The Kawasaki KX250F has seen a lot of success in motocross and supercross series around the world. In the hands of US Pro Circuit boss Mitch Payton and his team it has clinched 16 AMA Motocross and Supercross championships.
But putting professional racing aside, the quarter-litre machine from Kawasaki is a solid choice for any level of rider, from C-grade to A-grade motocrossers or weekend warriors who occasionally hit the track. To understand why it’s a great choice, we highlight five favourite qualities of the KX250F:
1. The Kawasaki KX250F feels thin. It doesn’t feel too wide between your legs and that makes it easier for a smaller rider to grip the bike. That can be a big advantage in a long moto when your legs will get sore from squeezing the bike.
2. Stock set-up includes a Launch Control Mode, which retards the ignition to improve traction off the start. For bigger riders the Launch Control isn’t a huge advantage but smaller riders who spin up the rear tyre off the start will benefit, especially on concrete starts.
3. The tried and tested engine of the KX250F is one of the best on the market. Its top-end power continues to impress and the second injector really helps the engine pull strong the entire way through the rev range.
4. From a mechanical perspective we like the fact Kawasaki has resisted the movement to air springs, despite the alleged benefits. The fork on the KX250F is still a Separate Function Fork with the spring in the right tube and the damping assembly in the left. It’s easy to use, you can adjust the spring preload with a single nut on the top of the tube and you don’t have to mess around with air pressure.
5. Kawasaki has made it easy to adjust the power delivery of the KX-F to suit any rider on any track. There are three DFI couplers that you simply plug in to the bike; Soft (white), Standard (green), and Hard (black). Plus, each map can be programmed using the optional KX FI Calibration Kit.
