In the beginning
As is the way, a search in the archive here at CDB for information for a different feature turned up a test of the first Kawasaki Mxer in the UK when Motorcycle journalist Mike Bashford got his hands on one in November 1967.
This feature was backed up by information supplied by Richard Metcalfe at Kawasaki UK who sourced some detailed background information initially used in Kawasaki’s Rider Club magazine to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the KX range. It would be no great revelation to say the first generation of off-road Kawasakis were less MX and more road machine customised for the dirt scene.
To begin their road into MX, the company settled on developing their 125cc B8 roadster complete with tank emblems bearing the legend ‘Kawasaki Aircraft.’
In order to compete in the Japanese MX championship of 1962, Kawasaki further developed the B8 and created the B8M by changing the front forks and seat, then adding handlebars with a cross bar, fitting a raised expansion chamber exhaust and using tyres more suited to motocross. For a first attempt, even in the secular world of Japanese sport, the B8M was a phenomenal success, lifting the regional and national titles for Kawasaki. Such was its dominance it gained the nickname Red-tank Furore.
This success led to the introduction in 1968 of Kawasaki’s F21M, a 250cc MX model for the USA market. It was this model which Bashford got his hands on for a test in the Motorcycle. Imported to the UK by Northampton garage owner Peter Chapman, the oddly cool-looking 250 was displayed at The London Show in 1967 and then would make its race debut at Tweseldown in Hampshire where Peter’s son Ivan would ride it. Mike Bashford got to try it and found the machine “surprisingly good”.
He went on to say the motorcycle he tested had been altered slightly since it was on display at Earls Court where it was exactly as supplied in the USA. This specification included a 19in front wheel but by the time Mike was blasting the bike around Cold Ashby in Northamptonshire – a pre-second World War hill-climb venue – the bike wore a 21in front wheel with a Dunlop tyre on. It had also benefited from some waterproofing of the electrics as the weather on that far off test day was atrocious.
From Mike’s report of the machine, readers learnt the Japanese heavy engineering and aircraft manufacturer was serious about this scrambling lark but their bike had been developed without the benefit of foreign competition on the European circuit. Bashford further went on to say the disc-valved two-stroke, though good, could be made much better and suspected the Chapmans had a few ideas to try out in the following fewmonths.
The bulky-looking engine unit featured a completely enclosed carburettor feeding a 5in diameter induction disc into an oversquare engine of 70mm bore x 62mm stroke. The four-speed motor sat in a duplex cradle frame constructed of 7⁄8in diameter tube and was pretty much as per the roadster machine. Keeping the front end up was Kawasaki’s Ceriani type front fork while at the rear were typical sealed damper units.
In clearly cold weather Mike had to criticise the cold starting arrangement and bemoaned the lack of a tickler in favour of an air lever. Though power through certain parts of the range was disappointing, Mike felt this was a minor point, which once the Chapmans got on with the job then it would be sorted, especially at the bottom end of the rev range where the bike felt distinctly lacking in oomph.
Praise was heaped on the gearbox and clutch which despite having an odd-to-european-tastes neutral position below first gear, our man never miss-hit a gear. Less popular with him was the roadster orientated riding position with his preference being for footrests further back and an excessively wide handlebar.
All in all though, Mr Bashford had a lot of positive comments to make about the machine and thought some of the minor handling problems would be solved by a proper Dunlop tyre on the rear rather than the Yokohama as standard and a reduction in the spring and damping rate on the dampers, then a much better ride would be available.
To round up his assessment he reckoned once the initial bugs were ironed out then the competition would find this latest Japanese offering to be no joking matter.
His words would prove prophetic as once the USA got to grips with MX, developments came thick and fast with the F21M becoming the KX250 in 1974 and a stunning machine which captured hearts and placings all over the MX world.
Further up the capacity range Americans like Brad Lackey, Jim Weinert and John Desoto raced prototype big-bore machines, which Lackey rewarded Kawasaki with the prestigious 500cc National title. The machine was a factory special SR450, a handbuilt, no holds barred racer.
In 1973 the 450cc F12MX was introduced, a first chance for the public to try and ‘catch a Kawasaki'. In 1974 it became the KX450 which was a reworked F12MX with a plastic tank, very much ahead of its time. In 1975 a smaller capacity KX400 and was introduced as a more rideable version for the masses.