Ken Roczen Said in1994 Kawasaki kx 80 was my first race two stroke when I was a kid. To find both a big wheel and regular that have never been started or had fuel is pretty unreal…….Read more
In the world of motocross, few names resonate with as much respect and admiration as Ken Roczen. A two-time AMA motocross champion and one of the most exciting talents the sport has ever seen, Roczen’s passion for riding began long before his professional career took off. In a recent interview, he shared a nostalgic look back at the bike that started it all for him—the 1994 Kawasaki KX80. The German-born rider described it not just as his first race two-stroke, but as a symbol of his early love for the sport. What’s even more astonishing is that Roczen recently came across not one, but two pristine 1994 KX80s—one big wheel and one regular—that have never been started or even fueled. For Roczen, the discovery is nothing short of unbelievable.
“I still remember the feeling of racing that bike as a kid,” Roczen said, reflecting on his childhood in Mattstedt, Germany. “It was my first real taste of two-stroke power. The sound, the smell, the whole experience—it just lit something in me. To find both a big wheel and a regular model from ’94, in factory-fresh condition, is pretty unreal. It’s like finding a time capsule from the very beginning of my racing life.” The 1994 KX80 was a staple of youth motocross in the ‘90s—a lightweight, high-revving machine built for young riders looking to get serious. For Roczen, it wasn’t just a bike; it was the gateway to a lifetime of racing.
The discovery happened through a collector in the Midwest who had stored a large inventory of vintage motocross bikes in a temperature-controlled facility. “They were basically museum pieces,” Roczen explained. “Still had the original tires, never even had fuel in the tank. The plastics looked brand new, and the graphics hadn’t faded one bit. It blew my mind.” For a rider like Roczen, who’s spent his career tearing up tracks at breakneck speeds, there was something surreal about seeing a piece of his childhood preserved in such perfect condition.
While Roczen has ridden and raced the most advanced dirt bikes in the world—from Honda CRFs to Suzuki RM-Zs and everything in between—he says there’s something magical about those early machines. “You didn’t think about suspension settings or ECU tuning back then. You just twisted the throttle and held on,” he said with a grin. “The KX80 was raw. It forced you to learn throttle control, balance, and reading the track. It taught me the basics that I still use every time I ride, even today.” He also credits the simplicity of those bikes with teaching young riders the mechanical side of motocross—how to mix fuel, change jets, and do their own maintenance.
The emotional connection to the bikes was so strong that Roczen decided to purchase both of them. “I didn’t even hesitate. I had to have them. Not just for the memories, but for my son to see someday,” he said. Roczen, now a father, says he hopes to share the story of his motocross beginnings with the next generation. “Maybe one day he’ll sit on one of those bikes and I can tell him, ‘This is where it all started for me.’” Though he’s not planning to ride them—“I couldn’t bring myself to put gas in them after all these years”—he’s already got plans to display them in a glass case in his garage.
For fans and collectors alike, the existence of two untouched 1994 KX80s is enough to spark envy and awe. For Roczen, though, it’s something deeper. It’s a reminder of the journey—from a wide-eyed kid with a dream to one of the world’s most elite motocross riders. “It brings me full circle,” he said. “Those bikes represent the beginning of a life that’s given me so much. Championships, fans, injuries, comebacks—all of it started with a green two-stroke in the mid-‘90s.” And now, nearly three decades later, that green machine is back in his hands—untouched, unstarted, and unforgettable.
