Cycle News

Cycle News 2024 Issue 50 December 17

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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VOLUME ISSUE DECEMBER , P121 > The seventh-, sixth- and fifth-place bikes all found themselves in a close grouping. The Kawasaki, however, gets shuffled back to seventh. The KX250 is an all-new bike for 2025, and while it's ranked lower than expected in our comparison, there is still a lot we like about this bike. The new chassis and new Showa suspension work in harmony. The bike feels much more com- fortable and easier to ride over a longer period than the 2024 KX. The frame and chassis make you and the bike feel at one with the ground, and the bike is very predictable. It goes where it's pointed. It requires little to no effort to make it lean in for the corners, and it stays planted in the ruts. The fork and shock are also much more compliant and do a good job of soaking up the bumps rather than simply bouncing off them. Another plus is the electron- ics. Finally, the Kawasaki has a handlebar-mounted switch with two programmable maps, and they are simple to use. Kawa- saki's Rideology phone app also allows you to tune the bike or change maps. The stock map is good, but more experienced riders will quickly break out their phones and come up with a more aggressive setting. At this point, you might be wondering why we rated the KX seventh. Mainly because of its slow-revving motor, which makes the bike feel, dare we say, slow in comparison. Inter- mediate- and expert-level riders have to work a little harder just to keep up with their competi- tors. Carrying momentum and keeping rpm in the upper range KAWASAKI KX250 M $8999 WET WEIGHT: 240 LBS. Kawasaki's KX250 enters the lineup as one of the all-new models for 2025. It now matches its KX450 counterpart with a new frame, engine de- sign and center-port exhaust. The bodywork is redesigned for 2025 with fewer bolts, fewer seams and tool-less air-filter access. Mapping is controlled by the handlebar-mounted switch, which offers two differ- ent modes and traction control that can be further tuned via the updated Rideology smart- phone app. ODI Lock-On grips and Showa suspension are new features. The Kawi gained three pounds over the previous model and, at 240 pounds, is the heaviest 250 in this test. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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