Kawasaki Kdx200

KAWASAKI KDX200

ALL-NEW AND STILL THE SAME

New Bikes '95

KAWASAKI’S NEW KDX200 IS A CLASS WINNER BY default. It has no competition. Yamaha had its try with the short-lived WR200, and the Honda XR200 is more playbike than enduro weapon. So the biggest challenge for the 1995 KDX will be replacing its excellent all-around predecessor.

A perimeter frame, a familiar sight on Kawasaki MX bikes, has finally made its way onto the KDX200. The frame yields a thinner profile, but has a 36.5-inch seat height, an inch higher than before. Another dramatic chassis change is the switch back to a conventional fork after two years with an inverted design. Chalk this up to cost-cutting. More money-saving measures are evident in the steel shifter, brake pedal, headstays and shock-linkage pull arms, as well as the graphic-less white sidepanels, all helping to keep the KDX’s suggested retail price at $3999.

The KDX motor didn’t pass the drawing board unchanged, though. It received a stronger con-rod, larger radiators, a new guillotine-style powervalve setup and a slightly larger clutch.

After just moments on the bike, it’s evident that the engineers did their job in thinning the KDX down. Sliding forward in turns is now much easier. On the scales, the fully gassed KDX weighs-in at 249pounds, just 3 pounds less than last year, but in motion the bike feels 15 pounds lighter. The

weight must be placed lower in the frame, more centralized, as quick side-to-side turns require minimal effort compared to the ’94 bike. A shorter wheelbase aids turning, but desert racers will note that high-speed stability is not sacrificed. The suspension, sprung for Intermediate-level riders, can handle everything short of full-bore motocross shenanigans.

Power is identical to last year’s bike. In everything from drag races to top-gear rollons, the ’95 KDX and the ’94 models we had along for comparison were dead-even. And the 200’s traditional beginner-friendly low-end pulling power is still there. With its more modem powervalve, the new KDX will respond even better to hop-ups.

The KDX200 has to uphold the enduro banner for Kawasaki, as the lackluster

KDX250 is gone from the lineup for 1995. Can the 200 compete with the full-fledged 250cc enduro mounts? Surely the new chassis is willing and able, and more power is just a few aftermarket goodies away.

So, the KDX200 receives a complete overhaul, doesn’t go up too much in price, and still has appeal for Novices and Experts alike. Sounds like all the makings of an off-road success story. □