Reliable Source says Kawasaki is making a 2T bike soon

[Kawibunga]

With all the speculation, we could almost have a pool, name plus 6 options, winner get's the pot :)

KDX name (they've already switched all the four strokes to to KX only)
300 cc (compete with all the Euros)
Fuel Injected (we have the technology!)
Electric Start (see above)
5 Speed (would prefer a 6)
Kick Stand (I don't think it will be pure MX, there is no longer a class unless it's a 125)
Lighting Coil but no lights (gives the guys options)

[Chuck78]

It will be a 125/150 and a 250 KX... i dont think we will see the KDX back anytime soon... Word it will be a full race bike.

It's most definitely a 300... a 150 would be incredible, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards just yet. A 250 2-stroke is not nearly as popular nowadays, as 2-strokes dominate off-road only, not motocross, and those are primarily all 300cc 2-strokes... It would only make sense for Kawasaki to jump on that seeing KTM's utter downhill fall from grace and near ultimate demise. And on top of that, people with inside connections to Kawasaki employees have gotten hints that it's definitely going to be a big bore two-stroke, meaning not a 250, and others have outright said it's going to be a 300cc.

[brademan76]

Two days ago I was talking with a reliable source that has a long history with Kawasaki and was a well known pro offroad racer for a very long time.
Anyway I was having a conversation with him about my project KDX200. We talked about how sad it is that Kawi stopped making the KDX line of bikes and I had said that Yamaha was smart to start making the offroad two-stroke line of bikes to compete with KTM. I had also mentioned that if Kawi started making the KDX line up again I don't think they would be able to keep them in stock.

He hesitated for a bit in his response but said..."well that might not be the case for too much longer". I asked "what do you mean...is this going to change!!?? Is Kawi considering starting up the two-stroke offroad bike again?" He said "I can't say how I know this but it looks like it may be happen within a year"!!

Soup, get your source to leak some details already!

[brademan76]

https://www.visordown.com/news/general/ ... ine-teased
FI, cam and turbo? Or like the article says could be for another platform.

Has anyone on TT analyzed the sound on the teaser video? Im assuming it's a classic kawi 2t sound and not the new one... A turbo sound would be pretty evident and doesn't sound like a 300 does it?

[SS109]

My wish list is that Kawasaki brings out a full line of KDX's. I would love to see a KDX in 50, 85/100, 125/200, and 300 sizes. On the full size bikes the bare minimum nowadays for it to be successful is it must have e-start and a 6sp trans. Having a hydraulic clutch, FI, and/or counterbalanced engine are nice things that would elevate it's desirability for the public but aren't deal breakers IMO. Yamaha's YZ250X has nothing I've listed yet sells extremely well.

I know, pure wishful thinking on my part, but I'll continue to dream until Kawasaki crushes my hope.

[Chuck78]

My wish list is that Kawasaki brings out a full line of KDX's. I would love to see a KDX in 50, 85/100, 125/200, and 300 sizes. On the full size bikes the bare minimum nowadays for it to be successful is it must have e-start and a 6sp trans. Having a hydraulic clutch, FI, and/or counterbalanced engine are nice things that would elevate it's desirability for the public but aren't deal breakers IMO. Yamaha's YZ250X has nothing I've listed yet sells extremely well.

I know, pure wishful thinking on my part, but I'll continue to dream until Kawasaki crushes my hope.

Well... At least two of those are a high possibility, with the 300 being all but guaranteed now, but a kdx100 would be an easy spin-off from the KX100, or actually now they are a KX112... My buddy has one of those things in it's an absolute missile. It would be really cool to see one that's tamed down with a more torque-oriented woods porting and perhaps a longer swing arm option as those little bikes loop out easily on steep hills.
Call it a KDX100 or KDX112R...
I would be a really easy variant to make with off-the-shelf parts already, but those KX 112s and 100s really need a stronger chain which is not terribly common, but there is a size that you can upgrade to, I forget which size exactly maybe a 428 in place of the 420?

KDX112R / KX112X, KDX150R / KX144X, KDX200R / KX200X or preferably a KDX220R / KX220X (this one they would really have to call a KDX due to historical context...) , & of course the KDX300R / KX300X which is already in the works.

A 300 deserves a limousine length wheelbase like all other modern 300s have, but I really struggle feeling at home on these modern bikes with lazy 27.5 and 27.6° steering angles and monstrously long wheel bases. A much prefer a KDX geometry although with some of the steep tactical gnarly terrain I have been riding the past few years, a swingarm that's slightly longer would definitely help out a bit, really just being able to run one full set of chain links longer than current would be ideal, along with a 26.5° steering angle and modest wheelbase at least for the 144 and 200/220 version.

Since two strokes in Motocross aren't really a big thing anymore except for the nostalgic ones and vintage racing, a 250 is not really necessary although I have some have mentioned it would be cool to have a high RPM ported 250 cylinder available as an aftermarket bolt on option with matching piston and head to fit the upcoming 300. A 300 is really the only likelihood of large displacement, a 250 or a 500 is not going to happen. Maybe they will make it an odd size that's slightly larger than 300 just to dominate? It depends on GNCC and other enduro class rules though.

[KDXGarage]

I seriously doubt the KDX name will live again, at least not in the sense of how it used to be. There is not going to be another EPA allowed two-stroke to roll through a federal land.

[bufftester]

Well, a big chunk of the land we ride out west is managed by the Bureau of Land Management which is federal, and they have no problem with the use of 2 strokes, modern or not. But I do agree that it is doubtful that the KDX name will be brought back.

[Chuck78]

I seriously doubt the KDX name will live again, at least not in the sense of how it used to be. There is not going to be another EPA allowed two-stroke to roll through a federal land.

All of the Euro manufacturers get away with it by just labeling them as off-road only, although I think there are certain restrictions of when you can ride in California with a two-stroke? Or at least an older two-stroke...???

Someone told me a while ago that KTM bikes are shipped with some tamer parts for import and then the dealers rip them all off and put on the go-fast parts. I'm not sure if there is much truth behind that but it was an interesting story at least.

I've been spending some time reading about the KX450X and KX250X enduro bikes (primarily their suspension), and even the 2019-2023 Motocross version suspension vs 2024+. Suspension tuners seem to really really like these setups, and a guy was telling me that he has a 2022 KX450 motocross bike and a 2024 KX450 motocross bike, and he said the 2024 is very firm suspension but it does good in some high-speed desert riding, but he said the 2022 motocross bike suspension was actually super plush while still keeping the fork up in the stroke moderately well. He's actually putting the 2022 forks onto the 2024 before he sells the '22!
So if the motocross bikes 2019-2023 had super nice valving for a woods racer, looking at the differences in the woods stacks, they should be pretty plush already and only maybe requiring swapping out one of the face shims for a small pivot shim to create a two-stage stack...
I believe the shim thickness is the biggest difference between the Motocross and the Enduro versions, with only a couple shim diameters different between the two, the stacks look almost identical except for the thicknesses. That might have been referencing the 2024 versions? I have some notes I saved.

It's very expensive, but I am considering setting up one of my two bikes entirely with this stuff, 2024 KX450X shock and 2023 KX450X forks.

[Chuck78]

Oh yeah my buddy Sebastien pointed out that the 2024 model revision on the four strokes brought back a center port exhaust type frame layout, which is very telltale considering this two-stroke news!

[KDXGarage]

I think maybe it was USFS land. Any model made after 2005 (calendar wise, not year model). Kawasaki could have made some 2006 KDX220R's, but did not.

Anyway, since they could not go on USFS land or whatever, it was a sales hindrance and not "USFS approved". Kawasaki would have had to sell it as a "competition only" model and chose not to.

It has been a long time since I read the 2002 EPA laws that killed it off in 2006.

chuck, look up red sticker and green sticker. 2002 was the last year I think.

[KDXGarage]

I think they were not going to get the USFS approved stamp on the models spark arrestors, so that was a deterrent.

[Chuck78]

I think maybe it was USFS land. Any model made after 2005 (calendar wise, not year model).

It has been a long time since I read the 2002 EPA laws that killed it off in 2006.

chuck, look up red sticker and green sticker. 2002 was the last year I think.

I briefly looked up red sticker versus green sticker, and it sounds like you either have to have one or the other, red stricker has restrictions on riding areas and times of year, and it says 2003 through I believe 2021 are eligible for the red sticker? So if you have a 1999 KDX, you may not be legal to ride on any public OHV trails in California whatsoever? You might be able to operate on BLM land if it is not designated as an OHV Trail and you are allowed to free ride anywhere. It also says that even if you have your off-road bike street plated in another state, it is not legal to ride it on public roadways in california. So that brings up a gray area as to what a public roadway is in terms of BLM land four-wheel drive roads and trails if they are not considered OHV trails.

It basically sounds like you have to be rich to live in California at any rate, & you must have a newer bike at minimum. Green sticker apparently means they are California Air Resources Board (?) aka C.A.R.B. compliant on emissions standards.
I might be slightly off on some of those statements but that's basically what it was telling me

[billie_morini]

Chuck & KDX-G,
I live in California (Commie-fornia?). There's been a change to the off-road red stricker program.

1st off, this is the historic background:
Red stickers are for non-streetable bikes defined by "C" or "3" for VIN character manufactured between 2003 and 2021. The noted eighth character indicates the emissions do not meet CARB requirements for "cleaner" burning. Bike examples include KDX 220 and YZ 250. Note that DMV applied red stickers were applied to "C" and "3" bikes by DMV, even from pre-2003 bikes. Prolly because DMV employees cannot think deeply enough to interpret regulations?

It used to be like Chuck said above. Red stickers could not ride on public land in Spring & Summer.

2nd-ly, here's the change:
The State of CA recently changed this. Now, red stickers can ride year round like green stickers.

This change coincides with State of CA banning ALL engines 25 hp! This includes motorcycles, chain saws, generators, weed whackers, engine powered compressors, pressure washers, ETC, ETC!!! Some stores in neighboring states won't knowingly sell these things to CA contractors and residents. Insanity, I know!

3rd-ly:
My guess is CARB, CA EPA, & related oppressive agencies decided they've killed off enough fossil fuel burning engines that there's only a very few old 2-stroke motorcycles that they can leave them alone.

[KDXGarage]

Thank you for the explanation.

[Chuck78]

So you can still get a red sticker for a bike that is a 2002 or older model? It's specifically stated on the California government website that the red stickers are for 2003 through I believe 2021 Off Highway Vehicles.

California is a dreamy place, but I don't know if I would ever want to afford to live there, and the regulations on off road riding seem pretty strict, and a lot of polarization in riding especially between riders and hikers, and I fit both of those categories. I suppose throwing up a prefab metal building on a concrete slab with a security system would be good enough for my shop, and I could live in a tiny shack pretty happily.... Family (& the excellent job market and favorable cost of living) keeps me in Ohio though, my Dad's 75 years old and still in moderate health but as he says at that age, he might only have a couple good years left.

[billie_morini]

Chuck, I've lived and worked all over CA through nearly 40 years. Geographically, it's beautiful. Geologically, it's interesting. Historically, it's also interesting. However, it's not inexpensive and Mrs. Morini & I live very far from relatives (save one).

In theory, you'll get a red sticker for the "dirty" emissions off-road bikes & vehicles of any year. DMV and American Automobile Association (AAA) default to giving the red sticker to owners, especially if there's no federal safety plate / sticker.

There's a bit of a wrinkle going on right now caused by confusion. Some dealers won't register a new 2-stroke like a KTM or YZ so that the new owner can get red sticker. Dealers like this are either confused by the state's poor guidance and/or fear prosecution from state in the event of error. DMV is confused, too. They seem to renew red sticker for vehicles that were previously registered for red sticker. But, DMV isn't consistent with red sticker issuance for new 2-strokes. When questioned, a few DMV clerks have said they believe the red sticker program ended.