The initially air-cooled Kawasaki KX500 was dedicated to competition in 500cc and Open-Class motocross. At the time of its release, several machines of this displacement were already produced in this category by Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and the class-leading Maico.

Kawasaki developed the bike in the 80s. The addition of liquid cooling in 1985, a new frame with improved suspension in 1987, engine upgrades in 1988, and inverted forks in 1990 highlight these improvements.

Kawasaki will take many years to produce a competitive machine, and when it finally does, the KX500 will be found winning in events it was not originally designed for.

In 1989 Kawasaki won its first National MX Championship on a KX500, then in 1990 and 1992 before the series was discontinued at the end of the 1993 season. But that wouldn't be the end of the KX500 racing legacy. .

Beginning in 1992, the KX500 took victory in every US Desert Championship race until 1995 and continued to win the National Desert Championship every year until 2001. It further cemented its legendary dominance in desert races being the winning motorcycle of the Baja 1000 from 1988 until 1996.