the great 2-stroke hope.,.

[mikesmith]

California seems to be a trend setter for the rest of the world(I wish it was something good,but it never seems to be),its the trikle down effect.California has some tree huggin hippie make some stupid law and over time it seems to effect other states,or they follow suit.

[Fookeneh]

It would be cool if Kawasaki would auction off all the tooling for the engine, and then it could be built into a more modern but affordable bike... there I go day dreaming again.

[mikesmith]

You know Honda still sells the engines for the CR 500 to Service Honda after they quit selling the big CR so they could continue to put them in the Aluminum frames and build the CR-AF's.Even with the new 4-stroke out as long as the KX500 has been around how could Kawasaki loose money buy still prouducing the big KX?Why not sell a KX450 and KX500?

[Fookeneh]

my guess would have something to do with marketing. There's such a buzz around 4 strokes,so kawasaki wants the kx450 to come 1st in all the different races it's entered  . That wouldn't happen if the kx500 was still in the desert. I don't know I could be way off. I am curious how they actually build these bikes.I wonder if they actually have a seperate factory for the k5 that they need to sacrifice space and personel for ,or if they just refit the machines with the old tooling in the same factory as all the other kx's. I know I won't be buying a newer k-5 if there is any indication that the parts availiability is gonna go for  s h i t  in the up -coming years.
  What about KTM mxc, they sell 2 and 4 strokes. Take your pick.
 Why don't Kawasaki build the 500 in the 450 chassis, and dominate everything for a lower $$  
   kinda contradicts my thoughts earliar in this post.

[gowen]

I know I won't be buying a newer k-5 if there is any indication that the parts availiability is gonna go for  s h i t  in the up -coming years.

I really doubt that they will quit producing parts, as most dealers make money off selling parts and service. The CR500 engine is still being produced and parts are still being made from Honda. But, kawasaki is known to drop parts quick, but 10 years being quick, not 2 or 3.

[Fookeneh]

After market stuff like plastic might become a problem ??  Does the after market pricing increase when a bike is no longer made? It would then become a low -selling item.   I have a 94k5 and I love it in the tight twisty trails, my buddy uses balance on his kdx 220 to get through, I use the k-5 motor .   I'm not a brand whore ,so maybey I will keep my k-5 for special trips and buy a KTM 300 mxc 2-stroke for a trail bike. It would really suck being disappointed with a $10,000 ( canadian) purchase. Are there any un-biased opinions on the 300 here?

[mikesmith]

I was thinking of making the KX250 into the the 327 (or what ever it is ) big bore that RPM does when the time comes.I hear the KTM300 is a great bike.Not that Im doubting Destry,Brian Brown or any of the Team Kawasaki riders,but if they get beat buy somebody thats still on a KX500 hows that going to help the KX450F look better?