Shop Motorcycle Gear,
Parts and Apparel.

2011 Kawasaki KX250F Comparison Photo Gallery

In the hands of accomplished race teams, the KX250F is obviously a podium threat.

Photos of the 2011 Kawasaki KX250F in action at the 2011 250 Motocross Shootout. Read the full details in the 2011 Kawasaki KX250F Comparison article.

Kawasaki went to the drawing board in the offseason and started by borrowing the digital fuel injection from its 450.

The 43mm throttle body has an injector with 20% higher flow rate to feed the higher-revving 250.

All of our riders were happy with the Kawasaki’s new fuel-injected engine and it backed that up with a strong showing on the dyno.

A new 50-tooth sprocket, compared to the 48-tooth of old, helps make sure the pilot doesn’t have to slaughter the clutch.

We had more than one rider accuse Mitch Payton of tinkering with the internals, that’s how fast the KX-F is.

Acceleration testing showed a 4.92-second holeshot time and 3.12-second roll-on. Both are within almost a tenth of a second from the top-two spots.

All of the bikes shift extremely well but the Kawasaki is a little clunkier than some and it can’t compare to the fluidity of KTM’s hydraulic clutch.

An all-new Separate Function Fork adds the element of tunable spring preload.

Kawasaki says the new Showa settings are aimed at “race-experienced riders.”

Horsepower is the first thing our testers want to talk about when discussing the Kawasaki.

Handling is well regarded also with a new steering geometry of 28.2 degrees of rake and 4.7 inches of trail.

Handling gets overshadowed by the potent engine, but the Kawasaki is good in the corners and nimble in the air.

Our testers are fairly tall and the Renthal handlebar was noted for additional comfort.

The new fork has 1mm less offset (22.5mm) and a slightly longer swingarm to accommodate the bigger sprocket which lengthens the wheelbase to 58.1 inches.

Compact riders consider the Kawi layout to be very open and roomy.

Braking is another category where our testers were lukewarm. Outright feel at the front lever is lacking but overall stopping power is more than adequate, as are all the machines.

Fortunately, unlike its big brother, the 250 offers a large layout without carrying excessive weight.

Each of our testers immediately felt the strength of Kawasaki's DOHC engine.

The KX250F weighs just over 220 pounds without fuel.