1981 Kawasaki KX80 ***Warning - lots of pictures

Amazing restoration. Excellent work!!

Great build man. Have any plans for anyone riding it? That thing looks like it belongs in a showroom.

boardinblunted wrote:

Great build man. Have any plans for anyone riding it? That thing looks like it belongs in a showroom.

I did ride it and it rips but not enough that it’s broken in yet. I would love to sell it to someone who has a museum or a displayed collection.

Good looking resto. I had one as my first bike.

My first real mx bike. Coming from an XR80, I thought no motorcycle in the history of man could make more power than the KX! I have a vivid memory of feeling it come onto the pipe for the first time. And after about the 3rd run through the gears, I looped it hard trying to do a wheelie the same way I'd do it on the XR. There weren't many KX minis in those days, it was a YZ and RM world. I took the sales brochure to school every day to argue with my friends about which one was better. A neighbor who used to race came over and taught me how to work on it. I learned how to maintain the Uni Track links and do a top end. I asked for tools for Christmas, 13 years old. Wrenching and riding was all I cared about. It kind of ruined me (or saved me) for life.

Hats off to you for a fine build. Thanks for all the pictures. That airbox! I remember hating the way I couldn't get the filter through the opening without smearing oil everywhere. Your silencer terminates ahead of the rear number plate more than the stock arrangement, which is good for keeping it clean.

@Ihthread thanks. The airbox was actually a difficult part of the assembly. lol. The way the cage attaches to the airbox was just a weird design. Looks like Kawi changed to a better design in '82. It's a really fun bike.

Wow, what a great restoration!

Very, very well done. Looks amazing

I just pick one of these up and am doing a slightly custom build. I stuffed a rear shock from an 86 kx80 on her and was wondering what you used? Also, what carb is on yours? The previous owner of mine swapped the carb out for a throttle and vm33 (33mm) carb from an 80s yz.

hackjob wrote:

I just pick one of these up and am doing a slightly custom build. I stuffed a rear shock from an 86 kx80 on her and was wondering what you used? Also, what carb is on yours? The previous owner of mine swapped the carb out for a throttle and vm33 (33mm) carb from an 80s yz.

I had a custom YSS shock built for it. They didn't originally have one for it so I had to send them my stocker and the designed a shock. Their service was pretty quick and good pricing.
The bike has the stock carb but larger jetting for the 105cc kit.

hackjob wrote:

I just pick one of these up and am doing a slightly custom build. I stuffed a rear shock from an 86 kx80 on her and was wondering what you used? Also, what carb is on yours? The previous owner of mine swapped the carb out for a throttle and vm33 (33mm) carb from an 80s yz.

mxchris208 wrote:

I had a custom YSS shock built for it. They didn't originally have one for it so I had to send them my stocker and the designed a shock. Their service was pretty quick and good pricing.
The bike has the stock carb but larger jetting for the 105cc kit.

Thanks for the response. I didnt know there was a 105cc set up. I can't find anything for 81/82 kx80s. Even the nitrogen pressure for the front forks....nothing in my book about it. Rear shocks weren't even mentioned, so I winged it with the shock I used.

Oops I meant 100cc kit. Here’s a link of what it consisted of. I found a NOS cylinder out of Canada.

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/kawasaki/motorcycle/1981/kx80-kx80-c1/optional-parts-81-kx80-c1