THE BACK END | 2015 KX85 V 1983 KX80 KIDS’ COMPARO
- VForce reeds help power delivery
- Easy air filter access
- State-of-the-art drum brake
- Aaron Meyer did an awesome resto
1983 KX80 into the corners. And for a
little person like me that’s a little hard. The
2015 model is easier to keep on an angle
in the corner than the 1983.
ADB: What about those old-skool brakes?
CB: The drum brakes on the old model are
terrible. It feels like there are no brakes.
Thegears are the only things that stop you.
You just have to adjust your riding style and
brake earlier. You just can’t come into the
corner as fast. When I hopped straight back
on to my bike I jumped on the front brake
and nearly went over the ’bar. But that’s
just technology these days.
ADB: So could you race the 1983 KX80
andbe competitive?
CB: IfI had it set up I definitely could race
one and be competitive because they are
fast and fun. Even with the brakes and
suspension I’d be happy to race it stock
just because everyone would be talking
about it when you wheel it up to the gate.
How cool would it be to see a bike like
this win a race and sitting up there against
bikes that were just bought out of the box.
This is a 19-something model bike, you
know. It’s really old!
ADB: How does it make you feel towards
oldblokes and how hard it was for them to
ride bikes from back in the day?
CB: Dad’s been talking about the 1983
KX80 for weeks and about how much fun it
was and how he used to do massive jumps.
And I just thought, “oh yeah all right cool,
whatever, I don’t really care, Dad”. But
after having ridden both bikes I definitely
have a little more respect for what they had
to ride. It wasn’t all talk. Once you get used
to it it gets easier but when you first hop on
it it is hard to ride.
ADB:Well there you have it, kids. While
Cam admitted the 1983 KX80 was a little
tougher to ride than the 2015 KX85, it
certainly wasn’t impossible and he'd even
be happy to race one. The 1983 KX80 has
an engine, suspension and ergo package to
rival the latest model 85s, just don’t plan
on stopping the thing!
12
34
DAD’S BEEN
TALKING
ABOUT THE
1983 KX80
FOR WEEKS
AND ABOUT
HOW MUCH
FUN IT WAS
150 | APRIL 2016 http://www.adbmag.com.au