Words & Pics by: GDubs
Although my motorcycle life started with a 1971 Honda Mini-trail Z50 when I was five years old, it wasn’t until my late twenties that I really jumped into the sport owning a string of KX250s that served me well on the local moto tracks and district 23 woods courses. So, when Kawasaki announced they would be re-entering the off-road game with their KX250 and 450 X models in 2021, it brought a nostalgic smile to my face knowing that Team Green was back.
Earlier this spring, we teamed with partners from our Border Battle XC series, securing a bike from Brothers Motorsports in Baxter, Minnesota, the very same dealership where I had bought my Kawis in the nineties. The goal was to build a race-ready version of the 250X and see just how it measured up to the purpose-built woods bikes that are most prevalent across the GNCC, NEPG and local landscapes.
Before starting the build we spent some time riding the bike straight off the showroom floor. Based closely on the brand’s highly successful line of motocrossers, the X version’s biggest variants are an 18-inch rear wheel, kickstand and minimalist skid plate. Power delivery has been tamed slightly from the moto version while still retaining the 5-speed gearbox.
The KYB suspension is advertised as being “optimized” for cross-country, which usually means soft. But in this case, our test riders who tend to be on the faster, or in my case larger side, thought it performed quite well without going up in spring rate or having to get too carried away with clickers. We ultimately dialed in sag with our invaluable Motool digital sag guage and will be sending the suspension off to Checkpoint Off-Road for final race setup.
In trail cruiser mode the bike is very easy to ride with one of the more planted front-ends we can recall. The bike is also quite comfortable out of the box with a slim feel from the gas cap all the way back and a seat that utilizes above average foam compared to many of today’s offerings. Dunlop Geomax AT81 tires have become the OEM norm for many off-road bikes and while they are not our first choice, they are an adequate starting point for this bike.
With just a few minor adjustments to the controls and the addition of a set of Enduro Engineering composite hand guards and debris deflectors, we would have been comfortable taking the green X straight to the start of any local hare scrambles or enduro.
In terms of engine performance there was a noticeable lag in bottom end throttle response when down shifting or letting off the gas after hard acceleration. This was due to the stock mapping in the bike which is controlled by an interchangeable wire coupler located on the head tube. The X version comes with a black coupler which is intended to soften the initial hit of the motocross-based platform, but it’s a bit too soft. Switching to the green coupler (included) made a huge difference to throttle response and eliminated any questions about power output. To be fair, the black couple might be a good option for a muddy race and the ECU can also be completely custom programmed with Kawasaki’s optional calibration kit.
On the subject of electronics, the 250X comes with Kawasaki’s “launch control” switch on the left side of the handlebars. If it were our personal bike, we would save the weight and take it off immediately. We performed countless simulated dead-engine hare scrambles starts on a variety of surfaces and not once did the bike ever launch in a manner that we thought it needed to be “controlled”. That said, the KX started with one push of the button, without fail, and is more than capable of pulling a holeshot with stock gearing and no launch device.
By the time we started bolting on all of the aftermarket goodness waiting in the wings, we were convinced that this bike is a winner. Again, we are super happy that Kawasaki is making the effort to re-establish the brand in off-road and even if some of the X “features” are more form than function, there is a solid core here to work with.
Initially we thought stock hand guards should have been included, but when you consider most OE deflectors are not great, maybe the decision to leave them off and save buyers a few bucks is better. The plastic skid plate, rear rotor guard and rear caliper guard are all softer plastic but still serve some purpose. At 55, I’m a big fan of kickstands but Kawi did drop the ball here with a heavy bolt-on after thought that sticks out like a harpoon.
Enduro Engineering’s full coverage aluminum skid plate is a perfect match to the contour of the engine cradle and offers substantially more protection than the stock plastic piece.
Guts Racing is not a sponsor of our race series, per se, but we have become particularly fond of their products with multiple foam height and firmness options. Fit and finish are great as well, with it taking about 30 minutes to remove the stock foam and cover and install the upgrade. For the record, the stock seat is not terrible.
We are always experimenting with Nuetech’s TuBliss system and their Nitro Mousse inserts, with this build getting the full mousse treatment inside Hoosier MX25 tires. Nitro Mousses are available in two variations with a 6-8 or 10-12psi feel. It should also be noted that the size of insert can vary for the specific tire you are mounting it in and Nuetech has a very detailed chart to help you make the right match http://nitromousse.com/application-guide/
The 2022 Kawasakis were introduced recently with no real changes to the X models. Our particular bike was sold before it even went back to the dealership, with district 23 standout, Coy Jackson, buying the bike to campaign in his quest to repeat as a Border Battle XC class Champion. Watch for a follow up on his experience with the KX250X later this summer.
Our guest rider on this shoot was district 23 AA racer Vince VanSlyke. Vince is not only a formidable woods racer and Semi-Pro cross-country snowmobile racer, but also a suspension technician by day at FOX shox, bringing great feedback and onsite tuning tips to the test.
Featured Riding Gear:
Klim F5 Koroyd Helmet
Klim Edge Off-Road Goggles
Klim XC Lite Jersey, Pants & Gloves
