KX 250.... What's the best year to get?

[Charlie500]

I'm in the market for a kx 250 two stroke. What is the difference in the newer years? What's the best year bike to get? Did they stop making them in 2006?

[KXDINO]

In australia they went to 08,the 07 ,08 had different cyclinder head to 06.These bikes are okay ,but with the right modifications can turn in a decent weapon.

[Motorrad]

In australia they went to 08,the 07 ,08 had different cyclinder head to 06.These bikes are okay ,but with the right modifications can turn in a decent weapon.

hate to say it on a KX site... buy why KX250?

I think the other manf had a leg up on the 250 class...

Current KTM
Later YZ
come to mind...

[don46]

It depenhds on what your doing with it, track only the kx is a better choice than the KTM, YZ is ok. The Flyin Hawaiian has turned his KX into an off road bike that works. I have always been a KX fan, ridden the others but couldnt see what others saw in them. Seriously though they are all good, I would see which dealer is the best and go that way, ask around.

[Polar-Bus]

I'm in the market for a kx 250 two stroke. What is the difference in the newer years? What's the best year bike to get? Did they stop making them in 2006?

kawasaki forgot how to make serious power since '98 . Yea the newer KX's are lighter and handle better, but when my bone stock '97 KX250 kicks the sh!t out of a piped and jetted '03 (in the power department) that's stepping backwards in technology. Honestly the 2001+  YZ250's  are hands down the REAL complete package. Those YZ's in that era are fantastic bikes...

[blinkerfluid]

I have a 98 and its got a pretty good power delivery.. i love the thing..

they have more top end power, where as the newer years are more mid range power

that is my understanding from what ive been told..

[Polar-Bus]

I have a 98 and its got a pretty good power delivery.. i love the thing..

they have more top end power, where as the newer years are more mid range power

that is my understanding from what ive been told..

If memory serves me correctly both the '97 and '98 KX250's were voted "Bike of the year" by DB magazine based on very hard hitting power. I remember in '99 all the mags ragged the "new" KX250 for a lame engine...

My '97 was bone stock (just cleaned up the jetting) and that bike was BRUTAL ! I raced my '97  all the way up to '02 and did very well club racing at the "vet" level the issue with most all KX's of that era was the gooshy feeling front end and $hitty front brakes.

[don46]

I'm in the market for a kx 250 two stroke. What is the difference in the newer years? What's the best year bike to get? Did they stop making them in 2006?

kawasaki forgot how to make serious power since '98 . Yea the newer KX's are lighter and handle better, but when my bone stock '97 KX250 kicks the sh!t out of a piped and jetted '03 (in the power department) that's stepping backwards in technology. Honestly the 2001+  YZ250's  are hands down the REAL complete package. Those YZ's in that era are fantastic bikes...

I would generally agree with you up to 03 and maybe 04, 06 and 07 were very impressive. I to had an 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. My 99-02 bikes ran as good as the 98 with some head mods an a wiesco flat top piston. the 06 and 07 are not even close to the 03. the other thing is there are to many variables in an un-controlled test. 06 was the last year we raced a 2t, and I can say we never had our asses handed to us by any brand, there may have been better riders but the bikes weren't the factor. And now the AMA will let you ride a 250 2t withe the 250 4t in amatuer racing.


this is only opinion, cause there is now way to prove or disprove any of this. Like I said earlier buy from the best dealer.

[sandblaster]

One other factor to consider.
The older they are, the harder it becomes to find new or after market parts.
Unless you are looking for the pinnacle in engine performance I would consider getting the newest I could find and afford.

[KXDINO]

Sandblaster right get newest model you can,i:ve had nearly every kx250 since 1982 and ride nearly every make of bike out there ,as i do suspension part time ,people just offer me rides ,with the right mods 06 to 08 is more than competive with the2012 ktm250sx,as for rm250 it felt like it only had mid range ,and the yz feels tame compared to the kx .Go green i say,at one of the aust national we had the only kx250 2st on the grid in the under 19 ,had people coming up all the time looking at it,so go for it?

[Polar-Bus]

I'm in the market for a kx 250 two stroke. What is the difference in the newer years? What's the best year bike to get? Did they stop making them in 2006?

kawasaki forgot how to make serious power since '98 . Yea the newer KX's are lighter and handle better, but when my bone stock '97 KX250 kicks the sh!t out of a piped and jetted '03 (in the power department) that's stepping backwards in technology. Honestly the 2001+  YZ250's  are hands down the REAL complete package. Those YZ's in that era are fantastic bikes...

I would generally agree with you up to 03 and maybe 04, 06 and 07 were very impressive. I to had an 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. My 99-02 bikes ran as good as the 98 with some head mods an a wiesco flat top piston. the 06 and 07 are not even close to the 03. the other thing is there are to many variables in an un-controlled test. 06 was the last year we raced a 2t, and I can say we never had our asses handed to us by any brand, there may have been better riders but the bikes weren't the factor. And now the AMA will let you ride a 250 2t withe the 250 4t in amatuer racing.


this is only opinion, cause there is now way to prove or disprove any of this. Like I said earlier buy from the best dealer.

I can only speak from experience up to about '02 as that's pretty much when I hung up the MX club racing. I would love to throw a leg over the newest gen 2s KX's such as the 07 but that might cause me to buy one and get the "vet racing" itch, and that's a road I promised myself I would not go down !   

[blinkerfluid]

I have a 98 and its got a pretty good power delivery.. i love the thing..

they have more top end power, where as the newer years are more mid range power

that is my understanding from what ive been told..

If memory serves me correctly both the '97 and '98 KX250's were voted "Bike of the year" by DB magazine based on very hard hitting power. I remember in '99 all the mags ragged the "new" KX250 for a lame engine...

My '97 was bone stock (just cleaned up the jetting) and that bike was BRUTAL ! I raced my '97  all the way up to '02 and did very well club racing at the "vet" level the issue with most all KX's of that era was the gooshy feeling front end and $hitty front brakes.

the front brakes do suck, i tend to be a 1 finger braker and have to brake early..   the front end does feel gooshy, especially on corners, it tends to turn in really sharp and wants to wash out.

both can be fixed with some upgraded parts though...

the 98 did win bike of the year which makes me feel great.

they can be had for a pretty decent price too

im looking at a 4 stroke bike on the side for the slower trails where the 2 stroke likes to load up

[Polar-Bus]

I have a 98 and its got a pretty good power delivery.. i love the thing..

they have more top end power, where as the newer years are more mid range power

that is my understanding from what ive been told..

If memory serves me correctly both the '97 and '98 KX250's were voted "Bike of the year" by DB magazine based on very hard hitting power. I remember in '99 all the mags ragged the "new" KX250 for a lame engine...

My '97 was bone stock (just cleaned up the jetting) and that bike was BRUTAL ! I raced my '97  all the way up to '02 and did very well club racing at the "vet" level the issue with most all KX's of that era was the gooshy feeling front end and $hitty front brakes.

the front brakes do suck, i tend to be a 1 finger braker and have to brake early..   the front end does feel gooshy, especially on corners, it tends to turn in really sharp and wants to wash out.

both can be fixed with some upgraded parts though...

the 98 did win bike of the year which makes me feel great.

they can be had for a pretty decent price too

im looking at a 4 stroke bike on the side for the slower trails where the 2 stroke likes to load up

Some "A" level KX racers were  swapping to CR front M/C's and running OEM CR compound pads. Never tried it myself.

[KXDINO]

98 was a goodbike,except forks needed mods to get to work properly,and the gearbox was hard to shift in sand under a load ,a full micro polish would fix that,i used a 96 cr master cylinda on that model to fix the mushy brake ,that same part is on our 06 which i want to up grade to kx 13 spec ,as the lever can be lifted up higher as the cr reservoir is taller and hits the throttle housing.A mate of mine has that bike so maybe a couple of drags are in order against the 06?I remember in its day ,no other brand would beat it in a straight line and would have been faster with a better box.

[Motoroost1]

2005-2007 KX250's are very good bikes . I have a 2007 and it has terrific power . On the track with the appropriate gearing , you have to be an awfully d**n good rider to use all of the power that the bike has in completely stock configuration . There is absolutely zero need to do anything to the engine or exhaust to have one of the fastest 250's anywhere . As I've said , the rider is by far the limiting factor with this generation of bikes .