00 KX 250 what are the known problems??


FloridaMX

Member
Jun 20, 2001
43
0
I really close to buying a used bike it is going to be a 2000 KX or YZ 250? I like the looks of the KX better then the YZ but I heard there is known problems with the KX. Like the shifting it isn't too smooth and I heard about people stripping 3rd or 4th gear.

Just want to know if someone owns a 2000 KX 250 and what problems they have expierenced?

Is the YZ a better bike for someone geting back into the sport heard the KX motor is brutual and it is hard to control??

ALso where are the closes places to ride in tampa floria I know about croom and dade city but looking for for more of a place I can go after work and start to get in to the grove of things?

Also is it worth to spent an extra $500-700 for a used 2001 KX 250??
 

'00kx250spode

Member
Oct 21, 2000
197
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There's a problem with the reed cage in the 2000 KX250. The front/right corner of the lower reed will burn out . If you do a search you'll find some discussion about that. Someone got better results from non-OEM reeds. I switched to the V-Force.

As far as shifting, I found that I was finding neutral when shifting from 1st to 2nd - but I'm a little better now and don't use 1st on the Mx track so this isn't a problem for me anymore.

I haven't had any other problems with the bike.

I wouldn't call the KX250 powerband brutal. The strong bottom makes the bike easier to ride.
 

Camstyn

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 3, 1999
2,247
2
I bought a 2000 KX250 a bit over a year ago, brand new. Best performing bike I've ever owned/ridden, but at a huge tradeoff. Here are the problems I've had, off the top of my head:

cylinder plating flaked off - had replated and ported

big end bearing self-destructed - replaced with IMS rod kit and all new bearings/seals

lower shock bearing came apart on 2nd ride

reeds were chipped after 3rd ride, replaced with V-Force Delta 2 reedcage

spokes came loose every ride for months, resulted in bent wheels.

bent left radiator. straightened, looks normal now.

several pipe springs magically disappeared (broke?)

stripped both tank inserts for shroud bolts

rear wheel bearings self destructed

two leaky countershaft sprockets

bent front disk

stripped powervalve cover bolt insert

leaking floatbowl gasket

leaking powervalve gaskets

punchmarks on powervalve gears were incorrectly placed

more that I cant think of right now



Buy the Yamaha.
 

KawieKX125

~SPONSOR~
Oct 9, 2000
948
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Cam mitchell, half of your problems can be traced to the rider.
For example:
Wheels. Mine never get loose and stay very tight.
Stripped bolts. Caused by you.
Bearings. Were they greased?
Rad bent. You fell on it.:silly:
Bent disk. Again, you.

Truly, kwakers are very reliable IMO. The only problems I had in 2 years with my 99 KX125 were that the rod bearing went bad(I rev the bike alot) and the plating was my fault because I never warmed the bike up properly.

Kawasaki's are super reliable if you take care of them and stay open minded.

Then again, you are a beginner and the KX hits very hard. I rode a YZ and a KX back to back and the YZ felt slow. It is alot smother than the KX.
 

Camstyn

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 3, 1999
2,247
2
just realized that this may sound like I'm a lousy mechanic.. Contrary to how it looks, I thoroughly maintain this bike and always have since new.. The stripped bolts are user error of course, but the tank bolts were way too easy to spin.
 

KawieKX125

~SPONSOR~
Oct 9, 2000
948
0
Cam, the tank bolts require very little torque to stay tight. Also use some antisieze. If they strip out, they can be reinsertes with JB weld and it is stronger than stock.
Really though, you have some odd problems. I have owned 3 KX125's and never had any bearing problems. Only problem was plating on my 99.
 

Camstyn

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 3, 1999
2,247
2
Hi again.. I agree, some of them are my fault. I just added them as they may be weak points succeptable to damage.
The rotor and radiator bent extremely easily, but that's not to say there is neccessarily a problem with those areas.
The bearings have always been well greased. I own a great pressure washer but I don't use it on the bike.
The wheels came loose enough in one riding day that the nipples would be unthreaded off of the spokes.. Especially the sprocket side on the rear wheel. I was told that it would do this for the first 5-10 rides, but mine continued to do this for about 4 months and by the time it stopped, all of the subsequent tightening had put the rims very out of true.
:eek:
 

Camstyn

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 3, 1999
2,247
2
I think the bike is a lemon too, but according to Kawasaki there's nothing wrong with my bike, and it's not their problem. :think

I race in the novice class, but I do ride with a pretty aggressive style. I'm not easy on the bike, but I do take excellent care of it.
 

KawieKX125

~SPONSOR~
Oct 9, 2000
948
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You must have a lemon. I ride very agressively too and have almost no problems. Many local pro's also have no problems. The only thing I can think of that is common with KX 250's is the cylinder, crank and bad front brakes. The motor problems all happen after about a year though.
 

A-Tek

Uhhh...
Sep 3, 2001
5
0
I have had a 2000 KX since Nov. `99.

The wheels are weak , very weak. I used the 300 parts certificate that came with the bike for excel wheels , bulldog spokes and spline drive nipples. I still have to keep an eye on the rear wheel , front stays pretty tight.

The plating??? I had it taken out to a 310 and plated by US Chrome so I can`t say how reliable the stock plating is.

Bearings .... The lower shock mount will go first. I don`t pressure wash my bike and I clean/grease the lower shock bearing ( also the rest of the linkage and swingarm ) at 2 month intervals. I haven`t had anymore wheel bearing trouble than I have had on any other bike. The lower shock bearing is the only spot in the linkage that I would say requires more maintenance than other rides I have owned.


Reeds.... I put in Boyeson carbon fiber pro reeds when the bike was a couple months old and haven`t had any problems with them or the stock ones when they were in the bike.

I put in a Hinson Basket a couple months ago and I just bought new brake rotors for it. The stock rotors are starting to show some wear but still very usable.

I use a clarke tank and have had no problems with any inserts in it or anywhere else on the bike.

I know local riders that have had major problems with Yamaha and with Kawasaki. It probably comes down to how well you take care of your ride that counts , maybe a little luck of the draw in there too.
 
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BrianKx250

Member
Jan 31, 2006
1
0
Yeah right

Seriosly I've Had my kx for 5 years Ive raced 3 years of harescrambles
I beat the the piss out of it every sunday for practice. The trick to a Kx is.........Its going to be a shocker..........ONLY USE KAWASAKI GENUINE PARTS INSIDE THE MOTOR ie.....PISTON-RINGS-ALL BEARINGS no hot rods no crappy wiseco pistons no moose crappy bearing and seals. and youll have an engine you build once a year without re chroming the cylinder and splitting the cases and rebuilding the crank...Tip Buy a 13oz steahly flywheel weight, lower the forks in the triple clamps buy an 02 or 03 rear shock off of **** and install that about 50$ rebuild it first use non synthetic oil in cases use synthetic 2 stroke oil no castor (927) and buy an new rear axle and a brand new set of bearings old axles tent to get invisible wear that make kx's go through wheel bearings, when your all done call me up and well go riding,,,, by the way a bike is personal preference out of a group of five friends I only ride a KX the others ride the others and all have seperate but equal problems but I smoke them up and down and the sad thing is I couldnt do it on any other make.....
 

robwbright

Member
Apr 8, 2005
2,283
0
BrianKx250 said:
Seriosly I've Had my kx for 5 years Ive raced 3 years of harescrambles
I beat the the piss out of it every sunday for practice. The trick to a Kx is.........Its going to be a shocker..........ONLY USE KAWASAKI GENUINE PARTS INSIDE THE MOTOR ie.....PISTON-RINGS-ALL BEARINGS no hot rods no crappy wiseco pistons no moose crappy bearing and seals. and youll have an engine you build once a year without re chroming the cylinder and splitting the cases and rebuilding the crank...Tip Buy a 13oz steahly flywheel weight, lower the forks in the triple clamps buy an 02 or 03 rear shock off of **** and install that about 50$ rebuild it first use non synthetic oil in cases use synthetic 2 stroke oil no castor (927) and buy an new rear axle and a brand new set of bearings old axles tent to get invisible wear that make kx's go through wheel bearings, when your all done call me up and well go riding,,,, by the way a bike is personal preference out of a group of five friends I only ride a KX the others ride the others and all have seperate but equal problems but I smoke them up and down and the sad thing is I couldnt do it on any other make.....

Crappy hot rods? Crappy Wiseco pistons? Hmmmm

:coocoo:

Eric Gorr's book says the plating is not very good.
 

TWRT

Member
Sep 13, 2001
249
0
I've ridden both, many times. The yz has more lowend. But, once the kx was geared down some, it was closer to the yz' lowend. I think both are fine bikes. My friend never had any cylinder issues w/his kx in the 4-5 yrs he had it. the kx could carve a nice line, but I am partial to the yz. And suspension revalving was the best improvement on both bikes.
 
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robwbright

Member
Apr 8, 2005
2,283
0
By the way, it is a good bike - my bro has one and loves it. But the plating sucks - bro has a new cylinder on his and the bike wasn't ridden much before the new cylinder was needed.
 

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