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• Limes ’05

Driving report Kawasaki-Crosser 2005

Limes ’05

New vintage, new kick? 2005 is Kawasaki in terms of motocross in the smoke signal of the blue two-stroke haze. Not least because the large four-stroke engine was launched into series production
KX 450 F was postponed to 2006. The Japanese presented a fresh, lime-green range of motocross motorcycles with an emphasis on two-stroke motorcycles in the deep West German Grevenbroicher Sand, to the delight of all the fundamentalists of the tunnel sport.
KX 250: Top performance is not necessarily the dominant theme in the large two-stroke engine. Drivability is the magic formula of today’s off-road machines of this type. Which is why the Kawasaki engineers attached particular importance to a broader usable speed range and a gentle use of power in the further development. The most striking changes are the independently operating slides of the exhaust control and a newly designed membrane block in the intake area. The five degrees steeper standing cylinder allows longer intake paths for a better torque curve. Also the peripherals like carburetor and
Intake manifolds have been revised. On the other hand, the Kawasaki troop remained true to the in-house perimeter steel frame with only slightly modified geometry for greater handiness. However, this is new
Kayaba fork with a closed cartridge system, which means nothing other than the separation of oil and air in the chambers of the fork legs.
But now off to the sandpit. A soft floor graciously hides the meanness of such a two-stroke hammer. But obviously Kawasaki managed to combine theory and practice. The engine pulls properly from below
go, march mighty in the middle, and in the upper speed range the post really goes off. Well coordinated, it reacts without delay to every small change in the throttle grip. The spring elements respond well, although the tuning tends towards soft.
KX 250 F: A tailor-made surcharge
Kawasaki succeeded in 2004 with the presentation of the KX 250 F in the four-stroke range. With the new vintage, the Japanese eliminated the weak points of the predecessor. The coolers were significantly larger, which means
the KX even under extreme conditions
should keep a cool head. The
The clutch lever of both 250 models now has a quick adjustment. The four-stroke engine’s oil filter and water pump received
separate lids, which simplifies maintenance. Corrections to engine settings, ignition, clutch and transmission improve durability, top performance and responsiveness.
Last year’s model was characterized by easy controllability through a linear performance band. The new one looks a bit stronger and more spontaneous thanks to the revised channels in the cylinder head in the middle, and it no longer turns quite as hard into the newly programmed limiter.
KX 125: Hardly changed for 2005, the small two-stroke engine is handy and stable, the performance curve is even. Not as nice as with the other Kawa-Crossers: the cheap-looking, outdated steel handlebars. mj

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