Kawasaki KLX 250S

Nimble Explorer Does Double Duty as an Efficient Commuter

When adventure takes riders off the beaten path, the KLX250S is the right tool for the job. Built for both on-and off-road use, the light and nimble KLX250S is an ideal ride for dual-sporting fun. Its efficient single-cylinder engine is perfect for maneuvering through urban traffic or exploring the trails. No matter where the journey leads, it’s enhanced by the KLX’s long-travel suspension, impressive maneuverability and reliable liquid-cooled engine.

An easy-to-use push-to-start button starts up the KLX’s 249cc engine. That engine is mounted in a light, high-tensile steel perimeter frame, yielding a low center of gravity that translates into better maneuvering on tight trails. The 34mm semi-flat slide Keihin CVK carburetor provides great throttle response and broad, smooth power – not to mention fantastic fuel economy. The KLX250S meets California air pollution regulations, making it an ideal urban commuter in all 50 states.

A highly refined six-speed transmission contains the right gear for everything from off-road crawling to highway cruising, with an advanced shift cam for positive shift feel and firm engagement. The rigors of off-road motorcycling dictate additional protection for the exposed underside of the machine, so the KLX250S comes standard with an aluminum engine guard to protect its crankcase during off-road adventures. Negotiating tight terrain also highlights another off-road reality – heat. Dual lightweight, high-capacity Denso radiators and an electric fan provide ample cooling.

The KLX250S’s straight-line stability is enhanced by a rigid square-section main frame, yet its short wheelbase gives it outstanding turning aptitude. Complementing the chassis is a lightweight aluminum swingarm employing a highly rigid D-shaped cross section. KX™ racing-type chain adjusters allow for precise chain adjustments.

The KLX250S’s custom spring and damping settings, with slightly less wheel travel than a dedicated off-road machine, give a more planted feel in corners and make it easier for riders to reach the ground. The 43mm inverted cartridge-style front fork features 16-way adjustable compression damping and 10.0-inches of travel. The Uni-Trak® linkage-type rear suspension has 16-way adjustable compression and rebound damping, providing 9.1-inches of wheel travel. Strong, 4mm-thick spokes in the 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels provide excellent rigidity for enhanced off-road durability. The KLX250S also stops hard, thanks to twin-piston calipers squeezing a 250mm semi-floating petal-shaped disc up front and a 240mm petal-shaped disc at the rear.

Aggressively styled bodywork finishes off this powerful and rugged package, and a custom seat filled with firm urethane and a carefully chosen handlebar pull it all together for long, comfortable days on the road and off it.

Riders seeking enduro handling and modern engine performance in a dual-purpose motorcycle designed for effortless street riding will find it at their local Kawasaki dealership. The KLX250S offers serious capabilities in a fun, easy-to-ride package, regardless of where the adventure takes it.

The Best of Both Worlds

The latest and greatest KLX250S features unbelievable off road performance and real KLX heritage making it an awesome on or off road machine. Whether you’re tearing it up on the weekends with your mates or hauling to work and back through the week, enjoy the best of both worlds with the all new KLX250S.

Kawasaki KLX250S Features and Benefits

• On and off-road capability means maximum versatility
• 249cc engine is liquid cooled for long engine life
• Adjustable 43mm fork offers excellent rigidity and consistent damping
• Adjustable Uni-Trak® rear suspension helps ensure a smooth ride and great handling
• Fully digital instrumentation has easy-to-read speedometer and tachometer
• Starting is easy with push-button electric start
• Six-speed transmission provides the right gear for any situation
• Brakes feature petal-style discs for superior stopping power

Single-cylinder 249cc DOHC Engine

• Compact engine design is lightweight and high revving, with a broad torque curve
• Good mass centralization for superior handling
• Flat-top piston and pentroof combustion chamber deliver an 11:1 compression ratio
• Lightweight piston, piston pin and connecting rod enable higher revs for maximum power
• Aluminum cylinder features electrofusion coating, which allows a tight clearance between piston and cylinder for greater horsepower and increased engine life thanks to superior heat transfer and lubrication retention properties
• A gear-driven engine balancer provides smooth power delivery from idle to redline
• Provides maximum valve area for optimum flow, to boost low-end torque while providing improved high-rpm breathing efficiency for more power
• 34mm semi-flat slide Keihin CVK carburetor delivers the optimum amount of fuel at all rpm, resulting in improved throttle response, greater power and excellent fuel economy
• Meets strict CARB regulations, so it’s available in all 50 states

Liquid Cooling

• Dual high-capacity, vertical-flow Denso radiators provide reliable and efficient engine cooling
• Radiators feature tightly packed cores and a fin design for excellent heat dispersion
• More consistent engine temperatures allow tighter engine clearances for quieter running and sustained power, while promoting longer engine life
• Cooling fan is powered by a shallow-footprint electric motor

Electric Starting

• Quick and easy push-button starting
• Kawasaki Automatic Compression Release (KACR) automatically lifts one of the exhaust valves at cranking rpm, for reduced starting effort

Exhaust System

• Secondary air system helps provide clean emissions
• USFS-approved spark arrestor lets the KLX™250S access designated off-road public riding areas

Six-speed Transmission

• Allows engine’s full potential to be used
• Provides excellent acceleration as well as relaxed highway cruising

Inverted Front Forks

• 43mm inverted cartridge fork offers excellent rigidity and consistent damping performance; 10.0-inch wheel travel means straight-line stability, great handling and a low seat height
• 16-way compression damping adjustment allows tuning for differences in rider weight and terrain

Uni-Trak® Rear Suspension

• 9.1-inches of rear wheel travel for straight-line stability, great handling and a low seat height
• Progressive linkage rate provides a smooth ride and excellent bottoming resistance
• The gas-charged remote-reservoir shock features 16-way adjustable compression and rebound damping

Diamond Frame

• Lightweight, high-tensile steel for amazing rigidity
• No downtubes, for lower engine placement and lower center of gravity as well as ample ground clearance
• Lightweight, aluminum D-section swingarm is highly rigid and reduces unsprung weight
• KX™ racing-type chain adjusters allow precise adjustment to minimize drivetrain power losses

Petal-Shaped Disc Brakes

• Front and rear disc brakes offer impressive stopping performance
• Twin-piston caliper grips a 250mm petal-shaped disc up front
• 240mm rear petal-shaped disc for great power, feel and feedback

Wheels and Tires

• Fat, 4mm spokes for greater off-road durability
• Tires with small tread blocks for longer tire life and increased grip on asphalt

Enhanced Ergonomics

• KLX-spec handlebar for a more relaxed position and effortless control
• Footpegs are positioned close to the bike’s centerline
• KLX-spec seat shape and foam make it easier to change seating position

Narrow Fuel Tank

• Narrow tank design gives riders maximum comfort and control without sacrificing capacity

Digital Instrumentation

• All-digital instrument console gives at-a-glance information, including a digital bar graph tachometer, digital speedometer, clock, and dual trip meters

Bodywork

• Aggressive headlight and front fender design
• Two-piece radiator shrouds styled like the KX motocrossers
• Rear fender is a two-piece unit featuring a sharp taillight design that offers great visibility and further contributes to the KLX’s aggressive styling

Review

Far from the urban jungle that is Los Angeles lays a land of extremes. A land worthy of exploring by any means - hike, bike, or ride - regardless your skill level or personal passion. California's Death Valley is this land and our playground for the introduction of Kawasaki's first 2009 model, the KLX250S. Throwing extremes from every direction our way - heat and dust, rocky trails to barren desert playas - the nimble, quick and affordable KLX soaks up the hits with a smile while leaving your wallet smiling in the process.

I’ll trade in the skyscraper walls of Alvarado Street in downtown L.A. for the sandstone canyon walls of Titus Canyon any day. The Buff Monster tags are famous all over Los Angeles but they haven’t got the staying power of the petroglyphs found in the slot canyon carving through the Grapevine Mountain range just west of the ghost town Leadfield, CA.

The rocky trails of Death Valley's Echo Canyon can be unforgiving if not ridden with respect. I speak from experience.

The rocky trails of Death Valley's Echo Canyon can be unforgiving if not ridden with respect. I speak from experience.
The 2009 Kawasaki KLX250S is a capable machine both above and below sea level.

The 2009 Kawasaki KLX250S is a capable machine both above and below sea level.

Twenty-two hard miles from Beatty Nevada, the road to Leadfield was once a main thoroughfare from the east into Death Valley. A testament to durability of both humankind and the KLX, the heat and dusty conditions make you wonder why the hell anyone would build a city here. But there was ‘Gold in them thar hills!’ –actually lead ore and silver – and so the mining town operated primarily from 1925 to 1927 with great debate of its legitimacy. Despite shady promoters and stock fraud, an inflow of hundreds, if not thousands, of men and an outflow of millions of tons of ore and silver built a town large enough to support its own newspaper, post office and the Western Lead Mines Company. Western was one of the largest operations in town and brought in a 180-horsepower Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine in March of 1926 to operate their drills.

With karma like that working against you, and nearly a two-day walk to the nearest gas station – you can forget about a hospital – we were glad to have such a reliable and fuel-efficient machine like the KLX beneath our asses. It didn’t hurt to have the slightly larger 2.0-gallon gas tank as well as a support vehicle filled with Subway sandwiches and Gatorade for us thirsty journos either! The longest lasting accomplishment of the era is the Titus Canyon road, costing an estimated $60,000 and still standing as one of the most spectacular routes into Death Valley.

Nimble, go-anywhere

From gritty urban settings to eroded earthen passages, the ’09 KLX passes the test for commuters as well as weekend dirt warriors. For the iron-butted readers out there with an affection for dirt riding, you can now make that trek without the need for a trailer thanks to the street-legal adaptations.

Combine the racy good looks of Kawi’s KX lineage with the street-legal appointments of the updated Kawasaki parts catalog, and the 249cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke Single has more than enough power to dig any desert explorer from below the sea level to a mile above in a jiffy. The KLR650’s little brother has quick throttle response and feather-light steering to help avoid obstacles in your path (helping to keep the desert tortoise population thriving). The whole package makes for a motorcycle capable of almost anything.

Kawasaki hesitates to call this KLX an all-new model, but the revisions made between this and the previous 2007/08 model are numerous. The updated dualie gets revised suspension, steering geometry, and styling as well as improved ergonomics. The cooling system, swingarm, transmission and brakes are improved. Better use of power is courtesy of a revamped exhaust, and changes to the tranny including a reshaped shift cam and tighter ratios between 5th and 6th gear. The goal of all the updates was to directly target the trail-riding buyer of the previous model.

Cooling upgrades are done with high-capacity Denso radiators found on the KX250F/450F, lending excellent heat dispersion and weight savings to the overall package.

Reduced suspension travel was never noticed, even when the Fonz jumped the land shark.

Reduced suspension travel was never noticed, even when the Fonz jumped the land shark.
Ergonomics are updated with a more 'woods-bike' like handlebar with a flatter curve profile and a stock position that is higher and closer to the rider. Another inch of rise would be ideal for riding in a standing position, but to update the bars yourself, you'll have to add that inch with a taller profile bar because the risers are cast directly to the triple tree.

The semi-double cradle steel-frame’s geometry is sharpened via a 1.0-degree reduction in the steering rake to 26.5 degrees. A new aluminum D-section type swingarm beefs up the rear end, complemented by a set of KX-style chain adjusters; last year they were of the snail type. The wheelbase is snugged a couple of ticks to 56.3 inches.

"Nimble, go-anywhere," says Kawi. From urban canyon walls to the eroded earthen passages, the ’09 KLX passes the test for commuters as well as recreationalists.

"Nimble, go-anywhere," says Kawi. From urban canyon walls to the eroded earthen passages, the ’09 KLX passes the test for commuters as well as recreationalists.
I'll do the extra mile for just one more inch.

I'll do the extra mile for just one more inch.
The 2009 KLX250S lets the good times roll both on and off road.

The 2009 KLX250S lets the good times roll both on and off road.

'...the KLX offers serious off-road capabilities from a lightweight street-legal mount'

Modifications to the 43mm inverted fork include revised internals and settings, 16-step adjustable compression damping and KX-style slider guards. Its travel has been cut down approximately 1 inch to 10.0 inches. The reduction in travel is to enhance on-road stability, and the Uni-Trak rear suspension (with a new linkage and adjustable preload and 16-way compression and rebound damping control) is slimmed down nearly 2 inches to 9.1 inches for the same purpose. Nonetheless, the 35.0-inch seat height of the new KLX is surprisingly a skosh taller than the old model, but I had no trouble flat-footing it with my 34-inch inseam.

The reduction in suspension travel affects the bike’s ground clearance, going down from 11.6 inches to a still generous 11.2 inches. Aluminum bash plates are fitted under the engine to protect against crankcase damage when the trails get really gnarly.

With these changes, the KLX offers serious off-road capabilities from a lightweight street-legal mount. The mushy feeling from the old bike’s front end on the road has been reduced significantly. But, at the same time, the bike’s reduced suspension travel hasn’t hindered its ability to handle rough off-road terrain. It’s capable of taking ledge drops of 4 feet without the dreaded clunk of a bottomed-out suspension.

Sprung from each end of the ride are a pair of wheels with thicker spokes (now 4mm as found on the KLR650) for greater off-road durability, each wrapped in Dunlop 605 tires with smaller tread blocks that are designed for longer street life, a smoother ride and better on-road handling. Not once did I feel the hunt of a knobby tire on the highway when racing at highway speeds towards lunch in Beatty, NV, nor any wheel flex on the trail.

When left alone to break the wind (So you farted whilst alone? ¬Ed. Like falling trees in the forest, I didn¹t hear a thing. - Fz), I caught this little quarter-liter motor exceeding our top-speed estimations when we saw 85 mph on the digital read-out - and as much as 91 mph while drafting another KLX. The all-new all-digital instrument console includes a bar-graph tachometer, speedometer, clock, odometer and dual trip meters, but is a bit hard to read when dust-covered in comparison to the previous model's analog design.

With highway miles clicking away at a steady pace, our desert oasis came upon us quickly and the front and rear pedal disc rotors (also found on the KX and Kawasaki street bikes) made quick work of bringing this dualie to a halt in Beatty for lunch. This year's larger 240mm rear disc and KX-style rear caliper with new pad materials and a revised lever ratio added to the overall beauty and function of this exploration machine. There’s a 250mm semi-floating petal disc up front doing its part for the cause.

Wrapping up the walkthrough is a USFS-approved spark arrestor and a new evaporative emissions system that allows the KLX to meet the strict California Air Resource Board regulations, making it now eligible for sale in all 50 states; the previous model wasn’t offered in Cali.

Geared towards the new street and/or trail rider, RV crowd or commuting rider is electric push-button starting. Making it even easier for granny to ride away is the Kawasaki Automatic Compression Release (KACR) which automatically lifts one of the exhaust valves when the magic button is pressed to reduce the starting effort. This saves wear and tear of your thumb for the après-ride wrestling matches for the biggest steak on the grill back at camp, as well as your battery’s amperage. For the purists, the crankcase is still stamped for the addition of a kick-starter as was the previous model.

With a relatively short history in the U.S. market for the 250S, this second edition comes away with a host of refinements over the last model – new styling, larger rear wave rotor, a gear-driven engine balancer for less vibration, stiffer frame and spokes, a firmer saddle and a new emissions system. All told the KLX250S gained just under 16 pounds (18 lbs. CA model) while the $4899 MSRP increased by only $100. It comes in two colors, Lime Green and Sunbeam Red.

With the recent introductions of the Honda CRF230L, Yamaha WR250R and this updated KLX, the quarter-liter dual-sport category is taking off. The Honda is the cheapest at $4499, but it is powered by an older-tech air-cooled motor. The Yamaha boasts an expensive aluminum frame and a technologically advanced liquid-cooled engine, but that stuff comes at a price premium of $5899.

Highs: Sighs:

* Lofty level of versatility per dollar
* Fifty-state street legal
* Gas sipping engine gets nearly 50 miles to a gallon

* The new lower-profile handlebar is too low for tall riders when standing up
* Digital dash is hard to read when dirty
* Slightly heavier than the previous model

Source Motorcycle.com