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The Kawasaki KX250 sees
the biggest improvement
in terms of moving up in the
shootout rankings. Last year,
it rounded out our list in sixth
place, but this time around, the
KX jumps all the way up to third.
We attribute this mainly to its
potent new engine package,
which was heavily emphasized
for this model year.
This generation KX was
already praised for its strong
top end but lacked in the
bottom to mid ranges. Now, the
'23's updated engine results
in a hearty pop off the bottom
and carries a nice transition
through the midrange of the
power. That feeling continues
from the midrange to top-end,
and the bike doesn't require
a bunch of intermittent shifts
to get you from section to
section. Instead, gears two
and three seem much longer
and more usable. All but one
of our test riders opted for
the more-aggressive mapping
coupler because it brought
the motor up to par with the
well-rounded Yamaha. The
high-revving green machine
now has more down low, which
makes it easier to link sections
together or get out of that
tight inside line.
At one point, it looked like
the Kawasaki could take
the whole cake, but small
inconsistencies among our
testers' ability levels dropped
it a few points. The suspension
and chassis were an area of
discussion back in the pits.
The KYB suspension is mostly
unchanged, save for updated
clicker specs. Kawasaki now
recommends 100mm instead
of 105mm of sag out back to
balance out the stiffer front
fork settings. This creates a
stiffer feeling all around, and
while it worked well at the
model introduction earlier
this year, we were a bit weary
of how it would perform on
more wide-open tracks like our
shootout tracks, Glen Helen
Raceway and Cahuilla Creek.
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 49 DECEMBER 6, 2022 P83
THIRD PLACE
THIRD PLACE
THIRD PLACE
THIRD PLACE
THIRD PLACE
THIRD PLACE
KAWASAKI
KX250
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