2018 KAWASAKI KLX250
FULL TEST
P100
still a dirt bike, first and foremost, rath-
er than a propped-up off-road tourer.
To see just how much fun a KLX
could be, Kawasaki took us into the
Santa Ana mountains, right behind
their HQ in Foothill Ranch, California,
and coincidently about three miles
from my house. It proves I've been liv-
ing a sheltered life of late because I've
been in Foothill Ranch eight months
and had no idea this riding area was
quite literally on my doorstep—so you
can imagine the kind of riding my
winter will be bringing.
The Kawasaki is incredibly easy
to ride. It shouldn't matter what level
of skill you are, the KLX is one of
those bikes you can hop on and
feel comfortable with straight away.
The lithe chassis will track well over
rocky terrain and it's easy to change
direction when traction is reduced,
like when riding up tight trails in
second gear; but it's also surpris-
ingly stable at highway speeds of a
sustained 70 mph.
This is indeed a small bike, so
riders who are on the tall side from
the hips to the shoulders might be a
little cramped and would do well to
investigate some aftermarket bar-
riser options.
This is an area that
was nearly decimated
in the Orange County
fires not more than
three weeks ago. Not
that you'd know it.
