SHOOTOUT I 2024 250CC FOUR-STROKE MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
P84
handlebar and peg positions. The
wide feeling footpegs aided in overall
rider comfort. Kawasaki again opted
for the hydraulic Nissin clutch and
brake components, which work well
in real-world conditions. Most riders
seem split between favoring a cable or
hydro clutch, but no one nagged the
Kawasaki for its components. The vul-
canized grips and slim levers are still
as much of a weak point and the only
real downside to the Kawi's cockpit.
Two of the three Japanese bikes
find themselves towards the tail end
of the field for nearly the same rea-
son. Like the Honda, the Kawasaki is
outright too stiff. The harsh feeling
from the fork and rigid chassis makes
this bike hard to ride if the conditions
aren't just right. Again, the overly
stiff fork puts force into the rider's
hands as you bounce your way
through the late-day braking bumps.
This made it hard to keep the bike
straight and often stood the KX up in
bumpy corners. The nervous front end
is hard to get settled, and maneuver-
ing this rigid character wears the rider
out faster than the other bikes.
While the KX's engine alone could
easily win our shootout, it's held back
by an overly stiff chassis and harsh
suspension setup. Our riders were expel-
ling more energy on this bike while also
being scared to trust it when the condi-
tions weren't ideal. This bike ranked
as high as third for one tester who still
agreed on the harshness issues.
