Ok so i picked up a dirt bike off of CL today, actually got it home about an hour ago. it is a 92 Kawasaki Kx250 has newer plastics looks like a newer radiator and a receipt for a top end rebuild from a few months back. Didn’t have a lot of time to read about it b4 i picked it up bc of the price. Guy was asking $500 with a new Answer Helmet,gloves,shirt and pants. But since it was sitting with no Gas and it could not run he dropped it to $400 after everything. Kinda thought i would get home and it be a Dud. Well loaded it with gas checked the Rad and started 3rd kick. Now my question to you is what should i look out for in these older ride bikes? Never have i owned a Kawasaki let alone a bike. I have a crap load of Yamaha quads… Ran it up and down the street once into 3rd gear and packed it up for the night. Any weak points i should look out for? Or just any tips in general? Did i get a good deal?
*KX 250 not 240. You have to run premium fuel 93 and keep it mixed with oil. I always ran my bikes around 40-1, no real preference in oil brands, you’ll hear people swear about one brand or another. Sounds like you got a smoking deal if it’s in any decent shape.
Just make sure you give the bike time to warm up to operating temp before you go riping on it…two strokes are very easy to blow the top end if you fire it up and immediately try to ride it all the time. besides that, just keep bearings greased and it might be a good idea to check the fork oil and that the rear shock has nitrogen in it…
yea, i have a blaster that we bomb around on. thing needs a rebuild now but has ran great since 91 
the front of this Bike wants to lift with more then anything 1/2 throttle. So i think ill be trying to sit a little farther forward. ill be washing her al up today, and getting some bolts in places they are missing.
I’ve had many 250 2 strokes and I always warm mine up by riding it, yea take it easy for a minute, you’ll feel the power come on when it’s warm. Personally I’ve had WAY more luck with 250 2 strokes than any 4 stroke I’ve had. These bikes can take a serious beating, I wouldn’t say top ends are needed too often with them as long as you get the fuel mix down. I recommend Motul oil ALWAYS, if you run that you shouldn’t have a problem. The only failure I’ve ever had was due to yamalube being garbage. Sometimes simple is better, there really isn’t anything to look out for, if it starts, it’s good generally. If it starts to run rough I would check the reeds for cracking/chipping but if it runs good, leave it alone.
so i went to change the oil and the stupid rubber knob broke off and there is just a chunk of rubber in the whole now. so do i take a flathead and try to twist it out? id there a dip stick on the end?
no dipstick on the end most likely… use a heatgun if you have one to get it warm and try to twist it out with a flathead. These are a generic part, so if you find a similar looking oil plug it should fit.
I’ll prob just go with an aluminum one after I get it out. Started stripping off the paint and it’s an aftermarket fmf pipe painted all black. Real nice chrome under the paint.
check to see if the reeds have a brand name on them too then…
the more i mess with this thing the better its getting. air craft stripped off all the paint this morning. threw her all back together for now and stated up 1st kick for me. hopefully i can find some time to ride tomorrow b4 work. kyb front fork shocks under the paint too. ill try to snap a pic tomorrow
Keep the air filter clean and watch your spark plug.
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All KX’s have KYB suspension, so that’s nothing to get excited about. Just regularly change gearbox oil, air filter, use any decent 2 stroke oil, mix 32-40:1, regularly grease/oil swingarm, linkage, wheel bearings and chain and then you can beat the piss out of that thing. 2 strokes are ridiculously easy to take care of.
Clearly a previous poster hates Yamalube. I ran Yamalube 2-R premix oil exclusively in my KX’s for 10 years and never had a single problem. If the oil is semi-decent or better you’re not going to have any problems.
I run yamalube in all 3 of my quads. Never had a problem. Both 4 and 2 stroke so I always have a lot if it sitting around.
one last question. i know in the later years they changes the frame to a narrower one, but i know my bike is somewhere in the early 90’s. will be doing a vin check if the rain ever lets up today. but In all the early models were there changes to the plastics? if the bike really is a 92 I’m having a hell of a time trying to get a graphics kit for it.
It’s 20 years old lol of course you are having trouble finding graphics for it. They changed the plastic design so often through the years. Definitely keep a clean air filter. I change mine approximately every 2.5 hours of ride time.
i figured i wound have trouble finding some. was hopping newer years at least 94 and up have some similar plastic pieces. that was i can piece together a graphic kit for it.
I was going to say, couldn’t you just get something a few model years newer and kind of re-trofit it in place. I’m sure it will look good and fit similar with minimal cutting.
Or do what the KuntryQuest dude did and plastidip the plastics all white. That looked hot.
SOunds like you’ve got a nice bike there, good deal!