This is for KDX fans. There is some interesting history on the KDX400 and its great engine. The KDX400 has to be one of the most under rated bikes of the Evo period. All tests of the period were lavish in their praise of it. It was designed in the USA by Americans and was built in the new Kawasaki factory in Lincoln, Nebraska. The engine was shipped in complete from Japan, as was the swingarm and wheels etc but the tank and plastics were sourced in the USA - which probably explains why the KDX400 plastics did not wear well compared to other Kaw plastic of the same era. It had stump pulling power and could reach almost a hundred miles an hour tapped out.
Brad Lackey joined Kawasaki in late 1978. In his first months with Kawasaki, Brad initially practiced on a twinshock open class works bike which looked like a KX250A5 from a distance, however in common with most works bikes it was actually nothing like an A5, but was powered by a 390cc modified KDX400 engine. This was while waiting for his new works Unitrak to be built and flown in to the USA.
The KDX400 powered twinshock works bike was successful and a second one was used by Gaylon Mosier in the USA. If you look at Brads book - Motocross - techniques training and tactics - there are quite a few photos of him riding it. When the works Unitrak arrived Brad parked the twinshock 390 and it was purchased by Kawasaki UK and shipped to the UK for use by future 3 time world champ Dave Thorpe. Dave Thorpe used it for several months in the UK and did very well. He only stopped riding it when his own works Unitrak arrived in April or May 1979. Both the Mosier 390 and the Lackey/Thorpe 390 still survive to this day. To make the engine more MX orientated Kawasaki changed the pipe, jetting, ported the cylinder and changed the gearing and once installed in a more MX orientated frame and suspension it did the business.
So the humble KDX400 has some history.
