and handled great with the the 3-4 seconds of rocket like acceleration it took to go from zero to top speed. there was always tons of power if one had the guts to turn the throttle. "some might not care for the abrupt low end"....wwwhhhatttt??? maybe the others were better but it was damn great fun.

[@brianraymer5542]

Super hunky....dirt bike magazine editor

[@albertodebarrosibrahim401]

💚🖤💚

[@jackiebarker4082]

KDX.

[@waylanholecek4967]

15:27 rusty ass chain

[@anthonynicholich9654]

Unlike Honda those years did not have anything more than 250 at least Kawasaki had a big bore before you criticize the Kawasaki too much.

[@p3kab00icu]

The 90's Japanese get a purple heart, for their "I love a parade" pre-woke gallantry.

[@AndrewC.McPherson-xf5zw]

Wow. What a rig. No good for Central NFL.... If you were a really big dude with experience maybe an IT 490 or that man killer....Maico 760. They are no good in tight areas. Best offroad bike overall is a KDX 200. 22O not so much.

[@boogiewoogit5597]

Lack of shootout participation probably shows lack of factory participation. Tired of taking crap, why provide bikes, time and resources to be shitlisted. Prolly less magazine related, and more Kawasaki related. Had a buddy who owned kx 420 late 80s, flaming pile of turd. In EVERY regard. Starting that thing was scary. Didn’t seem like same company that made my mid 80s 80 & 125

[@jeremyelford7926]

Any attempt to make the KX500 an attractive motorcycle was like trying to polish the shiny end of a turd...it was just an ugly motorcycle

[@boogiewoogit5597]

Whaaaat? You like 90 teenybopper pastel graphics, whateverrrrrrrr ;) Shoulda been civil and criminal charges brought as a result of those graphics

[@boogiewoogit5597]

We’re you rocking out to new kids on the block too? Winger if yer feeling wild

[@boogiewoogit5597]

Just messin with ya, I really love your work. Gear too, very cool. Thx man

[@jamessharp9790]

Why is it that 76-76 kx400 is a dominant bike in Ahrma Sportsman 500 now? This whole business of hyperbole for style and attention is ridiculous

[@TheMotocrossVault]

I’m only talking of how the bike was perceived back in 1976 not now as 50 year old vintage racer. I am certainly not making videos for style and attention.

[@jamessharp9790]

The Motocross Vault my apologies for the style and attention comment. I was also not aware that you’ve ridden Kx 400s . I stand corrected.