Even with the lower gearing,...
Even with the lower gearing, the KLX takes a little work to get the front end up in the air. Otherwise, the little bike has really good manners in the dirt at reasonable trail speeds. We tackled trails that were plenty technical.
Kawasaki KLX250S
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Story And Photos By Karel Kramer
Pick-Up Lines
When it came time to choose a small-bore adventure bike, I grabbed the Kawasaki KLX250S. Despite the fact that this is a much-revised edition that, for one thing, is now for sale in California, I knew the basics of the bike could be traced to one of my favorite trail bikes of the mid-1990s: the KLX250R. The KLX-R was a more nimble and sophisticated Honda XR250R, and I rode trails and track on those little monsters. The high-water mark was one punched out to 365cc by Larry Roeseler's Stroker Speed Equipment that I raced in the Tonopah 300. I knew the KLX-S would have dirt-worthy trail manners, suspension and outstanding steering. These are all good starting points.
Shunning Temptation
After riding the fire-breathing 365cc bullet versions, it was tempting to go hog wild, but I knew I would merely be breaking the bank and losing the vision of what the bike is designed to be. I decided to keep things simple. As I always do with dual-sport bikes, I dropped the countershaft one tooth to tighten up the ratios off-road and add snap to the power delivery at a small sacrifice in cruising speed. Next, I flouted legality and put dirt tires on the bike: a Dunlop 745 front and a Dunlop 803 Trials meat on the rear. I don't really want to ride on the street, just creep from trail head to trail head.
Dunlop's 803 Trials rear was...
Dunlop's 803 Trials rear was a great choice for the KLX. The supple sidewall added cush to the suspension, and it doesn't waste any of the 250's gentle power in wheelspin. Stay off of highways, though.
Changing out the handlebar...
Changing out the handlebar and grips was a boon to comfort, and the hand guards made life less stressful on the tight, technical trails the bike works best on.
Not wanting to boost sound, I left the pipe alone and concentrated on comfort. A Renthal aluminum CR-bend handlebar added comfort, and Tusk aluminum hand guards protect the levers, grips, bar and fingers. I'll tell you, getting hand guards and the handlebar on were not effortless tasks. The aluminum bar is fractionally smaller in diameter than the stock steel bar, and the switchgear-which includes the throttle-never clamps tight to the new bar. The hand guards caused some drama with brake hose routing, and to really do things right, I'd have to relocate the front turn signals.
Trail Truth
I intended this project to be a fun little trail companion that could zip between trails on the street or pick up a gallon of milk. Compared to a dedicated dirt model the ground clearance is limited so don't be silly enough to look for whoops, but we handled some serious trails on the KLX. We used the bike to mark trails for an event, where we spent the morning chasing Malcolm Smith on his KTM and the afternoon with the ribbon. The little bike never missed a beat and rode with the "real" dirt bikes all day. Best of all, I didn't bust the bank. Any rider who is considering a 50-mpg econo-cruiser like the KLX isn't looking to race, and decking it out until the price tag was eye-to-eye with a 530 KTM doesn't make sense. This mildly modded bike makes smiles and sense.
Kawasaki KLX250S
Dunlop: www.dunloptires.com
745 90/100-21 front: $100.51
803 Trials rear: $121.13
Renthal: www.renthal.com
971-bend 7/8" handlebar: $74.95
KLX300 countershaft sprocket: $25.95