First ride: 2013 Kawasaki KX250F

Name: First ride: 2013 Kawasaki KX250F
Brand: Kawasaki

We get to grips with Team Green's quarter-litre MX rocket, which has the power to give you a real shot at being first into turn one – and that's just the start of it…

A long day of testing at the soon-to-be-opened Rocky Valley ride park, just outside of Mudgee (NSW), answered all my questions about the all-new 2013 Kawasaki KX250F. After subjecting the green meanie to all manner of jumps, bumps and abuse, I can say that I sure hope the other manufacturers have been putting in a heap of work behind the scenes, because this machine has set the bar pretty damn high.

With a twin-injector engine that feels up to challenging even the 450s, and a thinner, more nimble and better-handling chassis, the 2013 KX250F is ready for battle -- and it’s armed to the teeth…

ENGINE

Kawasaki’s 249cc, DOHC, twin-injector, four-stroke engine certainly packs a punch -- it’s easily the quickest production bike in this class that I’ve ever had the pleasure of throwing a leg over. By changing the angle of the injectors -- one facing forwards, the other to the rear -- as well as straightening out the intake port, adding a ‘power bomb’ type header pipe and adopting a high-flow muffler, Kawasaki has produced a 250 motocrosser on steroids.

Right from idle this powerplant just keeps revving and keeps producing power, without signing off until it hits its rev-limiter. It spins up freely and easily, that’s for sure, and the only clue it’s a 250 and not a 450 is the fact you have to work the gears to get the best from it. The power delivery is flawless throughout the rev range, without any dips or flat spots. It has loads of power off the bottom but when that second injector kicks in, the bike takes off like a rocket -- it actually feels a lot like the power band you’d get on a two-stroke.

The bike also sports a new and interchangeable three-way coupler, so the rider can select from a mild to wild map setting. The aggressive map is my favourite because as soon as you twist the throttle the bike just takes off, without a hint of hesitation. The softer map, however, would be great for novices or anyone stepping up to their first 250 from the junior-class bikes. Kawasaki also sells a fuel-injection programming kit, so experienced hands can tune the bike to meet their precise needs.

The start of every motocross race begins with a long straight leading into the first turn. The KX has the power to get you there first, every time. It's a holeshot machine. The engine needs no work done at all to turn it into a racer, because it’s already faster than its competitors.

My weight and height don’t generally fit into the 250 market, but this bike had enough poke to pull me up and over all of the big step-ups and jumps at Rocky Valley. If the Kawasaki felt that quick to me, I’d love to see how fast it would be with a 50kg rider on board.

CHASSIS

Kawasaki’s R&D team has been working hard on giving the KX250F a racier edge -- no longer does it have that soft-seated, fat-tanked, enduro bike feel. As soon as you sit on the bike you’re placed in a race-ready position -- it feels fast, even at a standstill.

The slim, 4mm-narrower frame and the flatter seat affords plenty of room to move, while the side shrouds are interlocked into the airbox, allowing plenty of room to grip and hang on with your knees.

On the go, the bike feels well balanced, light and nimble. Showa’s Separate Function Fork allows finer adjustment than a normal fork because it allows you to adjust the spring preload yourself with a single clicker -- sure beats having to take your bike to a suspension tuner to get the job done. The front end feels thoroughly planted, yet the steering is sharp.

The Nissin brakes have a nice, firm feel, allowing you to pull you up rapidly and without too much effort. The placement of the ’pegs and ’bars feels natural and the whole bike is perfectly balanced. The redesigned swingarm is on the money, too, giving plenty of feedback.

The suspension has a much firmer feel to it than the 2012 model, even though the initial part of the stroke seems quite soft. However, once you tackle some jumps and the suspension starts to work hard, it really stiffens up, displaying superb resistance to bottoming. After a couple of flat landings I became really comfortable with the suspension -- it’s a big confidence booster knowing that if you land a little short or a little long, you’re not going to get bucked off over the bars.

These days, I’m not usually one for throwing a bike sideways in the air -- a crash that lands you in hospital, unconscious, can do that -- but not long after I got on the Kawasaki I began doing exactly that with more confidence than I’ve felt in a long while. It’s easy to turn on the up-ramp and throw it out sideways. It never missed a beat or and I never felt like I was out of control -- what more could you want from a bike?

The stylish new plastics, the new black rear guide, various trick alloy components and the new silver engine covers give the bike a sharp, factory look. You could pick it up on your way to the track and go racing. More serious racers would benefit from having the suspension set up to suit their exact weight and riding style, but apart from that this bike is the complete package, ready to go.

As far as I’m concerned, Kawasaki has delivered a factory racer for a production bike price ($10,999). The other manufacturers have a big task ahead of them if they want to stay close to the KX, because this bike is on a charge.

SPECS: 2013 KAWASAKI KX250F

ENGINE

Type: Liquid-cooled, four-valve, DOHC, four-stroke single-cylinder

Capacity: 249cc

Bore x stroke: 77.0mm x 53.6mm

Compression ratio: 13.8:1

Fuel system: Keihin electronic fuel injection

TRANSMISSION

Type: Five-speed

Final drive: Chain

Clutch: Wet multi-plate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR