We shall be the first to admit that infrequently we acquire carried away with our two-stroke rebuilds. It’s so straightforward to accomplish. With this 1996 Kawasaki KX250, our foremost procedure used to be to search out an off-road bike that the typical person would possibly per chance per chance well private ample money to now not handiest acquire, however then walk on a typical foundation. We teamed up with Moto One and Western Powersports in Boise, Idaho, to search around for if it used to be capability.
We didn’t are looking for to head overboard, however we also didn’t are looking for to nick any fundamental corners, both. The crew at Moto One did many of the wrench turning on this mission, with some the assistance of Pete Treadwell and the Western Powersports crew. The engine used to be in working boom however in dire need of a rebuild, so it used to be completely disassembled. Surprisingly, on inspection, there were now not one amongst the foremost considerations we typically bump into, worship broken gears inserting holes in the lower cases or connecting rods sticking out of the cylinder. For a 24-year-primitive bike, it in actual fact appears to be like resplendent factual.
Certain, the entire bearings were frequent out and the seize had a wide quantity of play in it, however total it had a mighty foundation to acquire on. About the handiest surprise we came across used to be that the stay stay at one time had been bored out, so the change piston would favor to match the original, moderately higher cylinder diameter.
The remainder arrangement of the engine were rebuilt the spend of a package from Wrench Rabbit that contains a entire crank assembly, top-stay gasket establish, bottom-stay gasket and the entire O-rings wanted. We added a Boyesen Rad Valve intake system for quite extra efficiency, alongside with a Boyesen ignition and seize covers for quite bling issue. The water-pump housing had a tiny crack in it, in declare that used to be also modified with a Boyesen Supercooler that matched the outer case covers and is designed to make a choice the engine working cooler. Diversified items incorporated in the engine division were a Hinson seize, a assortment of outsized GPI radiators and green silicone radiator hoses.
With the engine ready for prime time, the focal level shifted to getting the chassis as a lot as par. Staunch worship the engine, the physique used to be stripped and the entire bearings were inspected. Most of them would private doubtlessly been okay with a deep cleaning and a few grease, however since everything used to be apart, the decision used to be made to modify all of them the spend of kits from All Balls Racing. The kits are interior your skill and typically come entire with the entire seals, bearings and spacers desired to modify the entire OEM items. The highest-stay bearing package also involves original races, stunning in case the novel ones are low and be distinct everything works seamlessly. The physique used to be cleaned up and given the primitive rattle-can medication, which arrangement it used to be spray-painted.
Now we private discovered with all these older bike builds that changing the chain adjusters in the swingarm is a should always. These items have a tendency to be stripped out, however fortunately companies worship Breeze Bike Hardware make change kits that perambulate excellent in. A brand original plastics package and handguards from Acerbis modified the dilapidated items on the bike, topped off with a brand original establish of graphics and original mounting hardware from Breeze Bike Hardware. We knew that this bike used to be going to be passe for off-road driving, so we wanted some extra gas capacity. After having a perceive at a universal-style gas resolution, we called IMS Merchandise, who makes outsized tanks for stunning about every most up-to-date machine on the market. No longer handiest did IMS private an outsized gas tank on hand for our ’96 KX250, however they produced it, and we had it on the bike lower than two weeks later.
The wheels were rebuilt the spend of Real-Wheel rims, and, of direction, we went with an 18-trip rear and then wrapped each and each ends in Shinko tires. Up front we went with a 90/100/21 Burly tire and a 525 Cheater tire in the rear. We topped off the acquire the spend of some aftermarket perambulate-on items, from Soar Exhausting Parts, Supersprox, Devol Racing, ODI handlebars, Gasoline-Huge title and Flo Motorsports.
We worship doing these older two-stroke builds; infrequently they whisk straightforward and everything comes collectively without danger, however extra regularly than now not they device a entire lot headaches. The Moto One crew made this one straightforward for us doing the entire foremost wrenching. We worship that! This machine would possibly per chance per chance additionally now not private that manufacturing facility trick look for that each person has turn out to be conscious of on older bike builds, however it out-performs most of those builds hands down.
This thing is a blast on the trails and has no considerations inserting with ticket-original two- or four-stroke machines. It’s resplendent amusing to search around for people’s reactions will private to you screen as a lot as a personnel walk on a bike that shall be older than some people on the walk. It’s indispensable extra engrossing to search around for those identical people’s reactions at the stay of the day when they were attempting to retain with you on their ticket-original $10,000+ machines. While you would possibly per chance per chance also be a typical on the trails around Boise, you’ve gotten or doubtlessly will explore this KX250 ripping around in each place in the spring and summer months.
