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2022 Kawasaki KX250 Project Bike Riding Impression

Modest mods round out a well-rounded bike.

May 6, 2022

We say it often in shootouts, but it bears repeating: Just because a bike doesn’t win a comparison test doesn’t mean it isn’t a good motorcycle. This is especially true for the 2021-2022 Kawasaki KX250. Our main criticisms of Team Green’s 250 four-stroke motocross bike are that its stock fork setting leaves something to be desired in bumpy terrain and its high-revving engine lacks some low-end grunt.

Riding Jay Clark’s 2022 Kawasaki KX250 project bike at Cahuilla Creek Motocross.Mason Owens

Aside from those minor areas that could be improved, the KX250 is a super well-rounded motorcycle. To knock its rough edges off, project bike builder Jay Clark got the suspension revalved by Schmidt Performance, had Twisted Development map a Vortex ECU for it, and then added some bolt-on parts such as an FMF Factory 4.1 RCT exhaust system.

The 2021–2022 Kawasaki KX250 is a good motorcycle in stock trim. However, it suffers from a slight lack of low-end grunt and some suspension harshness.Mason Owens

“For this build, we kept it very simple with no engine porting,” Clark said. “We just added a Wiseco high-compression piston, a Vortex ECU, and an FMF pipe as the main performance mods. Then we had Schmidt Performance set up the stock suspension.” We met Clark at Cahuilla Creek Motocross to shake down the refined green machine.

Project bike builder Jay Clark sought to eliminate the green machine’s woes with a modest build.Mason Owens

The most noticeable difference between this modified KX and a stocker was the suspension. While the KX250 has great bottoming resistance off the showroom floor, it can feel harsh on every impact but jump landings. The main track was rough enough in the morning, and I spun several more laps on the vet track after photos and filming were complete. The more mild course wasn’t super rough, but there were enough chatter bumps for further testing.

Related: 2022 Kawasaki KX250 Review

Twisted Development supplied a Vortex ECU and created custom maps for it.Mason Owens

Comfort from the KYB components was impressive, especially the fork. Jarring feedback in the hands was gone, replaced by a plush feeling, most noticeably in the initial part of the stroke. I found myself focusing on hitting lines as fast as possible rather than anticipating and bracing for a harsh feel in braking bumps. The balance was close, though the fork felt a touch soft in comparison to the shock. I would chalk that up more to the shock spring rate being a little stiff for me. All I would likely need is a softer shock spring for my lighter weight to improve this area.

Clark refurbished an FMF Factory 4.1 RCT exhaust system for the bike. He chose the stainless steel header pipe and aluminum muffler rather than a full titanium system for cost-effectivity purposes.Mason Owens

Retaining the KX250′s high-revving stock engine character, improvements were noticed in torque feel from low to midrange rpm. Coupled with the engine’s already snappy throttle response enabled the green machine to accelerate quicker out of corners, albeit still in a very linear and predictable manner.

The KYB 48mm coil-spring fork and KYB shock are excellent components, but a touch off in terms of stock settings. Schmidt Performance sought to maximize the KX250 suspension’s potential.Mason Owens

Clark left the gearing stock at 13/50, but I would be interested to try going up a tooth on the rear sprocket to see if that could further help bottom-end power delivery. I don’t think it would sacrifice too much top speed on straightaways with how well the KX250 carries each gear due to its long power delivery.

Added torque feel from low to midrange rpm was a welcomed improvement on the quarter-liter KX.Mason Owens

Ergonomics remained similar to stock, which is a good thing because the KX250 is one of the best in this category. Contact point grip was enhanced by the Raptor Apex titanium footpegs, MotoSeat seat cover, and Motion Pro DirtControl V2 Lock-On grips. TM Designworks’ rear chain guide is a nice touch too as it’s more durable than the stock unit, which is a quick-wear item on KX models.

In standard trim, the KX250’s fork setting is only plush on jump landings. Schmidt Performance took away its harsh feeling on smaller impacts while mostly maintaining the stock setup’s holdup.Mason Owens

Clark is known for extravagant bike builds, which are fun to ride and easy on the eyes, but he showed with this KX250 project that you don’t have to go too crazy when modifying a new bike to personalize it. In this case, getting the suspension set up closer to what an average 250F motocross rider would like was key because Kawasaki missed the mark on the stock setting. Clark achieved that and more without going overboard.