1984 Kawasaki KX125 Classic Motocross Review

This is a look back at Kawasaki's all-new KX125 for 1984. This is the last year before Kawasaki introduced the KIPS system one of the best 125 machines of its era.

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[Mopar-ydly]

I had an 84 KX125 when I was 14 (in 1985). I wanted my first dirt bike and was expecting an 80, my dad got a good deal on a slightly used 125. It was too much bike for me at first, but I stuck with it and got pretty good on it. That thing screamed!

[robertrishel]

The 1985 KX125 was my introduction to Kawasaki; my parents started a Kawasaki franchise in around march or April of ‘85. I postponed college and moved to coastal Oregon (Astoria/Warrenton) to help them and continue racing motocross. Great times! I really liked the ‘85 bike. I never cared much for the ‘83 version though and never had a chance to try the ‘84 bike.

[bobwardala]

This was my first motorcycle. I had a 3 wheeler atc 185 before I got the kx. I was 15 I got it used after one of the local expert class riders got the new 85. Paid $900.00 with money from picking up hay. I loved this bike I can smell that 2 stroke smell right now. Tony thanks so much for the review.

[jocrp]

Think i was 17 when got a 85 (works replica) with KIPS, , Was a damn good bike!

[pojjcxl]

Your magisterial review stopped me from my routine to sit down and have a listen. In the late 80s, I bought the back issue of Dirt Bike magazine specifically for its review of the 84 KX 125. I still have it. The magazine, unfortunately, not a Ward-image KX. :)

[kirkkraner]

That was like listening to my exact experience with this bike. The engine was amazing. My buddies rode a CR 125 and a RM 125 of the same year and they agreed that the KX was king with the power. Cracked frame, constant front brake bleeding, cracking front fender etc, All of the problems faded to minor inconveniences when I twisted the throttle on that one. Good memories. Thanks

[charliebailey]

Wow great I mean fantastic review . My first full size bike came of a 80k . On the this bike . Thanks for the memory 😅

[gg-iete]

I had a KX 125 in 1980, slowest 125 ever made. Got a new 1983 KX 125 actually liked it, raced it all year with no problems. 1984 switched to Honda CR 125, everybody else was on Kawi's ! Remembering a lot of broken frames on those bikes.

[thomashussey]

Great job. I remember these bikes dominating that year. Cool look back.

[ml]

Excellent job like usual Tony! Do the 1985 250 shootout please.

[joshmarks]

Great stuff Tony, you still owe us a 1983 80cc shootout! First year all liquid cooled and single shock! It was a big year for the minis.
I love all the reviews mate, happy to wait 😊
Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺

[scottpeters]

I bought a 1984 KX 125 in early '85 from our local A-Class hotshot. While the bike was exactly as described here, it was also not a well-built bike. My frame had been broken repeatedly by the previous owner, then again several times by the guy I sold it to. It was by far the fastest 125 in that era.

[brianking]

I had the 1985 model as a play bike in the late 90s. It was easy to ride and felt fast but I bottomed out the suspension since I was 180 lbs.

[michaelnesbitt]

Watching these videos really make me wish I hadn’t rolled these old bikes into a dumpster in the mid nineties. Thinking they’re to old even at the time and could barely get parts for them back then before the internet

[EarthSurferUSA]

This bike started a new philosophy on how a 125 2-stroke made power. A 125 was typically a high RPM screamer, (If you keep the same torque, and raise RPM, HP goes up, and it was easier to make a 125 screamer than a 125 grunter with good power.). For the 125 class, if you had the best engine, even if other entities were not so good, you had the advantage. This bike made starting gates for amateur racing all across the nation, ---"racist", (hell, I might as well use the word out of context too.). The amateur 125cc classes all turned green for this and the next few years. The thinking behind this engine changed the way a 125 makes power. The later blue YZ125 did very well with such changes too.

[MotoXplor]

Good story. I'd like to see one on the totally redesigned '82 YZ125 that only lasted one year until they redesigned it again in '83.

[derrickzenner]

Had one. Bought it as a basket case. Parts were missing and finally got it together but it ended up having a damaged cylinder. I just got rid of it after that. I didn't know they were so highly praised until after I sold it.

[craigsteinman]

in January 1984..(they didn't release the new yers models so early as they do now) ..I was at settle international speedway mx track..there was a few new 1984 kx125s..Man the first race there was about 4 kxs in the first race .and they went 1 thru 4 in the first turn and had like a 6 or 8 bike length lead at the first turn..everyone one ws talking about the new kx by the end of the day..these bikes were s fast as a 250 from just couple years ago..but the next month half the field was 1984 kxs125s..the year before the kx 80 was all the rage ..83 and 84 were the years mx changed forever..great time to be a mx teenager tons of places to ride and you could ride to your favorite riding spot..feel sorry for the kids today the 80s were free and great

[scottyd]

I had the 84 KX80F2 in 84 and just about everyone seemed to have one as they were the bike to have back then. 70% of the class were green then, if not more.
Even the next year in 85. Both the 80 and 125 classes for those years were dominated by Kawasaki.

[devondavis]

You missed so many key points I raced one in 86 -88.the frames cracked all over after every race, tear down welded and next weekend do it all again. But was it fast, it would pull hole shots of 250s.no bull shit.