Karel's bike didn't feel modern, either. But this test showed that's not entirely a bad thing. Danny LaPorte was able to rail on it.
3000 Reasons
1989 Kawasaki KX285
One for the Money
Story by Karel Kramer
Photos by Drew Ruiz and Karel Kramer
As the final part of the 3K bike story, we were asked what we learned from the project, and what we would do differently. Apparently I never learn, since I wouldn't do much differently. The important aspect of buying a used bike is not to buy a junker. I picked this bike for a variety of reasons. One, I have a mortgage, a wife and two teenage daughters, so cash to buy motorcycles when I already have a couple in the garage is hard to explain to even my extremely understanding wife. I'm picky about riding position and suspension set-up, so I'd be making some mods if the bike was brand new, so I needed to have room in the budget for those items as well. A 250cc two-stroke is a pretty great bike even going back a few years. Normally, I wouldn't have gotten a bike so old, since parts and accessories get rare. But the '89 KX250 shares a chassis with all KX500s right up to 2004, so aftermarket support is strong and parts are available. Even though the bike wasn't pretty, it had seen regular mechanical care as evidenced by the nickel-plated frame and new kick start lever. A thrasher would just leave the floppy lever. Only a pretty serious rider buys a new one unless it falls off.
Having this old bike as my only ride would be a step down from the brand-new test bikes I pilot now, but it is a solid, comfortable and plushly suspended off-roader. Not bad for $1600. Even with a full engine rebuild, the total will be under $2000. And all of the common wear items like tires, brake rotors and pads, chain and sprockets and controls are brand new. The bike benefits from modern technology as well. The Sunline handlebar radically cuts the vibration reaching my hands, so in ways the bike feels better than it did new. I'd like to keep an eye on eBay for some later-model brakes, and give the engine a freshening, but this is a fine off-road bike for the money.
The bike doesn't look very modern when it's just sitting there. It's clean, sure, but not modern. | 
Long rides are comfortable on the forgiving, 'soft' bike. | 
The conventional forks give up in accuracy, but Danny LaPorte felt they were amazing on small, sharp edged bumps. |
You give to get, and this bike still has some good traits the line hadn't give up yet in the name of progress. | 
Karel knows bringing old brakes back is best with both new pads and new rotors. These old rotors were replaced with new aftermarket ones. | 
What's that hanging below the front axle? Oh, the conventional forks. |
IMS pegs were part of Karel's strategy to make the control surfaces feel fresh and new. These pegs were great upgrades. | 
And to make the off-road-ness of the converted KX complete - a kickstand. | |
Parts and Supplies
1989 Kawasaki KX285 $500
Dunlop D756 front tire $65.88
Dunlop D952 rear tire $59.95
Rocky Mountain MC front rotor $59.99
Rocky Mountain MC front brake pads $17.99
Rocky Mountain Primary Drive chain/sprocket kit $77.26
IMS footpegs $96.00
Kawasaki peg pins $7.82
Kawasaki exhaust gasket $3.75
Kawasaki KX500 clutch perch (used) $10.00
Kawasaki KX500 clutch lever $8.90
Carb vent hoses $3.00
Dicks Racing fork guards $29.95
Race Tech shock seal $9.99
Race Tech shock dust seal $6.29
Race Tech shock bushing $9.99
Race Tech shock bumper $19.19
Maxima shock oil $12.12
Guts seat foam $54.90
Sunline OSX bar $89.95
Sunline grips $9.95
Sunline bar mounts $79.95
Sunline front brake lever $9.95
FMF pipe $195.00
FMF turbine core S/A $119.95
Pro Moto Billet kickstand $149.95
Factory Effex black backgrounds $14.95
Factory Effex white numbers $3.49
Shock Sox $24.95
Total $1632.06