2025 Kawasaki KX250 Review

On paper, Kawasaki’s KX250 is the most dominant bike in the 250 class. The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team racked up its 300th career win during this summer’s Pro Motocross Championship, putting the green machine on top of the podium more times than any other manufacturer. Despite its proven racing success, the product cycle waits for no one, and the KX250 was due for an update. For 2025, it received a near ground-up redesign, and we headed to the iconic Washougal MX Park, where Kawasaki let the media loose on the new KX.

Photography by Ryne Swanberg / Octopi Media

What’s New | 2025 Kawasaki KX250 Review

The KX250 gets an all-new look for 2025. The new frame is the same as its bigger 450cc brother and sports a taller cradle to accommodate a new engine layout and a new shock mount. A straighter downdraft intake feeds the engine, which now features a center-port exhaust to increase bottom and midrange power. The air filter intake is also easily accessible via the new tool-less plastic cover. The bodywork is redesigned and matches the 450 with minimal seams to not to interfere with rider movement.

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

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

The biggest upgrade for the KX comes in the engine and electronics departments. The downdraft intake allows air to flow in a straighter path through the air filter, into the cylinder, and out via the center-port exhaust. The header and muffler are consolidated and tucked closer to the motor for a more compact design. This all aids in Kawasaki’s goal of creating a lower mid-range power character, moving away from the top-end style motor of the prior generation.

The electronics enhance the KX’s upgrades. After years of complaints, the plug-in couplers are finally gone and replaced by a handlebar-mounted control unit. Here, riders get two maps: normal (light off) and aggressive (light on), which can be independently tuned via Kawasaki’s Rideology App. These options are flipped from the KX450, which features the standard map as light off and smooth as light on. The switch also offers two levels of traction control, weak or strong, corresponding to a solid (weak) or blinking (strong) light. Launch control is another option, with specific ECU settings taking over until the rider clicks into third gear.

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

Washougal Tested | 2025 Kawasaki KX250 Review

A perfectly prepped Washougal track greeted us, and, of course, so did beautiful shiny new green bikes. The Kawi technicians input a map tuned specifically for the tricky PNW conditions, and the bike felt ultra smooth and controlled in the early morning. Bottom-end power was noticeably increased from before, and the bike came to life much easier than the prior-year model. On the ‘24 model, you had to carry speed, feather the clutch, and ride the bike high into the rpm red zone if you wanted to make any power. Miss a shift or bog in a corner, and you are in a world of hurt. With the 2025 model, clutch finesse is no longer a prerequisite to wake up the motor, as it feels upbeat with improved torque off the bottom. This transitions into a super usable mid-range power, which feels like the new sweet spot for this engine. In aggressive mode, you still get the screamy top end from before, but it’s now not the only area in which it performs. With a better mid-section, the bike is ultra easy to ride since riders can enjoy all that second and third gear have to offer. The transmission is well-spaced and doesn’t require short shifting like it did in years past. The KX still doesn’t rev up as fast as the fiery YZ250F, but it’s much more of a step in the right direction compared to the previous model.

After my first session, I changed to the more aggressive mapping option. This made the bike feel spunky and blended the new bottom-end torque with the familiar long-revving personality from before. I still wanted to put the new Rideology app to the test and try some other options. We rode a special “Broc Tickle Map” early on, which made the bike easy to control in our given conditions. However, this wasn’t the setting you’d get from the dealership, and I was concerned that the 250’s standard setting would feel “detuned” like the newer KX450. I wanted something with more hit, more oomph, and more excitement. I asked them to surprise me and not tell me the changes. After a few quick laps, I was impressed with their new map. It had a quicker snap upon initial roll-on and seemed to carry better up the hills as the track began to dry out. To my surprise, this was the standard map that comes pre-programmed into the KX250! My worries about the KX feeling sluggish in the OEM map were gone, and I ran this setting for the rest of the day.

My complaint regarding the phone app and mapping is the lack of pre-built maps for the new KX. After riding their Tickle Map, I hoped to try other settings, but Kawasaki offers none. Instead, you need to adjust your settings as you go and fine-tune them via the smartphone app, which also features a maintenance log and notes section.

Suspension is another talking point. Thankfully, Kawasaki fixed last year’s bike’s harsh and unforgiving feeling with new Showa components. The 49mm sticks offer much better cushioning in the top part of the stroke to absorb smaller bumps at various speeds. They also ramp up nicely with strong bottoming resistance for bigger jumps or flat landings. While overall comfort out of the box is good, I dropped the forks three millimeters to gain stability on the faster sections of the Washougal track.

Along with that, we turned the high-speed one-quarter turn in the rear. This allowed the rear end to stay up while putting more traction on the front tire. These changes were the same ones I made to the KX450, and I found that they complement the chassis in both high-speed sections and tighter turns.

The overall cockpit gets an A-plus in my book. ODI grips are heaven-sent, and the dual Nissin levers offer a consistent feel in all areas of the track. The plastic design features minimal bolts and seams while maximizing rider contact points. I never snagged gear or boots and felt connected to the bike during every riding session. Kawasaki’s Ergo-Fit system also allows riders to adjust their handlebar and footpeg positions. At six-foot-one, I rode the standard settings all day with no complaints.

The new-gen Kawasaki KX250 has big shoes to fill, with its predecessors paving the way to victory lane. For 2025, they’ve hit the nail on the big green head. This bike is much easier to ride and more user-friendly for a wider range of consumers. Last year’s KX was high-revving and seemed to make power only in the top-end ranges of the rpm curve. Now, this bike is one you can ride all day without fighting the high-strung engine or stiff suspension. Further updates, like the ECU cluster, are icing on the cake and bring it up to par with the rest of the modern-day 250 class, too. The KX name is synonymous with winning in the 250 class, and with the new ‘25, there will certainly be more of that in the future.

VIDEO | 2025 Kawasaki KX250 First Ride Review

2025 Kawasaki KX250X

We also got to sample the new KX250X on the trails surrounding the Washougal’s MX track. The off-road-specific KX250X gets the same updates as its motocross cousin for 2025. What sets the X apart from the motocross KX is a kickstand, sealed chain, 18-inch rear wheel, Dunlop AT81 tires, and softer suspension settings—two spring rates lighter front and rear. These changes add an extra $100 to the X’s price point, a steaming deal compared to converting your motocrosser to an off-roader on your own.

The X feels noticeably different from the moto bike. Out in the woods, the softer suspension makes a world of difference. The bike absorbs choppy acceleration bumps rather than plowing straight through. This also gives the rider better traction and comfort in the slower speed sections. Aside from that, the cockpit, engine and ECU settings are the exact same.

I, however, would have liked to feel more differentiation between the MX version and the X for the trails. But the pros will most likely like it the way it is. This KX250X’s main competitors are Honda’s CRF250RX, KTM’s 250 XC-F and Yamaha’s YZ250FX, all with larger tanks than their MX cousins and specific off-road ECU settings.CN

VIDEO | 2025 Kawasaki KX250X First Ride Review

2025 Kawasaki KX250 Specifications

 

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