Cycle News

2018 KAWASAKI KLX250 FULL TEST P102 The little KLX's single- cylinder engine is far from what even the most timid to speed out there would call fast, but what power it does have is tractable and easy to get the most out of. There's a discernable kick in the rev range at 7000 rpm—that's when the single-cylinder KLX lurches forward with a sound eerily similar to the parallel- twin Kawasaki Ninja 300. The above-7K mark is where you want to be if you're serious about forward motion, as be- low that there really isn't much on tap. As a result, I found I would stick it a gear lower and rev it out to get better per- formance, rather than let the motor torque me from corner to corner. Revs aside, the throttle re- sponse is delightfully smooth on the KLX. I couldn't help thinking this will make an ex- cellent bike for working farm- ers as the slow-speed throttle response and engine manners are impeccable, mixed with suspension that's as happy to just plod along as it is to be beaten up a trail. The front cartridge suspen- sion has excellent damping performance, and even with my 195 pounds on board didn't bottom out while charg- ing around the Santa Ana mountain range. On-road with the 21-inch knobby tire you have to be a little bit careful as the grip simply isn't there to push hard, but the front- sus- pension performance is admi- rable nonetheless. The brakes are also up to par, the front brake being more than a match for the 300-od- pounds it must haul up, with plenty of feel at the lever with- out it being over-powering. Kawasaki's fitted a digital dash to the KLX that's relatively easy to read. I say "relatively" because the revs sweep across the top of the gauge, mean- ing they can be a little hard to spot with the sunlight on your back. A nice addition is you get a fuel trip meter with this dash, although you mightn't need it because Kawasaki claims this is one of their most fuel-efficient machines on offer. This new KLX, with more than a few parts inherited from the 2012-2014 machine, will set you back a touch over $5K for the standard Kawasaki Lime Green color scheme and $5549 for the new Matrix Camo edition, which in my opinion is easily the best looker of the two. The Kawasaki KLX250 is one of those bikes that rarely changes, and for good reason; it's a super easy proposition for almost any rider to tackle, doesn't cost a lot, and will last for years with minimal mainte- nance. It's a good thing for the world's junior-category dual- sporters that Kawasaki is back in the ring. CN 2018 KAWASAKI KLX250 $5349 (KAWASAKI LIME GREEN)/ $5549 MATRIX CAMO ENGINE: ....... 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves per cylinder, single-cylinder DISPLACEMENT: ...................................249cc BORE X STROKE: .................... 72 x 61.2 mm COMPRESSION RATIO: .......................... 11.0:1 FUEL SYSTEM: ...........................................EFI EXHAUST: ...................................One-into-one TRANSMISSION: ............... 6-speed gearbox. CHASSIS: .......................... High-Tensile Steel Perimeter Frame FRONT SUSPENSION: .. 43mm inverted fork with compression damping and spring preload adjustability FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ......................10.0 in. REAR SUSPENSION: ................ Uni-Trak with Adjustable Preload, 16-Way Compression and Rebound Damping Adjustment REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: .......................... 9.1 in. FRONT BRAKE: .......................Single 250mm petal-type rotor with twin-piston caliper REAR BRAKE: ...... Single 240mm petal-type rotor with single-piston caliper FRONT TIRE: ............................. 3.00 x 21 in. REAR TIRE: .................................4.60 x 18 in. WHEELBASE: ...................................... 56.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ....................................... 35 in. FUEL CAPACITY: ................................ 2.0 gal. WEIGHT: ................ 298 lbs. (curb, claimed) COLOR: ....... Kawasaki green, Matrix Camo S P E C I F I C A T I O N S

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