The Kx80 Caper

THE KX80 CAPER

CW PROJECT

MINI-ROADRACER, MAXI FUN

YOU DIVE INTO THE TURN DEEPER THAN COMMON SENSE ALLOWS, ease off the brakes at a ludicrous lean angle. The front end pushes a bit as you head for the apex. With knee skimming the deck, ready to catch the bike should the front wash out, you crack open the throttle, shifting weight off the front to balance traction. Your knee lifts as you brush past the sloped curb at the apex. The rear tire begins to slip, squirming under load as power is dialed on. Halfway out of the corner, upshift into fourth gear, and the front twists into a crossed-up wheelie. You carve the rest of the corner by riding the rear wheel until the front touches down at the very edge of the track.

All in a day’s work for grand prix regulars Kevin Schwantz and Mick Doohan. But short of landing a 500 GP ride, neither you nor I have many chances to learn such high-end riding techniques.

Unless we take up mini-roadracing, that is.

Scale down the track. Scale down the bike. Scale down the cost and inherent risks, and what you’re left with is a fast-paced, action-packed simulation of the Big Time.

Cycle World decided to take the plunge. Although the most common roadrace mini, Yamaha’s YSR50, doesn’t exactly emulate the raw animalistic nature of a YZR500, we’ve built an 80cc motocross hybrid that provides a pretty fair 500 facsimile when ridden hard within the tight confines of a paved go-cart track. The three main ingredients are all present: wicked lean angles, wheelspin and wheel ies.