Kawasaki AE80

[glen ponder]

Anybody else have one of these beasts back in the day?

Wild to ride, almost too much power

[Dog Star]

I quite liked those back in the day, seen very few in the flesh - however I had a green AR50 which then became an RD125LC on my 17th birthday (paid for myself on my Lloyds Bowmaker loan from my three nights a week after school Tesco job, I might add).

[Tyre Smoke]

Slightly OT, but I never understood the market for 80cc bikes. Apart from block and piston swaps for 50cc bikes of course!

At 16 you could only ride a 50, at 17 up to a 125, so if you were of a certain age, you'd buy an unrestricted 125. Why buy an 80?

[glen ponder]

I bought an 80 because I was clueless

[Pat H]

20 years ago I passed my bike test on a 1985 KE100.

And my first bike as a lad was a 1974 KM90.

Here I am in about 1979 demonstrating:

1. How not to pull a wheelie.
2. 1970s attitudes to safety gear.

I'd quite happily have another twin shock, two stroke 70s Kawasaki traily for pottering down to the pub on.

[hyper jay]

No but I have a white Ar80 .

I always rated the 80cc versions of both they where cheap and went well and trick with the Unitrax mono shock

[TallPaul]

I had an RD80LC when I was 17, reasons being I couldnt afford to buy a 125 and the insurance for under 100cc was half that of a 125. I was skint and it was the cheapest fast-ish thing I could get.

[matrignano]

[Mr_Tickle]

My first bike was a KE100, lots of fun and the smell of 2-strokeness. Felt super fast too, would be funny to ride one nowadays after years of modern 4-stoke bikes.

[CousinDupree]

A friend had a KE50. I had an AR50.

Both were mid seventies bikes really, rather than the late eighties when we had 'em. Still good fun, if basic compared to the MTX and liquid cooled Yams.

[poo at Paul's]

glen ponder said:

Anybody else have one of these beasts back in the day?

Wild to ride, almost too much power

I love it, but compared to a TS, in the day, they look like a big dumpy poo!

[Jazzy Jag]

I had an AR80.

Absolutely mental thing but tragic build quality and reliability.

[hyper jay]

TallPaul said:

I had an RD80LC when I was 17, reasons being I couldnt afford to buy a 125 and the insurance for under 100cc was half that of a 125. I was skint and it was the cheapest fast-ish thing I could get.

RD80sLC,s where the blue ribbon 80cc sports bike !! water cooled and even with a temperature gauge the stuff of dreams .lovely bike I think they where around 900 otr where as the AR was 500 approx.

[hyper jay]

Jazzy Jag said:

I had an AR80.

Absolutely mental thing but tragic build quality and reliability.

They do go well , Cant say I ever heard a comment of AR,s lacking decent build quality . the one I have starts and runs perfectly no matter how long it left in the garage

[CousinDupree]

hyper jay said:

They do go well , Cant say I ever heard a comment of AR,s lacking decent build quality . the one I have starts and runs perfectly no matter how long it left in the garage

Yep, I did about 8k on mine, from new. Zero issues asside from the rust quick black paint in the exhaust. I was offered a replacement under warranty, but just binned it and fitted a micron. These days, stock parts fetch a small fortune.

There were more than one RD80LC model. You don't want the RD125LC based one, that's a bit of a turd.

[hyper jay]

[NS400R]

CousinDupree said:

A friend had a KE50. I had an AR50.

Both were mid seventies bikes really, rather than the late eighties when we had 'em. Still good fun, if basic compared to the MTX and liquid cooled Yams.

I'd agree, the AE was old hat. I had the option of the AE80 or the MTX50R. I went for the 50. Superior in every way. I rebuilt this 80R to remember. Sadly despite being significantly up on power and torque over the 50, it is a bit of a let down these days, but the she is 36 years old.....

[hyper jay]

NS400R said:

I'd agree, the AE was old hat. I had the option of the AE80 or the MTX50R. I went for the 50. Superior in every way. I rebuilt this 80R to remember. Sadly despite being significantly up on power and torque over the 50, it is a bit of a let down these days, but the she is 36 years old.....

Lovely MTX I always liked them especially the 80 ..And the are very rare even new

[Jazzy Jag]

hyper jay said:

NS400R said:

I'd agree, the AE was old hat. I had the option of the AE80 or the MTX50R. I went for the 50. Superior in every way. I rebuilt this 80R to remember. Sadly despite being significantly up on power and torque over the 50, it is a bit of a let down these days, but the she is 36 years old.....

Lovely MTX I always liked them especially the 80 ..And the are very rare even new

Back in the day, a mate had an MTX200.

That was rare and mad as a box of frogs.

Font wheel had a passing acquaintance with the road but they seldom met.

[NS400R]

Jazzy Jag said:

Back in the day, a mate had an MTX200.

That was rare and mad as a box of frogs.

Font wheel had a passing acquaintance with the road but they seldom met.

I had an MTX200 from new for. A couple of years. I spent a week on the Drakensberg with it. Sani Pass between South Africa and Lesotho was really good fun.