The Complete KLX250/KLX300 Long Term Review Thread

Crapola! Well I suppose this is as good a time as any to put in a sales pitch for my solidly farkled 2008 KLR (685 loses no oil). Much more comfy than a KLX this time of year especially with cushy heated grips. Yours for a good price.

If you do part out the KLX, put me first in line for radiator guards and large tank if you have them. Plus any unmolested turn signals and tank shrouds.

Alternatively why not get the engine rebuilt with a 351 kit and restart the clock?

Cheers,
Graham

Wow! 50,000 miles! It seems you have found the ultimate in "long term KLX250S" use. So pertinent info to this thread...
What exactly happened? Snapped cam chain or dropped valve, or something else? What if any engine problems have you had over those 50k? What was your history of valve adjustments required? We're the valves out of room for adjustment yet? Did it give any indication that it might need valves? OEM cam chain tensioner or manual? Etc, etc.
It would be cool if you could inspect the rest of the motor for wear...which presumably you would if you decide to rebuild.

I think a strong argument could be made for a stock or OEM 300 bore rebuild, if enough of the rest of the engine are worth reusing. Good luck with whatever course you take.

I will post what happened at another time. This engine is not rebuildable as I need to ask Riverside Motorsports since they are the ones who tore it apart. Found a complete used engine on ebay for $1800 plus shipping. I'm really not sure i want to go that route, but my options are very limited.

$1800 is way too much for an engine. You can get a complete entire running bike for that much. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=20654375&postcount=3348

Whoa! that sucks !!! Bill Blue would probably give a little something for the cylinder since he will bore everything out anyway.
I think you could find the parts you need on eBay for a reasonable price. I just got done with a rebuild where I bought a used crankcase, stator cover, transmission, and starter clutch, for just over $200 total.
Good luck and please let us know what happened.
Dan

Sorry to hear about your bike streakerfreak! Wow you sure had a lot of miles on it though - I'm betting 90% of the bikes will see those #'s.


My odometer went out a couple months ago with 54,000 KM on the clock. I know I did 7 stock gas tanks when I bought it before I got it fixed and in the last two months I've done 23 Acerbis 4 gallon (Mine really is 4 - not 3.7) since then. The previous owner used it as a daily driver for 2 years before that but had taken the odometer off the bike so no idea.

So my useage has been:
54,000KM - 5,000 KM that was on the odometer before the original owner disconnected it = 49,000 KM.
+ aprox. 1,200 KM before I fixed the odometer; + another 6,000 KM over the past few months

= Aproximately 56,000 KM I've put on the bike.

It would be really easy for the previous owner to have put 24,000 KM on in 2 years as he didn't have a car/any other vehicle which would put my bike at aprox 80,000 KM or about the same as yours.

However, at 29,600 KM on my odometer I installed the BB 351 kit and replaced the timing chain and clutch. (That was the stock clutch and I've done a HD clutch since then.)

What I'm really impressed with is I've got a little over 30,000 KM on the 351 kit with no issues. (I've never got the jetting right though on the new carb but that's just because I'm not too bright with those things, haven't had the time to try ((it's my daily driver)) and here in Malaysia the mechanics aren't so good at "fine tuning" though they are great at jurry rigging something if they don't have the parts to get something not running running!)

It's running fine now, and while I'd be bummed if it died tommorow, I wouldn't have the right to complain. This is pretty good for a dirt bike!

As soon as I know more I will let everyone know and give a 50,000 mile review of the 2010 KLX250s.

Hey... those of you who have replaced your rear spring, what rate did you go with, and what do you weigh? And for that matter, where'd you get it? :)

Thanks.

Rob

Speaking of weight... anyone weigh the KLX? I'm wondering if there really is a 15 lb difference between the 2007 & 2009 models...

Hey guys,
I know some of you guys from the DR650 mega thread. I have a DR650 but I'm still kicking around the idea of a lighter, smaller ADV travel bike.

As I browse this thread I don't see many KLX guys going longer rides ... fully loaded with gear. Anyone? (PS ... have not read every page ... but quite a few of the 500 odd pages)

Has anyone done serious ADV travels on this bike? Links to Ride Reports?
Can you carry panniers on the KLX? ... or only Giant Loop type bags? Not seen any pics of KLX with soft panniers.
How much weight can the sub frame handle in terms of load while riding on very bad roads and dirt wash board ... 8 hours a day, for weeks?

I'm impressed by the 351cc engine up grades. Sounds like an incredible improvement. I've noticed a few guys with 5000 miles or so ... any high mileage examples yet of the 351?

How about high mileage stock KLX's? Could a KLX make a trip of 20,000 miles and survive? carrying a load on rough roads / some off road?

I weighed my 2009 a while back, right around 300lbs with a half tank of gas and all the usual mods (skidplate, handguards, etc). The funny thing is that the balance is really odd, about 200lbs on the rear and 100lbs on the front. I weighed a KTM 200XC-W and a Honda XR250R at the same time, and both were almost evenly split front and rear.

I weighed my 2010, and with a CycleRacks rack, an Acerbis 3.7 gal gas tank full of gas, two tool tubes with one of 'em full of tubes, it came in at like 301 or 302 lbs. That was on a pair of decent-quality bathroom scales (one under each wheel), with the weighs added together.

I've seen a few people do long, loaded rides. I know Happy-Trail makes racks for it to carry the small E21 Givi side cases. I have the CycleRacks (.com) rack on mine which is nice 'n wide and can carry a lot of stuff, though I haven't yet been able to get all of my camping gear on the bike to really try an overnight trip, though others have. I wish I could remember the username of the guy who has posted lots of trip reports... Redpillar? Here, this is a search for threads started by him in Ride Reports:

http://advrider.com/forums/search.php?searchid=22690842

Rob

Thanks for the links Rob. I notice on one report Red Pillar's buddy was using
Wolfman panniers. They fit well, seemed to work out OK.

This is me fully loaded on a trip from Helena, MT to Prescott, AZ using Giant Loop Coyote bag. With that set up I could technically be out for 3 days before stocking up on more water. You just have to pack like a backpacker and you will be fine. Also depends on how much you weigh. I'm 5'10 160lbs.


Sure it could do a 20,000 trip, but it needs to be a low mileage bike or one with a rebuilt engine. You start getting into high mileage and you start getting into a high possibility of pushing the 249ishcc engine too far. At 50,000 + miles my 2010 KLX decided that it was tired and had had enough. The KLX is a tough bike. It was the bike I learned on, held its own on the freeways and around cities and took everything I threw at on the back roads and trails in MT, WY, UT, NV, ID, AZ, and around New England.

I have dirt bagz on mine. They came on it when I bought it used so I can't tell you to much about them except that they work well and fit pretty well. I will post a pic when I get to my real computer.

Moto Pro

The heaviest one they had.

Thanks for the informative comments!
Any idea what your total luggage weighs in at?
Any issues with cracked sub frame ... or anything else cracking?

PLUS one on starting with a fresh motor. That would be my plan. Possibly a new 351cc kit, pipe, skid plate.

How does the little KLX do on chain and sprockets? I can get 25,000 miles on my DID VM-2 X ring chain (it's a 525). Seems the NEW generation of
DID 520 X-Ring Chains would be the hot set up. With Suzuki, the OEM sprockets are best. What about Kawi?

Last ... Where is the KLX made? Japan? Thailand? Or ...?

We were doing a 700 mile off road weekend when mine decided to die. Turned out a
a counter balance bearing failed and did a fair amount of collateral damage. New crank and
as long as it was down did the 351 kit. Big grins now. Huge improvement!!! Maybe a couple thousand
miles on the 351 kit. It's more a playbike so it doesn't get a lot of use. Trail bike of choice over the DR400.

Nap time waiting for the rescue trailer.

I would say about 40-50lbs, but I come from years of backing the Appalachian Trail and multi weeks treks through the southwest. I know how to pack light and still be comfortable and clean.

No issues with cracked frame or anything else, but with the gear and I the added weight to the bike is about what a lot of guys weigh just by themselves before they add gear.

Within those 50,000 miles I replaced the rear sprocket twice and the front once. Chain each time of course. I can't remember what I used off the top of my head here at work.

No clue where it is made, sorry.

Never had any issues carrying beer at least.

I bought my 2007 klx250 a year ago and had the cold start problem. I installed a primer as a fix. Well now one year later I finally removed the carb, drilled out the cold start jet and while I had the carb off removed the plug and richened it up 1/2 turn. Now the bike starts immediately when cold!
I had to get the .020 drill bit from a local hobby store and buy a whole kit for $15 but it was worth it.