2025 Kawasaki KX250 Review – Bicycle News

Ryan Nitzen | November 21, 2024

On paper, Kawasaki’s KX250 is the most dominant motorcycle in the 250 class. The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team notched its 300th career win in this summer’s Pro Motocross Championship, putting the green machine on the podium more times than any other manufacturer. Despite proven racing success, the product cycle waits for no man and the KX250 needed an update. It’s been redesigned almost from the ground up for 2025, and we’re headed to the iconic Washougal MX Park, where Kawasaki unleashed the media on the new KX.

Photo: Ryne Swanberg / Octopi Media

Innovations | 2025 Kawasaki KX250 Review

The KX250 gets a brand new look for 2025. The new chassis is identical to its larger 450cc sibling and features a longer cradle to accommodate the new engine layout and new shock absorber mounting. A straighter downdraft intake feeds the engine, which now includes a mid-port exhaust to increase low-end and midrange power. The air filter inlet is also easily accessible via the new tool-free plastic cover. The body has been redesigned and matches the 450 with minimal seams to avoid obstructing the rider’s movement.

Showa suspension now comes standard for 2025, unlike the KYB components on the ’24 model.

For controls, you’ll find Nissin hydraulic components for both the brake and clutch, rather than the Brembo front brake used on the KX450. ODI locking handles complete the cockpit.

The biggest upgrade for the KX comes in the engine and electronics departments. The downdraft port allows air to follow a straighter path, flowing from the air filter into the cylinder and out the center port exhaust. For a more compact design, the header and muffler are combined and located closer to the engine. All of this helps Kawasaki’s goal of moving away from the previous generation’s high-end engine style to create a lower mid-range power character.

Electronics enhance the KX’s upgrades. After years of complaints, the snap-on fasteners were finally removed and replaced with a handlebar-mounted control unit. Here riders get two maps: normal (light off) and aggressive (light on), which can be adjusted independently via Kawasaki’s Rideology App. These options differ from the KX450 where the standard map is smooth like light off and light on. The switch also offers two levels of traction control, weak or strong, corresponding to steady (weak) or flashing (strong) light. Launch control is another option; certain ECU settings come into play until the driver shifts into third gear.

All these updates to the KX250 result in a three-pound increase over the previous model, now tipping the scales at a claimed wet weight of 240 pounds.

Washougal Tested | 2025 Kawasaki KX250 Review

A perfectly groomed Washougal track greeted us and of course we were greeted by beautiful, shiny new green bikes. Kawi technicians input a map specifically tuned for the harsh PNW conditions, and early in the morning the bike felt extremely smooth and controlled. Bottom-end power is noticeably increased over before, and the bike revs to life much more easily than the previous year’s model. In the ’24 model, if you wanted to make any power you had to carry speed, feather the clutch, and ride the bike high into the rev red zone. If you miss a shift or get stuck in a corner, you find yourself in a world of pain. In the 2025 model, clutch mastery, which provides an optimistic feel with improved torque from below, is no longer a prerequisite for waking up the engine. This translates into super useful mid-range power, and that feels like the new sweet spot for this engine. In aggressive mode, you still get higher performance than before, but that’s no longer the only area where it performs. Featuring a better midsection, the bike is extremely easy to ride because riders can enjoy everything second and third gear has to offer. The transmission range is good and does not require short shifts as in previous years. The KX still doesn’t accelerate as quickly as the hot YZ250F, but it’s a step in the right direction compared to its predecessor.

After my first session, I switched to the more aggressive mapping option. This gave the bike a bold feel, blending new low-end torque with the already familiar long-revving personality. Still, I wanted to put the new Rideology app to the test and try some of the other options. We used a special “Broc Tickle Map” early on, which made the bike easier to control under current conditions. But that’s not the tuning you’ll get from the dealer, and I was concerned that the 250’s standard tuning would feel “reserved” like the newer KX450. I wanted more hits, more things attractiveand more excitement. I asked them to surprise me and not tell me about the changes. After a few quick laps I was impressed with their new maps. It had quicker grip during the initial roll and seemed to handle the hills better as the track began to dry. Surprisingly, this was the standard map that came pre-programmed into the KX250! My concerns about the KX feeling slow on the OEM map disappeared, and I ran that setting for the rest of the day.

My complaint about the phone app and mapping is that there are no pre-built maps for the new KX. I was hoping to try other settings after using the Tickle Maps, but Kawasaki doesn’t offer any. Instead, you’ll have to adjust your settings as you go and fine-tune them via the smartphone app, which also includes a maintenance log and notes section.

Suspension is another topic of discussion. Luckily, Kawasaki has smoothed out the harsh and unforgiving feel of last year’s bike with new Showa components. The 49mm bars offer much better cushioning at the top of the stroke to absorb smaller impacts at a variety of speeds. They also rise nicely with strong bottom resistance for bigger jumps or flat landings. While overall comfort out of the box was good, I dropped the forks three millimeters to gain stability on the faster sections of the Washougal circuit.

Along with this, we also converted the high-speed quarter turn in the rear. This allowed the rear end to stay up while giving the front wheel more traction. These changes were the same ones I made on the KX450, and I found them to complement the chassis both in high-speed sections and tight turns.

The overall cockpit gets an A plus in my book. The ODI grips are heavenly and the dual Nissin levers offer consistent feel across all areas of the track. The plastic design features minimal bolts and stitching while maximizing driver contact points. I never wore gear or boots and felt attached to the bike throughout each riding session. Kawasaki’s Ergo-Fit system also allows riders to adjust handlebar and footpeg positions. At 6 feet tall, I rode it all day with standard settings without any complaints.

The next-generation Kawasaki KX250 has big shoes to fill, and its predecessors are paving the way to victory lane. They nailed the big green head for 2025. This bike is much easier to use and more user friendly for a wider range of consumers. Last year’s KX was high-revving and seemed to only make power in the upper ranges of the rev curve. Now this is a bike you can ride all day without having to deal with an over-stressed engine or stiff suspension. Other updates like the ECU cluster also put the icing on the cake, bringing it on par with the rest of today’s 250 class. The KX name is synonymous with winning in the 250 class, and with the new ’25 there will certainly be more in the future.

VIDEO | 2025 Kawasaki KX250 First Ride Review

2025 Kawasaki KX250X

We also had the opportunity to test the new KX250X on the trails surrounding Washougal’s MX circuit. The off-road-spec KX250X gets the same updates as its motocross cousin for 2025. What differentiates the X from the motocross KX is the kickstand, insulated chain, 18-inch rear wheel, Dunlop AT81 tires and softer suspension settings (both of them). Spring rates are lighter front and rear. These changes add an extra $100 to the X’s price point; this is a huge deal compared to converting your motocross into an off-roader yourself.

The X feels distinctly different from a moto bike. Softer suspension makes a world of difference in the woods. The bike soaks up choppy acceleration bumps rather than smooth sailing. This also provides the rider with better traction and comfort in slow speed sections. Apart from this, the cockpit, engine and ECU settings are exactly the same.

However, I would have liked to feel more differences between the MX version and the X for trails. But pros will probably like it that way. The main rivals of this KX250X are Honda’s CRF250RX, KTM’s 250 XC-F and Yamaha’s YZ250FX; these all have larger tanks and dedicated off-road ECU settings than their MX cousins.CN

VIDEO | 2025 Kawasaki KX250X First Ride Review

2025 Kawasaki KX250 Features

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