KX 112- One more reason I wish I was a kid again...

mike117
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mike117
Edited Date/Time 11/10/2021 6:18am
www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2022-Kawasaki-Motocross-and-Cross-C… Looks like it would be an awesome little bike...
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Hi Side
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Hi Side 6/2/2021 3:47pm
6/2/2021 3:47pm
I hope Kawasaki sells a f-ton of these. If they did...maybe, just maybe they would have a moment of clarity and bring back their 2-stroke line. I'm certainly not holding my breath but a man can wish.
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TunaBro
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TunaBro 6/2/2021 3:54pm
6/2/2021 3:54pm
I need to look into it more but maybe that would be a good bike for my 13 year old to go to from his 85 instead of right to a 125 or 250.
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mike117
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mike117 6/2/2021 4:09pm
6/2/2021 4:09pm
TunaBro wrote:
I need to look into it more but maybe that would be a good bike for my 13 year old to go to from his 85...
I need to look into it more but maybe that would be a good bike for my 13 year old to go to from his 85 instead of right to a 125 or 250.
One thing I think would be helpful is to make these superminis just a bit taller... I think the KX100 and the CRF150rb have a 34 inch seat height. The KTM 105 (when they still made it) and the big wheel KTM 85 have a 35 inch seat height... more appropriate for the riders they're aimed at.
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hubbardmx50
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hubbardmx50 6/2/2021 4:10pm
6/2/2021 4:10pm
Hi Side wrote:
I hope Kawasaki sells a f-ton of these. If they did...maybe, just maybe they would have a moment of clarity and bring back their 2-stroke line...
I hope Kawasaki sells a f-ton of these. If they did...maybe, just maybe they would have a moment of clarity and bring back their 2-stroke line. I'm certainly not holding my breath but a man can wish.
The Japanese have to protect their image as a green company (no pun intended). They can't have a bunch of hooligans riding dirty, smoke blowing two strokes. But if they're still making little two stroke bikes, what's the difference in making full size ones (?). I still can't believe no other OEM's make a CRF150r equivalent. I loved mine.
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ns503
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ns503 6/2/2021 4:13pm
6/2/2021 4:13pm
I don't think you need to be a kid to have fun on one of those.
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Dirty Points 6/2/2021 4:13pm
6/2/2021 4:13pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2021 4:21pm
Refresh my memory: Aside from a Honda 4-stroke, has any manufacturer built a production supermini?

TM? Anyone else?
mike117
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mike117 6/2/2021 4:20pm
6/2/2021 4:20pm
Dirty Points wrote:
Refresh my memory: Aside from a Honda 4-stroke, has any manufacturer built a production supermini?

TM? Anyone else?
Yup, KTM made a production 105 for a few years...
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Harv379
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Harv379 6/2/2021 5:34pm
6/2/2021 5:34pm
I read over it and thought the same thing, looks sweet.
Tarz483
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Tarz483 6/2/2021 8:06pm
6/2/2021 8:06pm
mike117 wrote:
www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2022-Kawasaki-Motocross-and-Cross-C… Looks like it would be an awesome little bike...
I Wish I was a kid with but also with parents who could afford it, when I was a kid all I got is to watch from the sidelines And the Kx80's looked sweet back then to me.

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FlickitFlat 6/2/2021 8:39pm
6/2/2021 8:39pm
What is that an 89' KX 80? I had the 89 125 but grew up riding the 86' RM 80 and 87' 88' KX 80. That was a damn good bike because it was as bad ass as it looks, IMHO.
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FlickitFlat 6/2/2021 8:41pm
6/2/2021 8:41pm
My 13 and 14 year old me thanks Kawasaki for not having the 112 when I was that age because, to this day, I still have my left nut. It would have been long gone to get ahold of that thing back then.
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Sully
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Sully 6/2/2021 8:57pm
6/2/2021 8:57pm
FlickitFlat wrote:
What is that an 89' KX 80? I had the 89 125 but grew up riding the 86' RM 80 and 87' 88' KX 80. That...
What is that an 89' KX 80? I had the 89 125 but grew up riding the 86' RM 80 and 87' 88' KX 80. That was a damn good bike because it was as bad ass as it looks, IMHO.
I was thinking it was an '87, but if you say you had one and don't recognize the bike Tarz posted, I guess that shoots my guess down.
VET176
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VET176 6/2/2021 11:36pm
6/2/2021 11:36pm
ns503 wrote:
I don't think you need to be a kid to have fun on one of those.
Herlings would disagree. Whistling
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tek14
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tek14 6/3/2021 12:31am
6/3/2021 12:31am
Imagine if they could build 125cc bike..
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Dirty Points 6/3/2021 9:52am
6/3/2021 9:52am
tek14 wrote:
Imagine if they could build 125cc bike..
If we're straight imagining, a new kdx or a 500 would be more interesting from a market perspective.
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backinthesaddleagain 6/3/2021 11:40am
6/3/2021 11:40am
mike117 wrote:
www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2022-Kawasaki-Motocross-and-Cross-C… Looks like it would be an awesome little bike...
Tarz483 wrote:
I Wish I was a kid with but also with parents who could afford it, when I was a kid all I got is to watch...
I Wish I was a kid with but also with parents who could afford it, when I was a kid all I got is to watch from the sidelines And the Kx80's looked sweet back then to me.

I was a Honda only guy on the 1980s but there was no arguing about the role of the KX in the mini class.
j21black
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j21black 6/3/2021 12:15pm
6/3/2021 12:15pm
I'm being told I will have one by end of September for the kid.

Anyone interested in a low hour 2021 KX100 with New Factory 2022 suspension and clutch components? :-)

I can't wait!
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Skylebones
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Skylebones 6/3/2021 12:16pm
6/3/2021 12:16pm
I'm honestly considering one for a hare scramble bike. I love my rmz250 for mx, but I'm not a big guy and find it heavy for extended trail riding.
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Rickyisms 6/3/2021 12:51pm
6/3/2021 12:51pm
Hi Side wrote:
I hope Kawasaki sells a f-ton of these. If they did...maybe, just maybe they would have a moment of clarity and bring back their 2-stroke line...
I hope Kawasaki sells a f-ton of these. If they did...maybe, just maybe they would have a moment of clarity and bring back their 2-stroke line. I'm certainly not holding my breath but a man can wish.
hubbardmx50 wrote:
The Japanese have to protect their image as a green company (no pun intended). They can't have a bunch of hooligans riding dirty, smoke blowing two...
The Japanese have to protect their image as a green company (no pun intended). They can't have a bunch of hooligans riding dirty, smoke blowing two strokes. But if they're still making little two stroke bikes, what's the difference in making full size ones (?). I still can't believe no other OEM's make a CRF150r equivalent. I loved mine.
IIRC correctly years ago Yamaha was testing a CRF150R competitor.
bigk218
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bigk218 6/3/2021 1:41pm
6/3/2021 1:41pm
Kawasaki could literally bring back the 2005 kx 2 strokes using old tooling and sell them like hot cakes. Someone’s missing the mark in that department
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JohnnyD13
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JohnnyD13 6/3/2021 1:43pm
6/3/2021 1:43pm
FlickitFlat wrote:
My 13 and 14 year old me thanks Kawasaki for not having the 112 when I was that age because, to this day, I still have...
My 13 and 14 year old me thanks Kawasaki for not having the 112 when I was that age because, to this day, I still have my left nut. It would have been long gone to get ahold of that thing back then.
If they took nuts as currancy I wouldn’t have 4 kids right now trading for a new bike
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Tracktor
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Tracktor 6/3/2021 1:53pm
6/3/2021 1:53pm
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the piles of casting flaws that plug up the ports on the 85/100 cylinders?

This won't hold a candle to a stock KTM/Husky 85cc it's just lipstick on a pig but people will snap them up. Then sell once there kid gets faster. I'm no KTM fanboy but they flat own the 65/85 market. The 18+ 85/105 is decades ahead of any Japanese offering with no real debate.

So sad they won't really step up and redesign a 20 year old bike so there are some options in that class. The YZ85 is only slightly better but not even close to the KTM................
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Falcon
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Falcon 6/3/2021 2:16pm
6/3/2021 2:16pm
Dirty Points wrote:
Refresh my memory: Aside from a Honda 4-stroke, has any manufacturer built a production supermini?

TM? Anyone else?
If you count the KZ100, Kawasaki and Suzuki both sold it in 2004-2006. Suzuki's model was yellow and they called it an RM100, but it was a KX. Suzuki also sold the RM85L big wheel for a few years, but it was still an 85cc.
j21black
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j21black 6/3/2021 2:17pm
6/3/2021 2:17pm
Tracktor wrote:
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the...
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the piles of casting flaws that plug up the ports on the 85/100 cylinders?

This won't hold a candle to a stock KTM/Husky 85cc it's just lipstick on a pig but people will snap them up. Then sell once there kid gets faster. I'm no KTM fanboy but they flat own the 65/85 market. The 18+ 85/105 is decades ahead of any Japanese offering with no real debate.

So sad they won't really step up and redesign a 20 year old bike so there are some options in that class. The YZ85 is only slightly better but not even close to the KTM................
Went from a 19 YZ85 to a 21 KX100 - Kid has been Happy with it so far, and he pulls a 112 KTM and a 112 Husky off line at nearly every race. The KTM and Husky usually finish 1/2 but are much more experienced riders than he is as this is only his 2nd outdoor season.

Having said that, we looked for a KTM 105 when we bought the KX, but they stopped making the factory Supermini, could only get an 85 big wheel, and then buy a 112 cylinder kit.

So far I am happy with the purchase, and our local promoter says we made the right choice. If it's not broke don't fix it.

I for one am excited to see how the 112 stacks up, and we shall soon see.

Watch some Drew Adams videos and see what he is doing with the KX85 and KX100. He beats everybody.......
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mike117
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mike117 6/3/2021 2:53pm
6/3/2021 2:53pm
Skylebones wrote:
I'm honestly considering one for a hare scramble bike. I love my rmz250 for mx, but I'm not a big guy and find it heavy for...
I'm honestly considering one for a hare scramble bike. I love my rmz250 for mx, but I'm not a big guy and find it heavy for extended trail riding.
It's very tempting, I'm on the small side too. Several years ago, I bought a used 07 CRF150RB sort of on impulse... I was just a bit too big for it, especially when I needed to move around on the bike.
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Tracktor
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Tracktor 6/3/2021 3:19pm
6/3/2021 3:19pm
Tracktor wrote:
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the...
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the piles of casting flaws that plug up the ports on the 85/100 cylinders?

This won't hold a candle to a stock KTM/Husky 85cc it's just lipstick on a pig but people will snap them up. Then sell once there kid gets faster. I'm no KTM fanboy but they flat own the 65/85 market. The 18+ 85/105 is decades ahead of any Japanese offering with no real debate.

So sad they won't really step up and redesign a 20 year old bike so there are some options in that class. The YZ85 is only slightly better but not even close to the KTM................
j21black wrote:
Went from a 19 YZ85 to a 21 KX100 - Kid has been Happy with it so far, and he pulls a 112 KTM and a...
Went from a 19 YZ85 to a 21 KX100 - Kid has been Happy with it so far, and he pulls a 112 KTM and a 112 Husky off line at nearly every race. The KTM and Husky usually finish 1/2 but are much more experienced riders than he is as this is only his 2nd outdoor season.

Having said that, we looked for a KTM 105 when we bought the KX, but they stopped making the factory Supermini, could only get an 85 big wheel, and then buy a 112 cylinder kit.

So far I am happy with the purchase, and our local promoter says we made the right choice. If it's not broke don't fix it.

I for one am excited to see how the 112 stacks up, and we shall soon see.

Watch some Drew Adams videos and see what he is doing with the KX85 and KX100. He beats everybody.......
Im glad you’re happy with it. However that doesn’t change the actual physical limitations of the KX’s design. We’ve owned/raced/built all three bikes & the KX is a 20 year old bike at it’s core.

KTM doesn’t make a 112 cylinder. They do make a 105 & you can build that up into a 112 which is completely pointless & probably detrimental unless a bigger national speed rider. Hell, my kid was pulling holeshots at local races at 125lbs on a stock 85 against superminis. Power means nothing if the kid can’t ride it. Plenty of kids start the 85 class on blue/green and end up on orange/white once they get up to speed. No one goes the other way unless they get a ride of some kind. You couldn’t have paid my youngest to ride a KX after he got on to KTM’s. Even the 17-older is better than the ‘21 KX and the 18+ KTM platform is in another world. Believe me, I wisj it was different but it isn’t.
One fast kid doing well doesn’t mean a thing. Ryder D cleaned house on a janky KX65 but he wasn’t riding what you can buy off floor plus was just a great rider. Things change once you get to the B class & it’s way easier to make the KTM competitive for the average fast kid...
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j21black
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j21black 6/3/2021 4:26pm
6/3/2021 4:26pm
Tracktor wrote:
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the...
They took a crap, outdated bike and added 12cc's and now have a bigger crap outdated bike! By porting do thy mean getting rid of the piles of casting flaws that plug up the ports on the 85/100 cylinders?

This won't hold a candle to a stock KTM/Husky 85cc it's just lipstick on a pig but people will snap them up. Then sell once there kid gets faster. I'm no KTM fanboy but they flat own the 65/85 market. The 18+ 85/105 is decades ahead of any Japanese offering with no real debate.

So sad they won't really step up and redesign a 20 year old bike so there are some options in that class. The YZ85 is only slightly better but not even close to the KTM................
j21black wrote:
Went from a 19 YZ85 to a 21 KX100 - Kid has been Happy with it so far, and he pulls a 112 KTM and a...
Went from a 19 YZ85 to a 21 KX100 - Kid has been Happy with it so far, and he pulls a 112 KTM and a 112 Husky off line at nearly every race. The KTM and Husky usually finish 1/2 but are much more experienced riders than he is as this is only his 2nd outdoor season.

Having said that, we looked for a KTM 105 when we bought the KX, but they stopped making the factory Supermini, could only get an 85 big wheel, and then buy a 112 cylinder kit.

So far I am happy with the purchase, and our local promoter says we made the right choice. If it's not broke don't fix it.

I for one am excited to see how the 112 stacks up, and we shall soon see.

Watch some Drew Adams videos and see what he is doing with the KX85 and KX100. He beats everybody.......
Tracktor wrote:
Im glad you’re happy with it. However that doesn’t change the actual physical limitations of the KX’s design. We’ve owned/raced/built all three bikes & the KX...
Im glad you’re happy with it. However that doesn’t change the actual physical limitations of the KX’s design. We’ve owned/raced/built all three bikes & the KX is a 20 year old bike at it’s core.

KTM doesn’t make a 112 cylinder. They do make a 105 & you can build that up into a 112 which is completely pointless & probably detrimental unless a bigger national speed rider. Hell, my kid was pulling holeshots at local races at 125lbs on a stock 85 against superminis. Power means nothing if the kid can’t ride it. Plenty of kids start the 85 class on blue/green and end up on orange/white once they get up to speed. No one goes the other way unless they get a ride of some kind. You couldn’t have paid my youngest to ride a KX after he got on to KTM’s. Even the 17-older is better than the ‘21 KX and the 18+ KTM platform is in another world. Believe me, I wisj it was different but it isn’t.
One fast kid doing well doesn’t mean a thing. Ryder D cleaned house on a janky KX65 but he wasn’t riding what you can buy off floor plus was just a great rider. Things change once you get to the B class & it’s way easier to make the KTM competitive for the average fast kid...
I'm not going to argue with you. As I stated we were going to buy a KTM, but since you can't buy a "supermini" direct from them we did not. I do not disagree that it is a superior bike.

He will get the 112 this fall, to ride for about 18 months until he upgrades to big bike.

I just enjoy watching him progress.

Carey Ownings is the kid on the Husky, he has already been to LL a few times.
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Wandell
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Wandell 6/3/2021 5:12pm
6/3/2021 5:12pm
It appears Kawasaki's marketing has worked. I've seen a ton of post on these bikes on social media and they all have a ton of comments, mostly praise. But as several pointed out, they just refined a decades old design and bolted on "bold new plastic". The biggest refinement being a larger bore on the KX112. I've always been under the impression that the supermini class was mostly very heavily modified bikes and the production KX100 and CRF150rb were just production starting points to start the modifications with. Not knocking Kawasaki for updating two popular bikes. But personally, I think they would have been better off spending the money on the decades old KX65. That market has just been handed over to KTM/Husky and Yamaha. Seems to me that the parents of young 65cc racers would be much more likely to stick with KTM/Husky or Yamaha than to switch to Kawasaki as their kid grows.
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