Church Of MO – 2004 Kawasaki KX250F

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

Ostensibly, this is a review of the 2004 Kawasaki KX250F. But read a little more into the story and you start to see this is just the old-school MO crew having fun on a new dirtbike, getting themselves wholly out of their comfort zone and being genuine MOrons the entire time. This was MO‘s humble beginnings, folks – Ride bikes, make mistakes and bad decisions, then write about it in a fun and irreverent manner. I mean, check out that lead image above. I didn’t add those effects. That’s just the goofy MOron crew at work. Anyway, enjoy the “review” and see the rest of the pics in the photo gallery.

2004 Kawasaki KX250F

Up, up, and away!

By Sean Alexander

In the air, the bike remains neutral easy to flick around, as if you knew what you were doing. I had a blast jumping everything I could find. I’m normally a bit of a chicken when it comes to jumps, but the 250F made me feel like Superman (ok, Superman with a beer belly then.)

The most rewarding part of my time on the Kawasaki was when I would land it on the down-ramp and immediately jump all over the brakes and carve the inside line on the next corner. I’m not normally good enough to do that, unless there is a longish straight after the jump. The 250F let me land and turn like a pro. Though the KX-250F is much easier to start than the original Yamaha YZ and WR 4-strokes, great strides have been made recently in the arena of 4-stroke starting and Ifear that the 250F is lagging a bit behind the game in this aspect.

Most of the time, it starts easily on the first or second kick, but every now and then it’d taunt Fonzie and I with an old fashioned session of “go ahead and kick till you drop, I just ain’t gonna start” This is the single fault that I can find with the new KX 4-stroke and I’m willing to bet that it is more of a rider-induced problem, that will fade with familiarity.

Now that MO has re-let the dirt cat out of the bag, I can’t wait to get my hands on a YZ-250F and CR-250F (Suzuki’s RM-Z250 is the exact same bike as this KX, aside from decals and plastic.) to see how they stack-up against the new Kawasaki and Suzuki contenders. It’s a dirty job…

Pick a line, any line.

There’s not much of a technical comparison I can give you about this bike, since it was my first time on both a dirt bike and an MX track, but I CAN tell you that it sure is a blast! Here’s my take on the whole experience: I’ve played my share of Playstation… who hasn’t? I think I can be cool and smooth at any sport I put this body to, after the infusion of delusion that video game machines can deliver. Oh boy how I was certain that after many years of motorcycle riding mixed with a few years of adolescent BMX racing, I’d be able to jump right into the mix, clearing jumps with ease and maybe even style. Lemme tell you about how I narrowly escaped with just such a dream intact. Thanks to my gig working at MO and knowing Sean Alexander, I was able not only to attend and shoot a demo ride of the new Kawasaki KX-250F, but also able to take my own rides and
actually learn, while getting dirty in the process.

They start out soo cute, but they don’t stay this way for long.

Sean had arranged with Kawasaki to have a pair of bikes delivered for us at Lake Elsinore Motocross Park’s Vet track, in sunny southern California. After a little confusion as to how to actually get into the track from the freeway, we were on our way to fun, at a steeper than anticipated learning curve.

Like I say, I already know how to ride, how to “take a corner”, how to shift and so on, but I really wasn’t ready for learning both a new bike type and a new type of course. I was so wrong in thinking there would be no traffic, just because it was a weekday. Being the day before a holiday, it quickly became apparent that I would be learning the finesse portion of MX riding some other day. This day I was simply going to be learning how not to get run over by another rider hotter for that corner than my old-assed self.

Sure I knew about apexes; start wide, and dive to the inside line to cut off the others behind me…. I tried them all. All while watching over my shoulder. I can handle falling down — I’m not afraid of the dirt – as with snow, I almost welcome it. But I became more worried about getting in the way of someone that’s there to actually practice, or falling on a bike that doesn’t belong to me. So, like I said, I was all over the board. Each turn, or approach to a same turn, I tried all the approaches. Fast, slow, wide and fast or narrow and tight.

Somehow, Kawasaki was able to obtain the rights to use the “Honda” front brake line routing, for its 2004 KXs.

It was a blast and the bike was always there for me when I needed it. I circulated most of the course in first or second gear, ready to drive out hard from any turn and spray roost to boost my ego, thrashing dirt around like I knew what I was doing. Surely, I had no one else at the track fooled, but it was fun to think I did. Soon, I was riding the 250F towards and over jumps without hesitation.

Never with great form – not even close to good looking form – but towards, up and over nonetheless. I was happy when I didn’t crash on the landings, but most of the credit goes to the near 12″ of travel in both the Kayaba fork and the revamped UNI-TRAK rear suspension. After having landed more than trice on the front wheel, sloppy and near to jumping-off the bike from the fear, I thought Hold Steady! –check! Hands in place – check! Feet almost on the pegs – check!

Head kinda looking forward, come-on stay with it boy! I did it, I landed it, yeah! This is cool! Oh shit, another jump! I learned a lot today. Not only does it take a lot of balls – or guts in a lady racer’s case – but strength and good hydration are a definite must for a day at the track.

I think I maxed out at 6 laps, before needing to stop for a few minutes and catch my breath, while watching the others for pointers along the course. Entry points, exit strategies, landings, they all need some thought, as well as patience, strength, courage and protective gear!

A few sessions later, after many photographs, I could feel that my arms were not responding as quick as my mind was to obstacles in my way. On the back stretch, where there’s a set of four wide and smooth tabletops, with nice, safe solid top decks to back me up “just in case” I come up short. And such “cases” happened all day long. So many positive escapes. It’s all part of the game. This session, after course maintenance and wetting, the last jump in the series had a landing with 12″+ of standing water in thick mud form. The landing run-off immediately became an inside line of a left turn, that is where I learned my final lesson of the day, falling. One, two, three – little short – and then four…. what? Oh, huh? You what? As quickly as the thought passes, I’m down and extracting myself from the clay mud I found the bike lying horizontal in. I hustle to get off the track and another rider stops to offer help, only because he had just run completely over my shoulder and arm. He was a little concerned, but I hadn’t even noticed. I was more surprised that someone stopped to help me get up – but we’re all learning today right?

Fonzie says: “Yeah, Baby – that’s the way I like it!”

I landed in the slop on the last of the four tabletops and immediately went down trying to brake and lean into the turn – inexperience on may part for sure. The guy in the air just over my right shoulder while I was still in the air didn’t see it coming. I found the whole thing awesome! He was a little spooked at having ridden over another rider – so he says – but I didn’t care. I thought it was an incredible rush and once I caught my breath again, I was back on the bike and riding.

The KX-250F survived my beginner tip-overs in great stride, and funny enough, even though it balked at hot starting a few times in the pits, it always started with ease right after I’d crash it. Kawasaki uses a system called KACR (Kawasaki Automatic Compression Release) and a hot-start circuit. KACR slightly opens one exhaust valve while the engine is being kick started to ease compression. also equipped with hot-start circuit. If the KX-250F is tipped over or stalled, the rider pulls a small lever that is unitized with the clutch lever, drawing extra air into the carburetor to give it a leaner, faster-burning fuel mixture, making starting easier. The only negative thing I experienced in the entire day, was the bike’s stock handlebars – I hear that they’re often the first thing to get replaced – they seem to bend too easily when landed on. This isn’t unheard of, but – falling down and then keeping going, is something dirt bikes are meant to do. I did ride a few more laps before calling it quits, and I only called it quits, because my body was screaming for me to stop, not because the bike was! Thanks Kawi for a great first ride.

** SPECS PROVIDED BY KAWASAKI **
FEATURES

Engine

Liquid-cooled, four-stroke single cylinder engine was designed using the latest technology, resulting in a lightweight, compact and powerful engine that produces usable torque throughout the entire rpm rangeAutomatic centrifugal decompression system to ease starting37mm Keihin FCR flat-slide carburetor equipped with TPS, and the accelerator pump contributes to quick throttle responseOver-square bore and stroke of 77.0 x 53.6mm helps ensure high reliability at high rpmThin-wall cylinder head contributes to lightweight, compact designChrome composite plated aluminum cylinder is extremely short to prevent over-cooling of crankcase and subsequent power lossForged, two-ring piston is tin-plated to reduce wear and the piston skirts have fine grooves to help ensure oil retention and low frictionBillet cam profiles are designed for wide powerband and high peak powerTwo-stage ignition system provides low idle speed when transmission is in neutral; when in gear, it increases idle rpm for reduced engine brakingSemi-dry sump design keeps oil away from the crankshaft to reduce pumping loss and contributes to a lower center of gravityReed valve located between the crankcase and transmission case reduces pumping loss and prevents oil from re-entering crank chamberOil feed to top end is internal, via bolt passageways, eliminating the weight and complexity of external oil lines and increasing reliabilityOne-piece water pump/oil filter cover saves weight and adds to compactnessLightweight 3-way (Y-shaped) molded cooling hose eliminates need for junction and clampsTitanium valves and headpipes, magnesium generator, outer clutch and cylinder head covers reduce overall weightTransmissionFive-speed uses ratchet system for light shifting actionClutch utilizes the same dependable components as found on the KX125ChassisKawasaki perimeter frame borrows proven technology from race-winning KX125 and KX250New D-section upper tubing allows bodywork to “hug” the frame more tightly–the slimmer profile improves rider position for enhanced corneringAdjustable rubber handlebar mounts help reduce vibrationSteep rake angle enhances cornering performanceFootpegs are located higher and more closely together, allowing more bank angle when turning
Front SuspensionNew Kayaba semi-sealed, 48mm inverted cartridge fork features check valves to control internal pressure, resulting in precise damping and better fork action throughout the strokeRear SuspensionNew UNI-TRAK® rear suspension link is anchored on the swingarm, drastically reducing front-to-back movement of the shock, resulting in smoother, more stable action and improving traction at the rear wheel when acceleratingRear shock features a bleeder bolt to facilitate oil changesBecause the link anchors on the swingarm rather than the frame, engineers were able to construct a lighter frameWheels/TiresFront and rear rims feature an extremely light designFront spokes are stepped both at the nipple and at the hub for lighter weight

Brakes

Dual-piston front disc brake system uses Kevlar hose routed directly to the front caliper, producing strong brake performanceLightweight rear brake system uses a lighter, compact caliper to ensure adequate clearance for the muffler when the suspension is fully compressedBrake pedal is forged for high strength and light weightBodyworkRestyled tank, seat, rear fender, side covers and radiator shrouds give it sharp, aggressive stanceRight side cover has heat shielding to deal with higher temperatures from the large silencerFuel tank capacity is 2.0 gallons; the more fuel-efficient four-stroke engine gives the KX250F an increased riding rangeKawasaki Options (Available Through Kawasaki Dealers)Aluminum and steel sprocketsCarburetor setting partsFront fork and rear shock springsFlywheel rotors allow riders to alter the amount of engine inertia to suit riding style and track conditionsRight handlebar-mounted lever allows manual operation of engine decompression, making it easier to clear a flooded engine20-inch front wheel
Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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