1985 KAWASAKI KX125 WORKS REPLICA 

 155-HOUR FRAME-OFF RESTORATION 

 EXCEL GOLD RIMS – DG EXHAUST – KEIHIN PWK 

Investment Quality Museum Piece, Ready to Race

Guys, feast your eyes on this absolutely stunning 1985 Kawasaki KX125 Works Replica, the result of an extraordinary six-month, no-expense-spared frame-up restoration here at Kaplan Cycles.

 This KX125 was completely dismantled down to the bare frame, every nut, bolt, bearing, seal, gasket and mechanical system rebuilt, repainted and or replace with new.

Our work order documents 155 hours of shop labor and $3,232 in parts, representing more than $26,000 in labor and parts at have been invested into this KX125.

After 15 years this is a shop record for a 125, The Most Expensive 125 Restoration to date

That number tells you everything you need to know about the level of attention invested in this machine.

There are very few shops anywhere that would put this amount of time, craftsmanship and money into restoring a vintage 125cc motocross bike. We didn't build it to a price. We built it to be as close to perfect as we could make it.

The result is spectacular.

FRAME-OFF WORKS-INSPIRED RESTORATION

The restoration began January 29 and continued on and off for approximately six months while components were restored, specialty work was completed and hard-to-find parts were sourced.

The motorcycle was completely stripped to the frame.

Rather than duplicate the original silver frame finish, we decided to build what we consider a tasteful Works-inspired resto-mod. The frame was refinished in black and paired with gold Excel rims, a green Renthal rear sprocket, custom Works-replica graphics, polished aluminum components and a DG exhaust system.

The combination absolutely transforms the motorcycle.

It retains the unmistakable appearance of the legendary mid-'80s Kawasaki KX while giving it the exotic appearance of a factory-level Works machine.

The frame itself is in beautiful condition, including the frame rails which were professionally reinforced with rub rails on the bottom. The swingarm is also exceptionally clean and was completely serviced during the restoration.

COMPLETE ENGINE REBUILD & PERFORMANCE UPGRADES

The engine was removed and completely gone through.

The cylinder was bored 1mm oversize and fitted with a Wiseco piston and rings.

Engine work and new components include:

• New Wiseco piston
• New piston rings
• Cylinder bored 1mm oversize
• New base gasket
• New head gasket
• Cylinder/head decarbonized
• New aluminum intake
• New intake boot from carburetor to engine
• New intake boot from airbox to carburetor
• New spark plug
• New engine hardware kit
• New shifter and shifter rubber
• New radiator hoses
• New Maxima coolant
• New Bel-Ray 80-weight transmission oil
• Brand-new HPI ignition system
• The engine cases, cylinder and related components were refinished beautifully during the restoration.

Virtually every external fastener on the engine was replaced. The original Kawasaki engine mounts were retained, vapor honed, cleaned and reinstalled.

The finished engine looks outstanding.

Brand-new genuine 36mm Keihin PWK Air Striker carburetor sourced through distribution.

This is not an inexpensive reproduction or offshore clone.

The carburetor alone had an MSRP of approximately $422, and the new HPI ignition was another approximately $200, putting more than $600 into those two components alone.

Additional intake and fuel-system work includes:

• New carburetor drain hoses
• New fuel petcock
• New fuel lines
• New intake boots
• New air filter
• Restored original fuel tank
• Restored original gas cap
• New tank vent/drain hose

The original fuel tank required approximately eight hours of restoration work by itself. Restoring an original vintage motocross tank properly takes tremendous patience, and this one came out beautifully.

DG EXHAUST SYSTEM

The stock exhaust system was upgraded with a beautiful new DG expansion chamber and DG silencer.

Combined with the fresh engine, genuine Keihin PWK carburetor and HPI ignition, the bike sounds crisp and runs exactly the way a properly sorted KX125 should.

FULLY REBUILT GOLD EXCEL WHEELS

One of the visual centerpieces of this restoration is the custom-built gold wheel set.

There was no simple bolt-on set available for this vintage KX125, so the rims had to be professionally drilled by Buchanan's specifically for this application. The specialty rim drilling alone cost approximately $319.

Both wheel assemblies were completely dismantled.

The hubs were stripped, blasted and refinished before being rebuilt with new bearings, spokes, nipples, rim strips, tubes and tires.

FRONT WHEEL

• Gold Excel rim
• Custom-drilled for this KX125
• Restored original hub
• New heavy-duty spokes
• New spoke nipples
• New wheel bearings
• New rim strip
• New tube
• New Dunlop front tire
• New stainless-steel rotor hardware

REAR WHEEL

• Gold Excel rim
• Custom-drilled for this KX125
• Restored original hub
• New spokes
• New nipples
• New wheel bearings
• New rim strip
• New tube
• New Dunlop rear tire
• New green Renthal rear sprocket
• New Renthal sprocket hardware
• New gold drive chain

The gold wheels against the black frame and Kawasaki green bodywork give this motorcycle a true Works-bike appearance.

COMPLETELY REBUILT SUSPENSION & CHASSIS

The suspension and chassis received the same attention as the engine.

The front forks were completely rebuilt.

The fork lowers were professionally polished and look absolutely spectacular. The original fork chrome remains in excellent condition.

Fork and front-end restoration includes:

• Complete fork rebuild
• New fork seals
• New fork dust covers
• New fork oil
• Brand-new fork caps
• Professionally polished fork lowers
• Restored upper triple clamp
• Restored lower triple clamp
• Triple clamps vapor honed, polished and clear coated
• Steering-head bearings serviced
• New hardware throughout

The rear suspension and swingarm were also completely serviced.

New or restored components include:

• New swingarm bearings
• New shock bearings
• New upper shock bushing
• New lower shock bushing
• Rebuilt shock linkage
• Restored linkage components
• New shock bumper
• New shock protector
• New chain slider
• New upper chain roller
• New lower chain roller
• New chain guide
• New chain/sprocket cover
• New hardware throughout

Look underneath this motorcycle and you'll understand the quality of the restoration. The linkage, swingarm, reinforced frame rails and hardware look exceptional.

COMPLETE FRONT BRAKE RESTORATION

The front braking system was completely gone through.

The master cylinder was rebuilt and the caliper received a comprehensive restoration including a new piston and new brake pads.

• Rebuilt front master cylinder
• Rebuilt front brake caliper
• New caliper piston
• New front brake pads
• Refinished brake components
• New braided stainless-steel front brake line
• New front brake-line guide
• New brake-line mounting hardware
• New brake lever
• New stainless rotor hardware

The rear brake hardware was also serviced, including a new spring and adjustment hardware.

NEW NIGHTMARE RACING PLASTICS

A major part of making a vintage motocross restoration look correct is sourcing quality bodywork.

Thanks to Nightmare Racing, this KX received a beautiful set of reproduction plastics that look absolutely fantastic.

New bodywork includes:

• Front fender
• Rear fender
• Front number plate
• Side number plates
• Radiator shrouds

The original airbox cover was preserved because it remains in remarkable condition.

It is not painted.

That is its original finish, and anyone familiar with vintage motocross machines knows how unusual it is to find an original airbox component that hasn't been deeply scratched, gouged or destroyed after decades of use.

CUSTOM WORKS-REPLICA GRAPHICS

The graphics were produced by Staiger Designs and were specifically created to give this motorcycle the correct Works-replica appearance.

The graphics were carefully matched to the design and complement the black frame, green Kawasaki bodywork, gold wheels and green Renthal sprocket perfectly.

NEW COCKPIT & CONTROLS

Up front you'll find:

• New Renthal handlebars
• New Factory Effex Kawasaki crossbar pad
• New ODI grips
• New kill switch
• New clutch lever
• New brake lever and perch
• New Rebuilt master cylinder
• New braided stainless brake line
• New fork caps
• Restored triple clamps
• New hardware throughout

Again, the attention to detail is evident everywhere you look.

RESTORED COOLING SYSTEM

The original radiators were retained because they are in remarkably good physical condition.

Vintage motocross radiators are usually heavily damaged. These were exceptionally straight.

They were refinished and reinstalled along with:

• New radiator hoses
• New radiator cap
• Fresh Maxima coolant
• Serviced water-pump system
• New associated hardware

NEW SEAT

The seat was rebuilt with:

• New seat foam
• New seat cover

Combined with the restored tank, new plastics and custom graphics, the entire machine presents essentially as new.

APPROXIMATELY 155 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL LABOR

This may be the single most important aspect of the motorcycle.

Our restoration work order is five pages long.

The documented labor totals 155 hours.

At our current $150-per-hour shop labor rate, that represents:

$23,250 in labor alone.

Add approximately:

$3,232 in parts

and the documented restoration represents approximately:

$26,482 in labor and parts.

That doesn't mean we're expecting this motorcycle to necessarily set a world record at auction and sell for $26,500. 

It illustrates what it actually takes to build a vintage motocross motorcycle to this standard by a Pro Shop with real overhead that does not cut corners.

The reality is that there are very few professional shops that could economically justify spending approximately 155 hours restoring a KX125.

We did it because we wanted to see just how good we could make it.

BUILT WITHOUT COMPROMISE

Our A-tech Lee Mac performed the overwhelming majority of the restoration, with assistance from our detail department and the rest of the Kaplan Cycles team.

I was involved throughout the approximately six-month process, helping source components, making decisions on the build and overseeing the finished product.

There were no shortcuts.

When the correct wheels weren't available, we had the rims professionally drilled.

When the old carburetor could have been rebuilt, we bought a genuine new Keihin PWK Air Striker.

When bearings were questionable, they were replaced.

When hardware didn't meet the standard of the build, new hardware went in.

When aluminum needed restoration, it was vapor honed or polished.

When components needed refinishing, they were refinished properly.

That's why there are 155 hours invested in this motorcycle.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT

The result is one of the most spectacular vintage KX125s we've ever completed.

It looks like a brand-new motorcycle.

It runs like a brand-new motorcycle.

And everywhere you look, from the polished fork lowers and restored triple clamps to the gold Excel wheels, fresh hardware, professionally reinforced frame rails, rebuilt suspension linkage and beautifully finished engine, the level of craftsmanship is obvious.

This is the type of motorcycle you could proudly display in a serious vintage motocross collection, put on display in a dealership or museum, take to a vintage motorcycle show, or simply park somewhere you can walk past it every morning and remember why you fell in love with motorcycles in the first place.

If you had a KX125 when you were young, raced one, wanted one or simply grew up dreaming about the factory Works motorcycles of this era, this is the kind of machine that can take you right back.

It is rolling mechanical artwork.

RESTORATION HIGHLIGHTS

• 155 hours documented professional labor
• Approximately $3,232 in new parts
• Complete frame-up restoration
• Works-inspired resto-mod appearance
• Black refinished frame
• Gold Excel rims
• Buchanan's custom rim drilling
• Green Renthal rear sprocket
• Gold drive chain
• Complete engine rebuild
• Cylinder bored 1mm oversize
• New Wiseco piston and rings
• New gaskets
• New reed valves
• New aluminum intake
• Genuine new 36mm Keihin PWK Air Striker carburetor
• Brand-new HPI ignition
• New DG expansion chamber
• New DG silencer
• Rebuilt front forks
• Professionally polished fork lowers
• Restored triple clamps
• New steering/suspension bearings as required
• Rebuilt suspension linkage
• New swingarm bearings
• Rebuilt front brake system
• New braided stainless front brake line
• New Dunlop tires
• New wheel bearings
• New heavy-duty spokes
• New plastics from Nightmare Racing
• Custom Steiger Designs Works-replica graphics
• New Renthal handlebars
• New ODI grips
• New controls
• New seat foam and cover
• Professionally restored original fuel tank
• Original airbox cover preserved in exceptional condition
• Restored original radiators
• New radiator hoses and cap
• New fuel petcock and fuel lines
• Extensive new hardware throughout
• Five-page restoration work order

There may even be a few items we've forgotten to list. That's how extensive this restoration was.

Everything that needed attention was addressed.

For the serious Kawasaki collector, vintage motocross enthusiast or former KX racer looking for an extraordinary example, opportunities like this simply do not come along very often.

1985 Kawasaki KX125 Works Replica. Approximately 155 hours invested. Six months in the making. Built without compromise.

Good luck bidding.

Or call Jr today at 860-471-0192 and Buy It Now

THIS WAS A LABOR OF LOVE

There is another part of this build that is important to understand.

At our normal shop rate, we would be much better off spending these approximately 155 hours doing customer service work and billing every hour. From a purely financial standpoint, projects like this don't make sense.

But that's not why we build them.

We have a staff of more than 30 people here, and at any given time I usually have a dozen or so personal “pet projects” moving through the shop. These are the motorcycles you guys have come to know us for—the killer CR500s, CR250s, KX125s, KX250s, KX500s and other special machines that we believe deserve to be saved and built properly.

I don't care if we lose money on some of them.

They're a labor of love.

That same philosophy went into creating the New England Motorcycle Museum and restoring this historic mill complex. We have invested more than $8 million restoring this building, the surrounding buildings and the property, knowing full well that some investments are not made because you're ever going to get every dollar back.

You do them because they matter.

I approach these motorcycles the same way.

The attention to detail we put into restoring these historic buildings is the same attention to detail I want our team putting into every special motorcycle project. It's not about finding the quickest or cheapest way through the job. It's about saving another great motorcycle and seeing how good we can make it.

If we cover our expenses, save another significant machine, give our team a project they can be proud of and put another motorcycle out there that may be among the finest examples of its type, that's good enough for me.

I'm 61 years old. None of us gets to do this forever.

At some point in life, you've got to reward yourself by doing things you're passionate about and building things that make you proud.

The only bad part is that I don't get to keep all of them.

But I do get to build them. I get to film them. I get to watch the videos afterward, read your comments and see the enjoyment these motorcycles bring to people all over the world.

I've spent the last 15 years doing this, and I plan on spending the rest of my life doing it.

Today we are also a major new-motorcycle dealership representing brands including Ducati, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, GasGas, Stark, Buell and Benelli. We have plenty of motorcycles to sell. We don't need to take on restorations like this to keep the doors open.

We do them because we love motorcycles.

We love preserving the history.

We love the challenge of taking an old race bike completely apart and bringing it back better than we found it.

We love watching our team step back when the project is finally finished and realize what they created.

And I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction knowing that the next caretaker of this KX125 is receiving something that would be extremely difficult—and extraordinarily expensive—to duplicate.

So, no, this motorcycle may never sell for what we have invested in it.

That's okay.

I built it for me.

And when it sells, in a very real way, it's a gift to whoever becomes its next caretaker.

Thank you all for watching, for following what we do and for supporting our passion for these incredible motorcycles.

Love you all, and God bless America.

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WHY SHOULD YOU BUY FROM KAPLAN? WHAT DO YOU GET?

“You are buying from the Kaplan Cycles Family. We are not just another big auction house. We are family-owned and operated and have been buying, servicing, and selling motorcycles since 1975. You will work directly with Ken Jr., Ken Sr., and/or one of the 30+ experts on our team. We provide museum-quality, white-glove concierge service from start to finish. Every motorcycle we sell is inspected, serviced, and supported by our team, and we stand behind it after the sale. You’re not on your own — we back what we build and what we sell.

With over 17,000 units sold and still 100% positive feedback, we are the best stress-free buying experience you can have. From the first call to delivery at your door, we will handle it all — because vintage motorcycles deserve support, and so do you.

With every bike we curate you get:
• museum-level inspection & preservation services
• every machine is professionally evaluated, serviced, & rotisserie detailed
• all critical systems are checked, adjusted, or renewed
• you get professional setup, tuning, and delivery prep
• done by the best experts in the industry — we ride and restore every day
• you get post-sale phone support
• you get white-glove, insured, always-enclosed shipping to your door anywhere in the country

You’re buying from Kaplan Cycles at the New England Motorcycle Museum, one of the largest vintage motorcycle collections in North America. Free museum tours and tickets are included with every bike sold. With every bike you purchase, a portion of the proceeds is used to support, continue, and improve the 501(c)(3) nonprofit New England Motorcycle Museum.

You don’t just win an auction — YOU are creating & helping to preserve motorcycle history, and you become part of our family, a Kaplan Cycles client for life.

We do not take new clients off the street.
We do not service bikes purchased elsewhere.
We only take new exclusive clients who purchase a motorcycle from us.

You get a guided purchase experience with, and from, the experts who care about the bike as much as you do. If there’s a problem, you don’t get ghosted. You call us — you will have our cell phone numbers — we will answer your call on weekends, and we will help make it right.

Auction platforms = listing only. No support. No accountability.

Kaplan Cycles = we stand behind what we sell.

You are buying museum-curated provenance. That means:
• expert evaluation
• documented condition
• professional presentation
• long-term preservation mindset

You’re not just buying a motorcycle — you’re buying a curated piece of motorcycling history.

From the #1 family in this business — Kaplan Cycles & the New England Motorcycle Museum.

Sincerely,

Ken Kaplan Sr.
12/28/2025”

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AUCTION TERMS:

All motorcycles & vehicles are sold as-is where-is.

Kaplan Cycles guarantees all motorcycles are as-described. Please read the entire description and watch the entire video before bidding.

A non-refundable deposit is due immediately on purchase. PayPal or Credit Card is accepted for the deposit.

Cash (In-Person), Card (+3% fee), or Wire Transfer are our only accepted forms of final payment.

Full payment must be made within 7 days of auction close.

Your motorcycle must be picked up within 30 days of auction close. 

Exceptions are made only for international buyers OR buyers who have ALREADY made transport arrangements with a third party.

If a motorcycle is purchased and left here for longer than 30 days without written permission from Kaplan Cycles it will be resold. In the case of a re-sale, the owner will be entitled to a refund less storage fees ($25/ day beginning 30 days from auction close) ONLY if the motorcycle was paid in full on-time within the auction terms.

We always describe our motorcycles as accurately as possible.

You are purchasing a classic motorcycle. Even in cases where a bike may be in good running/ operating condition, new problems & idiosyncrasies can arise over-time from sitting or regular use.

If you have an issue with the motorcycle you’ve received, contact us within 24 hours of delivery and before leaving feedback so that we can address your concerns.

It is important you have at least a basic mechanical knowledge before purchasing and operating a classic motorcycle.

Due to our backlog, we cannot perform any additional service work or modifications on your motorcycle after the sale (ie; adding a light kit, different tires, etc.)

We respond quickly between the hours of 9am and 5pm EST, Monday - Friday

For our fastest service please call Ken Kaplan Jr directly at 860-471-0192

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We will not charge out-of-state buyers sales tax.
Out of state residents will pay sales tax with their DMV. 

We are not a registering dealership. You will receive only the documents required to register your vehicle in your state.

In our listings, title status is always listed directly below the main description.

In some cases we will sell motorcycles without title or registration. In these cases we guarantee all motorcycles sold are free and clear. We will always provide a route to obtaining title. Generally in these cases, the motorcycle will be sold at a discount to accommodate expenses involved.

Documents are mailed via USPS priority mail with a tracking number. Please allow up to 14 days after payment in full for your documents to be processed and mailed.

Keys will be shipped with the motorcycle.

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Warranty:

All Motorcycles sold "as is, where is" and Kaplan Cycles does not warranty any motorcycle sold. No express warranty and/or implied warranty are made by Kaplan Cycles. No statements by us give an implied warranty.

SHIPPING:

SEND US YOUR ZIP FOR A SHIPPING QUOTE!
WE WILL MAKE ALL ARRANGEMENTS!

We have the best shipping contacts in the nation who will provide the FASTEST transport times, have a perfect track record, and are always insured and ENCLOSED! All motorcycles are shipped WHOLE (roll-on, roll-off). We do not offer a pallet or crate service.

International shipping specialist contacts are available! They will assist in ground freight, customs clearance, and ocean freight to your country. International buyers will be required to work directly with our third party shipping contacts.

We strongly recommend you insure your motorcycle at the time of purchase.

PICKUP:

We require a 24 hour notice prior to pick-up. Please call us at 860-454-7024 during office hours Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm EST.

We will provide ramps, a dock for loading, and assistance to load for free.