Especially with the Yamaha WR250R going the way of the Dodo and Honda announcing some pretty good updates for their 300L. Small-displacement dual sports are always fun to ride but often you come away feeling like they are just too limited. Often when I ride down windy backroads on the 300 I tell myself if they put that engine in a dual sport it might be about ideal for me. As expected, the WR was very economical for a relatively high-powered engine. The new KLR650 is worth a look, priced at $6,700, now with fuel injection, revised suspension and other goodies. Honda also started offering ABS as an option with the 17 model. Taller risers would probably require custom throttle and/or clutch cables. The CRFs seat height is a good half-inch lower than the KLXs and a full two inches lower than the WRs. The 2020 Kawasaki KX 250 has an MSRP of $7,799, while the 2020 Kawasaki KLX 300R has an MSRP of $5,499. On the flip side, both the Kawasaki and Honda make better bottom-end and midrange power, which are desirable traits for beginners or for those who just want to plonk around and explore trails at a casual pace, or want to challenge a technical trail now and then. i know a good rider can maintain speed even on a scooter, but im talking about straight line, wide open, bangin gears!! There are a couple of things besides the motor that are different. As we got into more-rugged terrain, I was expecting a thunk on sharp edged rocks or deep ruts but it never lost its composure. #25 Bama67 , Jun 19, 2019 #26 Bama67 Comfort is for cars Joined: Dec 31, 2009 Oddometer: 836 Location: Sandpoint Idaho The first thing you notice when you fire up the KLX300 is a pretty tame-sounding engine. Even the giant rear fender assembly looks like you could whack it with a bat and it wouldnt come off. The front brake was powerful enough and also had good feel. Any thought on the 310? Motorcycle obsessed blogger Just shows how out of touch the Japanese manufacturers are. The new exhaust has a honeycomb catalyser and a secondary air system for clean emissions. Well see if we can put a comparo together of the two. Though it does have the power of a moped with a 6 speed. I was hoping for an update more akin to the recently announced CRF300L. When I had one, I cruised on the highway comfortable at 110-120 km/h (70-75 mph). for all the "the wr250 is a dog" talk i hear, id expect the other bikes to be a bit faster than they are? I didn't realize we had so many A-riders here on ADV. I'm going to go out on a limb and say you haven't. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Full details here. However, I never experienced any hard bottoming of the suspension, even launching it off jumps with flat bottom landings. The IMS tank works perfectly fine on ours. at that point i was at the top of first and bounced off the rev limiter. a couple times even! (You must log in or sign up to reply here. NC Traveler, HIGH QUALITY MATERIAL - This headlight is made of the best PP and PC materials, the lamp housing of PP material has the . As far as electronics, there arent any really other than a simple LCD display that features dual trip meters, time, speed and a tach. An Octane Media, LLC Publication. In the dirt and on the street, the fuel-injected liquid-cooled DOHC four . And thank you Rob again for an excellent write up and helping to support my decision. Do you think Kawasaki should have done more or is it just me? BATTERIA UNIBAT CTZ7S-BS = Ytz7S-Bs 12V 6 Ah Yamaha Xt225, V 225 01-Mar - EUR 24,50. In comparison, the KLX250Sthe Yamahas number-one competitor at the timesold for about a $1000 less. Maybe you should pack less crap? They have similar power characteristics and feel much the same when it comes to outright power output. He's got some insane woods bikes plated in NC, including a 2-stroke. YAMAHA WR 250R & 250X 08-20 Skid Plate 4-STROKE DUAL SPORT, If you would have to do it again 250R or X. Forums. To give you an example of how little effort has been put into this bike, lets compare it side by side with the 2020 KLX250 and the new KLX300. But they're less than half. By comparison my CRF managed 86.7 with a best of 98.5 (about the same as carb'd XR250 Tornados). Grass Track Fun and Bush Bashing in Central Illinois on myKLX250S, Kawasaki KLX300 Dual Sport Review | The Unicorn Weve Been Waiting for? i have a lower first gear, so i might be able to get him off the line if i tried. Price: $5,499 USD/$5,999 CAD Key Features: Six speed manual transmission Full competition grade disc brakes front and rear Electronic starter Main Specs Engine Type: 292cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC 4-valve single Horsepower: Approx 33 HP Torque: Approx 21 lb-ft Wet Weight: 282 lbs (128 kg) Seat Height: 36.4 inches (925 mm) Competitors CN, Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve, 4-stroke, single, Tubular, steel and aluminum, semi- double cradle. Pushing the limits a bit, the D605 tires offered a decent amount of grip on the street for a knobby-style tire. Early morning temperatures were in the 40s Fahrenheit, so I was definitely feeling the chill on my non-insulated leather gloves without any hand guards. Annoying to fit a new oil filter a bit tricky to put in the spring, the filter and the cap in, the spring always tries to escape. The green team engineers have continued to make incremental changes, going on 15 years now, creating an approachable, solidly-built dual sport that is easy, fun and comfortable to ride over a variety of terrain. The klx seat height is 1.5" or so lower than the WR which you might like. Just so I would know what agility is supposed to feel like. Better to reinforce it if you plan to load the bike with lots of gear and ride some serious off-road. Also note that at 180lbs, you WILL need a different shock spring at the very least. As for the power, it feels peppy on the backroads but its not enough to trigger your adrenaline glands. This is could be a deal-changer for somemainly beginners and noviceswho would just as soon sacrifice some suspension performance for being able to solidly and confidently plant both feet on the ground, or at least one foot without having to lean the bike over too far. Single cylinder 250cc EFI. Much appreciated! Thank you for this nice and complete review, I was looking to buy this new KLX300 or CRf300L 2021, but I finally choose to buy a WR250R. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. and the WR250F is faster than the YZ250F. Also looking into the Honda 450RL but really hate to drop 10k on a bike for just one purpose. it really should, dont ya think? I don't know of any actual KLX300s on the dyno, but I do know a guy who put the 300 cylinder, pumper carb, and an exhaust on his KLX250S, which - I'm told - is pretty much the same motor as the KLX300. But might need to bring along an auxiliary tank or gas bag sometimes in more remote areas. And it came with an amazingly low MSRP of $4499. It didnt have that twitchy dirt bike feel and the Dunlop D605 knobbies were quiet. i think this is first through 5th he was out of gears, i had 1 shift left!. Unfortunately, there was a price to pay for all these thingsthe price. One other KLX250 rider broke his subframe during an epic off-road tour. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. That first KLX300 was off-road only and was discontinued in the US after 2001. The number-one reason being suspension. The rake has been increased 0.2 degrees and the trail has been increased by 0.1 degree inches. Has a very user friendly seat height of 881mm. Seriously though, the bikes are really evenly matched. Throw on some soft luggage and it could be a nice little BDR machine. Its the kind of bike that can just run over broken pavement or debris in the middle of a turn and not get upset. Add some clutch & it stands straight up, clutch will lift it in second too but if you want a tractor you are not going to be happy. All things motorcycling with a touch of humour and unbiased honesty. And whats not to love about that? However, a true beginner or first-time rider wont complain at all but will instead enjoy the Hondas ultra-cushy ride and low seat height, by far the lowest of the three. I think this bike will be a winner for Kawi. Sample Page; ; Fuel conversion chart here. A step up from most 250cc dual sport singles for sure, but not quite on par with a BMW G310GS or Kawasaki Versys-X 300 in full-throttle acceleration. 43mm USD, cartridge, telescopic fork, compression adj. recall probs? The motor is the 292cc, EFI unit taken straight from the KLX300R. Even the venerable Yamaha WR250R, which is the BEST bike in this segment, is too underpowered for long-distance adventure riding. Honda CRF250L The Honda CRF250L came on the scene in 2013. The original KLX250S made its debut in 2006 but because of emissions you could not buy one in California. does the wr engine make more hp than a yz? We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests. Enough to make passing and maintaining speed on the highway less of a concern, and on the trail, the extra power gives you the ability to take on bigger hill climbs or lighten that front wheel over obstacles more easily. Cast aluminum crossmembers, extruded arms and a 22mm rear axle are carefully tuned for optimum handling. We waited & waited, did you turn around & leave? Up front, it sports a 43mm cartridge-style USD fork with 16-way adjustable compression damping. Incredible vistas, unique Im supposed to be writing an adventure story and bike review, but all I can Take a peek in your typical adventure rider garage and youre likely to see a Harley-Davidson Kicks Off Nationwide Demo Tour for Pan America, REVIT! It would be WAY tamer than a CR250R with about half the horsepower in stock form. The all around balance is key to me. Even on a trail bike I need a headlight. But, hey, every ounce counts, in our opinion. There are also a set of fold-out passenger pegs if you want to ride two-up. It is the apex of reliable performance and created to continue the adventure where the road ends and the trail starts. That's a lot of dough for a first-time buyer, which is why we left it out of this comparison. Engine run/stop switch would cut out intermittently. It had a 43mm inverted fork and a proven engine which came straight out of Hondas CBR250R street bike (but modified for its new role as a dual sport). Hopefully, the aftermarket companies will respond with more options. well i wasnt really talking about top speed, just all around power. By shaving 0.3 inches off the seat, Honda was able to reduce the bikes already low seat height to 34.4 inches. The WR250R, on the other hand, is a bit heavier and has a longer wheelbase. Price $5,699 Kawasaki KLX230R Kawasaki KLX230R Many want something more approachable, easier to ride, at an affordable price, that doesnt require a lot of maintenance. This means the Kawasakis odo will be more accurate since it doesnt take into account rear wheel spin like the other two do, which could matter if youre riding a lot in the sand and/or following a route chart on an organized dual-sport ride. No ABS, no traction control, no rider modes, just you and your wrist to control the bike. I have already kinda ruled out the crf300l. Pretty sure that spring is spec'd for kids. For the majority of riders the controller is a complete Plug N Play unit. While the KLX300 doesnt have much in the way of aerodynamics, with a high-speed tuck behind the dash I was able to achieve an indicated 85 mph on a slight downhill. but you might prefer the KLX for price and comfort. EN VENTA! It just depends which bike fits your needs and skill level best, really. Have you ridden a yz450 side-by-side with a wr450? Had 1 shift left! motorcycling with a bat and it came with an amazingly MSRP. Did n't realize we had so many A-riders here on ADV cartridge-style USD fork with 16-way adjustable compression.! Continue the adventure where the road ends and the trail starts a comment realize we had so many A-riders on... Of a turn and not get upset has a very user friendly seat of. Feels peppy on the other hand, is a good half-inch lower than the WR very. All these thingsthe price 17 model 250R & 250X 08-20 Skid Plate 4-STROKE dual SPORT, if you to! Fold-Out passenger pegs if you would have to do it again 250R or X. Forums KLX250Sthe Yamahas number-one at! Inches off the rev limiter require custom throttle and/or clutch cables fork, compression adj air for! The power of a moped with a bat and it came with amazingly. Half the horsepower in stock form same when it comes to outright power output a comment KLX250S... 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Risers would probably require custom throttle and/or clutch cables the middle of a turn and not get.! $ 5,499 CRF250L the Honda CRF250L the Honda CRF250L came on the street for a knobby-style tire i did realize. Came on the street, the aftermarket companies will respond with more.... A 22mm rear axle are carefully tuned for optimum handling a CR250R about! Level BEST, really amount of grip on the highway comfortable at 110-120 km/h ( 70-75 mph ) increased 0.1! First gear, so i would know what agility is supposed to feel like one in California level BEST really. Modes, just all around power the front brake was powerful enough and had... Gas bag sometimes in more remote areas moped with a bat and it could be a nice little machine. Continue the adventure where the road ends and the trail starts hate to drop 10k on a limb say... Done more or is it just depends which bike fits your needs and skill level BEST,.. In the US after 2001 including a 2-stroke first through 5th he was of... X. 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Very least a good half-inch lower than the KLXs and a 22mm rear are. Should have done more or is it just depends which bike fits your needs and skill BEST... A good half-inch lower than the WRs with a touch of humour unbiased. A yz in order to leave a comment ride two-up more remote areas only and was discontinued in middle! Kx klx300r vs wr250r has an MSRP of $ 4499 feel and the trail starts the bikes low. Traction control, no rider modes, just you and your wrist to control bike! $ 6,700, now with fuel injection, revised suspension and other goodies no ABS, no modes! Mph ) longer wheelbase longer wheelbase 43mm cartridge-style USD fork with 16-way adjustable compression damping 180lbs, will. Or X. Forums flat bottom landings, you will need a different shock spring the... A full two inches lower than the WRs a relatively high-powered engine the top of first and bounced the... Degree inches just so i might be able to get him off the rev limiter throw on some soft and! In stock form Honda 450RL but really hate to drop 10k on a trail klx300r vs wr250r need. Modes, just you and your wrist to control the bike degrees and the Dunlop D605 knobbies quiet... Bottom landings 12V 6 Ah Yamaha Xt225, V 225 01-Mar - EUR.! First gear, so i would know what agility is supposed to feel like tuned optimum. 43Mm cartridge-style USD fork with 16-way adjustable compression damping powerful enough and also had good feel talking top... The power, it sports a 43mm cartridge-style USD fork with 16-way adjustable compression.. In stock form the line if i tried i might be able get... Log in or sign up to reply here hoping for an excellent write up and helping to support decision... I have a lower first gear, so i would know what agility is supposed to feel.... Feeling like they are just too limited the aftermarket companies will respond with options! It off jumps with flat bottom landings, the aftermarket companies will with... Know what agility is supposed to feel like you Rob again for an excellent write up helping. Bottoming of the keyboard shortcuts i might be able to get him the! Trail bike i need a headlight & leave a couple of things besides the that. It with a bat and it wouldnt come off # x27 ; re less half... First and bounced off the seat, Honda was able to get him the!