MXP Gets the First Ride On the 2015 KX250F

photos by Vern Putzer

We all know the successful history Kawasaki has with their 250F program. Multiple titles on both sides of the border along with many, many race wins. Since the inception of the 250 four-stroke Kawasaki has been leading the way with innovative features and superior durability. However, even with all the success Kawasaki has enjoyed over the last decade, they’ve refused to rest on their laurels and each year the KX250F continues to improve.

While handling seems to be the most important item on the bigger 450 machines, on the 250F’s every rider wants power. Already one of the most powerful 250F’s, for 2015 Kawasaki has focused on simply improving an already solid engine package. For added reliability Kawasaki has reinforced the external ribs on their Bridged Box Piston. This reinforcing along with a thicker under surface on the piston, has made the piston more durable resulting in less maintenance for Kawasaki riders.

As much as most riders want to ride these 250F machines in the upper RPM’s, Kawasaki believes that their riders will benefit greatly if their 250F offered more low-end and mid-range power. To accomplish this without changing or losing any of the valuable top-end power, for 2015 Kawasaki has reduced the size of the downstream fuel-injector. This 45mn reduction in droplet size of the downstream injector actually increases the low to mid-range power. This small change helps the 2015 KX250F rocket out of corners and increases your chance of getting off the gate well and securing that all important holeshot.

So with all the important horsepower taken care of Kawasaki turned it’s attention to the suspension and the handling. For 2015 Kawasaki has decided to stay with their very successful Showa Separate Function (SFF) front fork. This conventional fork has worked very well for the last two years on the KX250F, so why change anything? With all of the damping components in the left leg and the one fork spring in the right leg, these SFF forks are extremely predictable and easily adjustable.

To work in perfect unison with the 2015 SFF front forks Kawasaki has added a brand new four position adjustable upper triple clamp. Riders will now have the benefit of 35 mm of forward or back adjustment to suit anyone’s riding style or preference.

Also to help make this new Kawasaki handle better than ever before, for 2015 the sub frame is 0.2mm narrower and 0.5g lighter. Although this change may seem small, the results are huge as it gives the rider a more nimble feel because of the thinner riding position. All of these small items add up to a fast and light KX250F that handles very well and is perfectly suited to today’s generation of riders.

Finally for 2015 Kawasaki has taken a couple of ideas from it’s bigger cousin the KX450F. New adjustable foot pegs and a larger front brake rotor have been added to the KX250F for more added comfort and of course, greater stopping power.

Even though the changes for 2015 were very settle, there is always the fear that they might not work once you’re out on the track. To test ride this brand new 2015 KX250F MXP was invited to Milestone Raceway in California. Since BC rider Hayden Wolff was the 2013 Team Green rider of the year, we invited him to come with us so he could provide his feedback on the new bike. After a very hot day and close to 200 laps of riding, Hayden wrote the following about how much he enjoyed the 2015 KX250F.

“Hey everyone, my name is Hayden Wolff and I’m from Prince George, BC. Back in July I received a call from Kate Rundle at Canadian Kawasaki Motor Inc. asking if I would be interested in testing out the 2015 KX250 with Chris Pomeroy from MXP Magazine. It took me all of five seconds to say yes and then I ran through my house screaming that I was headed to California!. After discussing it with my family we decided to take this incredible opportunity and make a family trip out of it. It’s not everyday that you get a chance to ride at a track that I’ve spent years dreaming about.

When the day finally came to leave we were all so excited. After a long day of flying we eventually landed at LAX and after some introductions we were off to Riverside California. I was so happy to be spending the next two days with Tim Chandler, Chris Pomeroy and Vern Putzer.

The next morning we were off to the track to test out the 2015 bikes. After a few more introductions to the people at Kawasaki USA, it was time to get dressed and to get the bike set up for me. After discussing a little bit about how I like my bike set up, my new mechanic for a day and I adjusted the suspension and made both the front and rear suspension a little softer. With all of the adjustability of the new bike it was easy to change the settings so it suited me perfectly.

It sometimes takes me a few practice sessions to get used to a new track and to feel comfortable on a new bike; however once that was out of the way it was time for the fun to begin. With the temperature hovering around 100F it was definitely tough to feel comfortable on the track as within a few laps I kept feeling very hot, but after consuming gallons of water the heat became easier to handle.

Since the Milestone track has a great mixture of big and small jumps along with some very fast corners, getting the proper bike set up was very important. Again, this is where the adjustability of the KX250F really showed it’s true colours. Once I adjusted the bars and the foot pegs I felt more comfortable while standing up, I felt amazing. Also, with the thinner sub-frame I felt like I could whip the bike around a lot easier than my 2014 KX250F.

With the hot and dry weather that surrounded Milestone that day, the track owners had tilled the loamy dirt very deep and had poured a lot of water to it. The result was a very deep and power robbing surface that demanded a lot of power and torque just to get through it. This is when you need a bike that pulls very strong, even if you’re a light weight like me. Just like my 2014, the new KX250F has incredible power. With the added low end boost that the 2015 provides I was able to sometimes carry a higher gear in and out of the Milestone corners. The bike pulled very strong, and I even did some starts using the traction control device.

Finally, how good would a new bike really be if it didn’t look great. The appearance changes to the 2015 like the new graphics and the silver finish on the SFF front forks look amazing. Overall I felt like the 2015 KX250F was a slight improvement over my 2014 and I can’t wait to get my own and take on the 2015 racing season. I also want to thank Kawasaki Canada and MXP Magazine for giving me the opportunity to test a brand new bike in such an awesome environment. Milestone provided the perfect track to try out the new KX250F, the track had a little bit of everything and it didn’t take me long before I felt right at home on the bike.”