For this Edition of Classic Ink, we are going to take a look back at some ads for Kawasaki’s 1981 off-road lineup.
The KX80 picked up the big bike’s Uni-Trak for 1981, but its performance was not yet the class dominator it would become a year later. The green mini was a good bike for beginners, but most racers seemed to prefer the performance offered by the yellow alternatives in 1981.
The 1981 KX125, KX250, and KX420 offered single-shock rear suspension systems and modern 80s styling but their performance remained a step or two behind the best bikes in their respective classes. The KX125’s Uni-Trak rear suspension worked well but its air-cooled motor was underwhelming compared to its more powerful liquid-cooled rivals. The KX420 was a powerful beast of a machine with tons of midrange and tons of rattles from its big 422cc single. Its spooky handling, narrow powerband, mind-numbing vibration, and suspect reliability placed the green big bore solidly in the caboose position of the ’81 500 division. Of the three, the KX250 was the most competitive with a strong powerband and solid midrange power, but even it was plagued with cracking frames, plastic parts, and swingarms that detracted from its overall appeal.
While the motocrossers were still a work in progress in 1981, Kawasaki’s excellent KDX175 was a proven off-road winner.
In addition to the KDX175, Kawasaki offered a middleweight 250 and big bore 420 for woods warriors looking for a bit more power in 1981.
The sporty Tecate was still a few years away in 1981 with the Farmer Brown approved KLT200 as Kawasaki’s main ATC competitor. Even by 1981 standards, the KLT was a pretty odd-looking machine. Honda reportedly held several patents on the original ATC design so competitors like Kawasaki and Yamaha had to come up variations that were not always ideal for weight distribution and handling.
