The new 250cc thumper designed and built by the two giants Suzuki and Kawasaki has finally arrived and Dirt Rider was one of the first to spin laps aboard this much-anticipated motocrosser.
The new stroker from Kawasaki has a very light and nimble feel and offers a pleasant handling package, especially in its ability to handle both flat and rutted corners. The brakes on the new KXF are awesome. The ergonomics of the new thumper are a bit tight for taller riders but that is fairly typical for most Kawasaki's machines. During our fist outing, starting the new machine was a little frustration and required more kicking time that we would have liked. This could have been due to the fact the engine was still tight or we hadn't figured out the secrets to firing the new beast.
Our initial impression was that the bike felt a little tame down low when compared to its rival the YZ250F. The bike isn't slow for the 125 class but the power delivery is something new when comparing to the only other four-stroke on the market. The engine runs smooth and revs fairly high before banging off the rev limiter. Unfortunately, the engine doesn't like to be revved into the rev limiter. When it bounces off the limiter it appears as if the bike almost sputters or cuts out too much. We felt the new thumper made the most power when ridden like a 125 two-stroke. Basically, the bike works best when it's kept in the meat of the power, which is from the mid to top end rpm range.
Overall the new thumper feels well balanced and very light. The motor could use a hit somewhere but still feels as though it will be competitive overall. This initial test has us a little worried that the new KXF/RMZ may have slightly missed its mark in the power category.
Be sure to look for the November issue of Dirt Rider for the full story of both the Kawasaki KXF and Suzuki RMZ.
•Engine: Four-stroke single cylinder with DOHC, four valves
•Displacement: 249cc
•Bore x stroke: 77.0 x 53.6
•Cooling: Liquid
•Carburetion: Keihin FCR37 with hot start circuit
•Ignition: Digital AC-CDI
•Transmission: Five-speed with wet multi-disc manual clutch
•Frame: Perimeter style, high-tensile steel with D-section upper frame rails
•Suspension type, front: 48mm inverted, cartridge-type telescopic fork
•Suspension adjustments, front: 16-way compression and rebound damping
•Suspension type, rear: UNI-TRAK single shock system
•Suspension adjustments rear: 16-way compression and rebound damping, spring preload
•Wheel travel, front: 11.8 in.
•Wheel travel, rear: 12.2 in.
•Tire, front: 80/100-21 51M
•Tire, rear: 100/90-19 57M
•Brakes, front / rear: Single semi-floating 250mm disc, dual-piston / single 240mm disc, single-piston
•Compression Ration: 12.6:1
•Rake/Trail: 26.5 degress/110mm
•Overall length: 85.4"
•Overall width: 33"
•Overall height: 50"
•Ground clearance: 13.4"
•Seat height: 37.4"
•Dry weight: 204 pounds
•Wheelbase: 58"
•Fuel capacity: 2.0 gal.
•Color: Kawasaki Lime Green
•Specifications subject to change