Honda Cr500 Vs. Kawasaki Kx500 Vs. Ktm 500mx

HINDA CR500 VS. KAWASAKI KX500 VS. KTM 500MX

CW COMPARISON

Rocket-ride dirtbikes

A 500cc TWO-STROKE MOTOcross bike seems like a tame-enough mount when it's being inspected on the being inspected on the showroom floor. After all, a 500 is only slightly larger in size than a 250 and only a bit heavier in weight. Additionally, horsepower doesn't increase at the same rate as engine size: Doubling an engine's capacity from 250 to 500cc doesn't double the horsepower.

The guys who claim that the awe some power of Open-class motocross bikes makes them unridable beasts surely must be exaggerating. An ad ditional 10 pounds and maybe 1 5 ex tra horsepower couldii `t be that much harder to control, could it?

Well, no and yes. If you're an ex perienced motocross racer or expert enduro rider, the ground-gobbling 500s can be tons of fun, blasting from corner to corner in grand dis plays of wheelies and roostertails. But less-accomplished jockies might have problems: Remember, we're talking about 60-horsepower, 240pound dirtbikes here. The factories, aware that horsepower without con trollability is about as useful as an elephant gun without a scope-sight. have been trying to make their 500s easier to ride for the past few years. but no one has lowered horsepower. opting instead to try to widen and smooth-out powerbands.

Of the th~ee 500s in this compari son-Honda CR500R, KTM 500MX and Kawasaki KX500-KTM's un changed 500MX engine has the smoothest, widest, easiest-to-use power delivery. The engine runs cleanly off idle, its output building in a quick, controlled, linear progres sion before culminating with a strong top-end charge. This great power band is augmented by the engine's lack of vibration.

The CR500 is also very smooth running, and its engine has more fly wheel effect than the KTM. but its powerband lacks the impressive top end of the Austrian bike, and it doesn't pull as readily from idle. The CR's powerband is still quite wide, though. and its power is more usable this year, lacking the `89 model's sharp mid-range blast.

Kawasaki's"potent 1990 KX500 runs a bit ragged right off the bottom, then it explodes into a front-wheelflying burst of power, even with a ju dicious wrist twisting the throttle. This abrupt power delivery was ac companied by massive engine vibra tion on our test bike, heightening the powerband’s violence.

This kind of sudden power drew mixed reactions from our test riders, but everyone agreed that the KX had the best suspension of this group. Its new fork is compliant at slow speeds, yet it resists bottoming as the Kawasaki stretches its long legs and picks up velocity. The Kayaba rear shock, unchanged except for internal valving, provides equal levels of control and comfort.

KTM has done a good job of choosing damping rates for the 500MX’s fork and shock, too, but spring rates front and rearare too soft for serious motocross use. The fork provides a smooth ride at slower speeds, but it lets the front end search when blasting into a loamy turn. A mushy shock spring means that the rear end of the bike rides too low under acceleration, and allows too-easy bottoming of the shock when the KTM lands from large jumps or charges through deep whoops.

Quite the opposite problem is evident on the CR500. The forkand shock-spring rates are perfect, but damping is harsh. Both ends absorb bumps nicely at a slow pace, but the comfort zone is narrow, as harshness is evident as soon as the suspension enters its mid-stroke. At least this deficiency has little effect on the bike’s handling, except on washboard surfaces: The CR500 goes where it is pointed, swallows whoops and doesn’t bottom when landing from doubleor triple-jumps.

All of these bikes can be ridden quickly through wide turns, but the Honda starts to take command in tighter sections. The CR feels compact and agile; it steers with incredible precision, and it instantly reacts to a rider’s demands.

The KTM feels like it wants to handle in the tight stuff: It steers and tracks well, but its lightly sprung suspension results in a lot of fore and aft motion when the front brake or throttle are used with vigor, as they would be in racing situations. Its easy power delivery and solid chassis help save the KTM in these scenarios, and with a little practice, a rider can get through the tight stuff with speed, but Pros and fast Intermediates will want a suspension change. With stiffer springs, the KTM could be a handling threat to the Honda.

With a wheelbase that’s about an inch shorter than the Honda’s, the Kawasaki KX500, surprisingly, feels like a much-larger motorcycle. It turns quickly, hut never quite loses its clumsiness. Its rear brake is touchy and often locks up, stalling the engine, and its brutal power delivery lofts the front wheel unless the rider keeps the KX in a tall gear and places his body weight way over the front of the bike.

High-speed straights are where the KX starts to shine, as it has extremely good stability. The KTM and Honda are well-mannered at speed, too, but they don't match the rock-solid stability of the Kawasaki. Nor can they match the awesome power of the KX on fast straights or in deep sand, where the Kawasaki's throttle can at last be dialed-up to rocket-launcher mode for more than a heartbeat.

When it came time to vote for the best Open-class motocross bike of 1990, we asked our test riders to rate these three motorcycles primarily as racebikes, but since many 500s never turn a wheel in anger and are used instead on the trail, we also polled our riders for how each machine would hold up as a playbike.

As an all-around mount, all but one test rider put the KTM 500 MX at the top of his list. The KTM's smooth power delivery, progressive clutch action, wide-ratio transmission, easy-starting engine and nonintimidating nature make it a great do-it-all bike. Honda’s CR500R was second in the recreational category. The CR doesn't carbúrate as smoothly as the KTM off idle, its power is more abrupt, and its suspension is less comfortable on the trail. Kawasaki's KX500 was deemed to be too much of an animal for multiple use. Its take-no-prisoners powerband quickly tires a rider. And when the trail gets really tight and technical, a situation that requires rider and bike finesse, the all-or-nothing nature of the KX is not desirable. As Larry Roeseler and crew have shown, the KX would be an excellent choice for desert riders and those looking to conquer the wide open spaces of the Baja Peninsula, but it's a handful in other situations.

For these bikes' intended mission, the rigors of weekend motocross rac ing. Honda's CR500R was the unani mous winner. Its suspension needs some work, but the CR's slim profile, perfectly placed and smoothly work ing controls, and excellent brakes made it an easy bike to like. The KX500 was next on most lists. Its en gine is the most powerful of this group and its suspension and straight-line stability are superb. But the big KX requires more effort to ride than the Honda does, due to its explosive powerband and grabby rear brake. KTM’s 500 ended up in third place because its suspension needs to be much stiffer for good control on an MX course.

A lot of thought and self evaluation should go into picking the Openclass motocross bike that will best suit your needs. A 500cc bike can be great fun, or a catastrophe, depending on your riding skills and particular type of riding. That’s why we have two winners in this comparison. For trail riding and the occasional race, you can’t go wrong with the KTM. For serious motocross, you’ll collect more gold with the Honda.

Honda CR500R

$4098

Kawasaki KX500

$3999

KTM 500 MX

$4039