Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

.shorter brake line is made possible by a new-design front number plate that has a shape similar to the Yamaha Y~'s. PRINCE'S RIDE Our first ride aboard the new KX came at the infamous Carlsbad Raceway and we immediately fell in love with the KX on the hard-packed, dry, slippery course. Though small, the changes made to the KX's motor reaped a world of benefits. The KX has a great spread of power that starts down low and pulls well into the upper rpm range. Gone is the .abrupt hit, and in it's place is a smooth transition between low-end and midrange power. Bursts of uncontrollable power arid subsequent wheel spin are a thing of the past - the new KX250 is a tractor. Unlike last year, the KX can . be chugged around the track in a high gear just as effectively as it can be revved out on the pipe. We preferred the former, as it was easier to maintain traction when the bike was in the lower rpm range. Though Carlsbad is known best for its frame-breaking potholes and square edges, the track felt no rougher than the Costa Mesa Speedway course when we were on the KX. We loved the new Kayaba fork, especially on the famous Carlsbad Freeway and the subsequent downhill. Drop-away jumps that used to strike fear into the hearts of our testers were suddenly no problem. The . KX front end craves slap-down landings. Eveh the hardest landings are gobbled up with ease. The rear end works equally as well, absorbing bumps, curbs and landing with equal poise. ever did the KX swap or shake it's head. Our next ride on the green and purple machin~ came at Rainbow II MX Park. Though the majority of the track is natural terrain, there are several stadium-type obstacles, including a supereross whoop section and a third-gear quad jump. Here, the KX drew mixed reviews. When the track was smooth early in the day, the bike worked just as it had at Carlsbad - perfectly. But at the end of the day when the course roughened up, it became apparent that the forks were much too soft. The landing areas following the jump all developed potholes, and the forks would emit a clanking sound with almost every landing. We tried going in on the compression adjusters and eventually ended up with the lKicker set on three, but such an extreme setting only yielded a harsh ride in the smaller bumps. A stiffer set of fork springs is a must for heavier riders. Even with the soft front end, however, the KX still continued to shine in several other portions of the track - namely the whoop sections. Rainbow boasts two long sets of whoops, one is stadium tyle, and the other is a natural set of rolling whoops with a square edge or two thrown in for good measure. In the stadium-style whoops, the KX stayed extremely level and did nothing but inspire confidence. Riders could jump three and four into the section and never worry about the front end diving or the rear end kicking. In the natural whoop section, the KX was equally as confidence inspiring. A wheelie could be carried through the majority of the bumps, and the occasional front-wheel touchdown was not a scary occurrence. Even the square edges were soaked up with ease. St.mvest Supercross Park and Castaic MX Park are two stadium-style courses that we also visited with the KX. In stock condition, we felt that the bike was without a doubt undersprung and undervalved for such conditions. Only (Left) The Kayaba46mm inverted forks offer an incredible ride on hardpacked courses, but may be too soft for many riders In supercross or sandy conditions. (Below) The KX250 looks the same as last year's In a black and white photo, but In person, the purple and green machine is shocking. machine. It's also the tallest-feeling, and the seat takes some getting used t because of it's love-seat-inspired hape. The KX is the onl y bike to boast hand holes under the seat, and is also the easiest bike to get on a stand. Oddly enough, it's also the hardest to keep still on a stand, as the odd-shaped undercarriage and high ground clearance make it almost impossible to get both wheels off the ground with a normal'stand. If you think that the new, purple plastic looks bad on the showroom . floor, wait until you get roosted a few weekends in a row - the fork guards get a hazy white surface, and the radiator shrouds just look plain beat. Luckily, Berg Racing - one of Team Kawasaki's official sponsors - makes a trick set of carbon-fiber fork guards that can replace the peppered purple units. Does it sound like we're making too big a deal about the KX's new look? Maybe so. Perhaps it's because aside from the softly sprung front forks, there's little else to complain about when it comes to the 1996 Kawasaki KX250. A great motor; almost-perfect suspension, super handling and Hondaesque braking performance make the newest ICX250 a winner. Ugly or not. L~ (Below) There are no visible changes in the motor department, but Inside, a few minor adjustments equal a whole lot of change. The new KX250 engine puts out an excellent spread of power. While Cycle News believes the foregOing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewers on.ly and should not be relied upon in determining the performance or safety of the vehicle. The reader SilOUld make his or her own investigation. our lightest and most skilled riders were able to cut laps aboard the KX without coaxing a loud clack from the front end. A few weeks later, we again visited the tracks with stiffer O.40-kg springs, and the improvement was remarkable. The stiffer springs not only helped the forks to resist bottoming, but allowed them to ride higher in the plusher portion of the suspension stroke a well. We elected to leave the stock 4.9-kg spring. OTHER STUFF The front brake feel is noticeably improved over past models, as the shorter hydraulic line yields power and modulation that almost rivals a Honda's. Without a doubt, these are the best brakes that a KX has ever come equipped with. As the only machine with a one-piece radiator-shroud I fuel-tank juncture, the KX is the bulkiest-feeling Japanese 250cc

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