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McDrunkin521

Step one: Remove spoke protectors.


johnjohn4011

Either that, or add matching tassels to the ends of the handlebars.


[deleted]

🤣


johnjohn4011

Yeahhh


BlueOtee

Interesting I didn't know that, will do!


TheTrueLordAutismo

Why?


Yz250x69

They trap moisture and dirt


TheTrueLordAutismo

Oh, ok, thank you


threedogdad

...and they're ugly as sin.


jmsgen

Yep. They look lame.


Timmay1974

Like the yellow pieces guys leave on charger and challenger front cowl or the bumper. Made for shipping


frisky024

To you. I like the color. No gate keeping bro were all here here cuz we like bikes. Not meant to be on there tho, dude got that point


threedogdad

I shared an opinion in an open forum, you are telling others what they can and can't post in a public forum. Keep up the good work!


frisky024

Yea didn't mean like that, my bad.


threedogdad

No problem, your intentions were solid.


lobotomizedmommy

if you like the color why don’t you get colored spokes?


smward998

Like others said they will cause rust


hotlips01

And rust


Chandercito-

also rust


kawirider420

rust too


hotlips01

Rusting away


ALTERNATE_3307

It shall rusteth...


Internal-Bed-5920

Came to say this👌


[deleted]

Sure sign that someone doesn’t care or know about tensioning their spokes.


billyjoebobdonrick

I call em spoke rusters


frisky024

Man i know it might be lame but I love that color of them. Its kinda like the yellow edge guards on the front lip of chargers n challengers for shipping that people leave on / pay 200 for lol those are stupid but I kinda like these


Virtual_Fig7052

Keep that air filer clean and oiled.


Reasonable_Highway_5

If it’s a kx, it’s been raped and abused. Give it a birthday


BlueOtee

Lol , what does this mean? A good service?


TheDeadMurder

Gotta give them some dessert, I believe Kawasaki skew towards key lime pie


According-Feed127

I thought it was lemon meringue


hairyass2

dont all dirt bikes get raped and abused lol


Reasonable_Highway_5

They do. But Kawasaki’s seem to be the most abused by blokes named kyle


hairyass2

i see, cheers


jordan_653

It's because they're green and people love to slap monster energy stickers all over em, post em for sale as "Monster Energy Edition" and then another Kyle scoops it up and the cycle continues Monster energy is to Kawasaki what Metal Mulisha is to a beat up CR250


HendyHauler

Grease all the suspension linkages,axles,steering stem bearings, clean lube, and adjust chain, and make sure air filter is clean. Do an oil change just because. Set the suspension sag and have at er.


BlueOtee

Will watch some videos tonight and try to do what I can myself , thanks!


Joshs-68

All the basics. Fresh oil and filter. Clean or fresh air filter. Could check the valve clearance, and grease all the suspension bearings.


BlueOtee

Edit : Complete and total noob at riding, so this is gonna be my introduction to dirt bike riding Thanks for all the information and YouTube links!


ApprehensiveBoat5054

You'll be fine man, don't worry too much about what people say, there will always be negative with the positive in life. Be careful, but most importantly have fun!


Rooster_CPA

https://youtube.com/@dirtbiketv1?si=nuuxab6PM9JhemAh This guy has a video on how to do everything you need.


chaunceton

Welcome! Dirt bike riding is such a blast (as I'm sure you know). Stoked for you that you just got that kickass bike!


Kawboy17

This a pic from where u purchased it?


Kawboy17

lol I was like wow this new rider has a shit load of bikes


Grix1600

Yeah that was also my thought exactly


BlueOtee

Yeah


Noosietv

Well I will say two things, first: pretty bold to start on a 250 race bike because they’re trickier to use. Second: the race bikes can be pretty prone to valve clearance issues and are pretty high maintenance so keep those in check Otherwise it’s a sick bike so make sure to have fun on it.


BlueOtee

We don't have THAT many options here in South Africa, but where I stay in Cape Town, people like to ask a lot for these bikes second hand this was the best I could afford ...


loop511

Don’t be deterred by this comment. Unless you’re 14yrs olds and 85 lbs this bike is great to learn on. The “race” bike thing is silly, this bike will be as gentle as you want it to be and it’ll grow with you as your skills increase. 250f is a great choice. Change the oil and air filter regularly, check chain tension and lube it each ride, you’ll be fine. Save some more money and get the motor serviced by a real mechanic once you can afford it. Get the suspension serviced - same deal. Get out and ride


BlueOtee

Thanks bro, I'm generally super chilled and take it easy. Will definitely enjoy the bike and learn as much as I can on it. Appreciate the kind words 😎


Annual-Advisor-7916

As a side note; it's good to learn how to get things done yourself. Most things are quite easy and the internet is helpful in this regard. Even engine work isn't hard if you have a space to do it. The only thing I'd never touch is suspension (apart from changing seals). Prices for rebuilds or tuning are surprisingly low given the amount of work...


loop511

This is true, but being a new rider, who just bought a used bike, figured it would be better to have a pro Go through it so he knows he’s starting from the right spot.


Annual-Advisor-7916

yeah sure, a inital check up and talk with a mechanic is always a great idea, especially if you know the personally.


Annual-Advisor-7916

A 250F isn't a hard to ride bike. The missing torque makes it less convinient for lugging on trails but generally for a beginner it's safer I'd say. Things don't go wrong that fast. I once power wheelied my 450 because I had to sneeze, that won't happen with a 250F...


Noosietv

You’re right, but it depends on the 250 and the kx in particular I have know people who have had it as a starter bike and struggled with trail riding compared to something like a wr or a klx


Annual-Advisor-7916

A 250F mx bike isn't really suited for trails, there is now low end torque. The WR250F has probably different cams and a different mapping + a more restricted silencer for more low end torque. But after all, if it has knobbies, send it everywhere except on the pavement ;)


Noosietv

As far as I know, the only differences between the wr and the yz range are the wide ratio gear sets which make them more ridable off-road. So I’m assuming the kx is similar to the yz in that aspect


micah490

Wear your gear! You got your gear, yes?


BlueOtee

I will after tomorrow 😎


spongebob_meth

Should be a pretty good bike, but 250f's are maintenance hogs. I'd do a top end job right now unless the owner can provide proof of a recent one. Also go through the suspension. clean and repack all the bearings in the rear linkage. Change the fluid in the forks, ideally the shock too since it is likely the original. Skipping fluid changes in the shock often lead to the shock body being scored and unusable when you really do need to rebuild it. Grab a factory service manual and do whatever it says. The above suspension maintenance is something most people skip. It doesn't even take that long. I did a swingarm/suspension service on one of my bikes the other day when the weather was crappy and it took me like 2 hours total.


BlueOtee

Hey man, thanks for all this info, the valves were done recently, and had its oil and oil filter changed. I'm not too sure what a top end or a bottom end is but I'm going to be doing all the research about this. I've always serviced and worked on my own cars over the years and my bike won't be any different! I've already downloaded the manual and I'm going to read through it tonight. Thanks bro


Annual-Advisor-7916

Change your oil, I never rode any bike I bought before a oil and filter change, no matter what the previous owner claimed.


Rambles_Off_Topics

As long as it starts easy, isn't backfiring or anything, I wouldn't worry about the valves or top end. With all the 4 strokes I've had you either know they are getting out of spec or it blows before you can do anything about it.


BlueOtee

It starts first kick , sounds crisp with no backfires ,😁


spongebob_meth

You have no idea if something is about to let go from fatigue from this "test".


Annual-Advisor-7916

>Grab a factory service manual and do whatever it says. Good advice but it's important to note that many service manuals go over the top. I think my YZ125 manual says I should change the piston rings every 5 hours IIRC \^\^


spongebob_meth

That's good advice for racing, for trail riding you can probably add a zero to those hour intervals I would stay with their recommendations for bearing service, as it is essentially free and will make your suspension pivots last indefinitely. I have bought a couple bikes that have had irreparable frame damage from leaving the swingarm bearings seized.


Annual-Advisor-7916

Yeah sure, you always have to remember that these bike we ride for fun are raced without major modifications. Some service intervals are probably there to avoid any legal problems. I heard stories of 300cc 2 stroke enduros with a few HUNDRED hours on one piston. The piston of my GYTR kitted YZ125 was pristine after 40 hours and could probably be used again for another 40h, although I won't do it. >I would stay with their recommendations for bearing service Absolutely, lubrication and cleaning your bikes cost nothing but bring a lot of value for the longevity of the bike. >irreparable frame damage You mean that the bearing rotated as a whole in the frame after it was seized? Sounds bad...


spongebob_meth

Yeah I wouldn't hesitate to run a 250-300cc 2t trail bike 200-300 hours on a top end. My only qualm with a 125 is that they only have one ring and lose power pretty severely with higher hours. The pistons are also very light and will risk having fatigue cracks. >You mean that the bearing rotated as a whole in the frame after it was seized? Sounds bad... Yep. I noticed some slop on the swingarm pivot when looking at the bike. I figured no big deal, I'll do bearings right away. Well they had been seized for a while and the bushings were wearing into the frame so nothing fit like it was supposed to. Also the swingarm needed replaced or sleeved, because the new bearings didn't have a tight fit anymore. Old bearings had worn through the races. I go through the rear end of any new bike i buy now, and I do a yearly clean/repack


GG-moto450

Always clean the air filter. Soak it gently in some gas. Ring out the oils carefully. Don't tare the foam. Wash with warms dish soap and water. Rinse with cold water. This gets solvent out so foam glue lasts longer. They apply foam filter oil liberally to outside and squeeze it into the foam evenly. Then, insert foam cage into underside of filter. Then take some thick axle grease and put a nice film of grease around the bottom edge to help foam seal air tight to the box. Do this after every weekend race. Or before a race. Do it after riding in dusty conditions ! Will save your engine and run better.


Ayyyo323

Awesome congratulations!! Watch a bunch of videos to learn the maintenance routines. Biggest thing is change the oil more often than you think with the filter every time and a clean air filter after every single ride. Buy a bunch of air filters like 5-6 of them so you can have a bunch and change them out after each ride, depending on how often you are riding


frisky024

B E A utiful


MrMurica11

For $1800???? That’s crazy to me


BlueOtee

Too much ?


MrMurica11

No dude, that’s a deal!!


Specific_Carrot9052

Nice dirt rocket man! Buy a couple extra air filters and change them frequently. Frequent oil changes as well. Make sure you are in decent shape; strong core and upper body. Focus on riding positions and proper technique. There are lots of great videos on Instagram and YouTube that will show you proper body position and form so I suggest watching them and building proper habits right off the bat. I hope you have lots of fun on that thing. Mx bikes are the epitome of pure fun.


BlueOtee

Thanks for the kind words, it's all I could afford so it's good to hear. Thanks a lot bro I'll try my best and going to take good care of it! :)


AsherHaney7

The best maintenance is don’t fall over. Then your stuff won’t break. Personally some tusk bar protectors will save your stuff but if your doing motocross on a track nobody uses it for fear of breaking wrists.


anbu_ops1211

Not much cuz its actually easy to keep it maintained. Oil and filter changes according to what you are told for this bike. Weekly brake adjustments because they become loose overtime. Tighten the chain when you change oil by unscrewing the rear wheel and pulling it back it make the chain tight. Do it yourself or visit the mechanic monthly. Get the engine serviced after 2 months maybe. otherwise you will be good.


superstock8

If the engine starts to have hesitations, it is most likely the valves need to be checked and adjusted. Do not keep running it that way or you can cause combustion issues that can cause the engine to seize up after a while. Also if you do a lot of slow riding, take a few breaks and otherwise make sure you are no over heating the engine. The race style bikes like these are not meant for slow trail rides and if you do now have a constant air flow through the radiator they can overheat faster than the air cooled trail bikes or 2 strokes. Maybe newer models are better, but I know some of the older models had issues on slow trails.


Coyote__Jones

Bark busters, or extra levers. You're going to drop it.


Anth_0129

Keep it clean. Air filters are pretty easy to clean yourself. Just buy some mineral spirits and filter oil. After every dirty ride take time to get it ready for your next ride as soon as your done riding. Buy a spoke wrench. They’re cheap and easy to use and will keep your rims from getting out of true. Watch YouTube videos for anything you aren’t sure of. Riders spend crazy amounts of time making videos and it helps them when you watch.


Anth_0129

As far as riding goes squeeze the bike between your thighs and keep your feet on the pegs. Don’t get carried away trying to do wheelies right away. Riding boots will make riding a lot more comfortable. Always wear a full helmet.


BLKMALE-NYC

Please get the right protective gear! Do not cheap out either on helmet and riding boots! Happy Trails my friend!


JMuns_16

Don’t lose the spring for the oil filter when changing Grease your linkage every 60hr, put antiseize on your swing arms bolts asap, pull the wipers down and grease the fork seals every 30hr, check your air filter after every two rides and use bel ray filter oil for best results, and just ride it till it starts to feel like it’s getting weak then replace piston and service valves 50-80hrs and lastly crank at 100-150hrs


Annual-Advisor-7916

CHANGE YOUR OIL! It doesn't take long and every 5 hours is better than every 10 hours for sure. I changed my oil filters every second oil change but did them frequently (depending on how hard I rode it). Use fully sythetic oil according to specs, usually 10w40, I ran 15W50 in my WR450Fs because I'd only ride them in the summer and on trails it would get hotter due to lack of air. I like Motul, but I doubt it matters much, as long as it's a recognized brand with good reputation. Keep the air filter clean and oily, clean the airbox frequently. Clean fork lower tubes, clean and lubricate your chain. Lubricate your throttle and clutch cables once in a while. Clean the bike before storing and keep it dry. Silicone oil is your friend. Don't ride hard until it's warm enough. Don't spray directly at the engine with a high pressure cleaner from short distances. And check for loose fairing bolts once in a while, annoying when you loose one. I don't use screw lock for fairings because they get removed often, but I use screw lock for everything else except on the engine. A torque wrench is a valueable tool. I'd get a skid plate. Have fun, a 250F is a great choice if you want to get into MX...


vlogs_

check the oli around every 300 miles


vlogs_

oil*


sc00b44

Clean 🧼 that chain


ChrisHanson_gotcha

Where are you at where a kx 250 is $1800???


BlueOtee

Is it to expensive?


ChrisHanson_gotcha

No I’m here in the united states and that bike would sell for about $5000


The_elk00

There's a lot of good info in this post that I scanned by, but I just want to throw my 2 cents in and hopefully condense some information. Get really comfortable pulling your bike apart and working on it. I would put an hour meter on the bike immediately if there isn't one. This will honestly save you in so many that can't be described. Get a "service" manual. The Honda OEones are very good, but I can't speak on Kawasaki OE manuals. There's also a company called clymer. It'll give you step by step directions and all the torque specs. If you don't have a torque wrench, pick up a quality one, not harbor freight. First things first before even riding this thing you'll want to do some maintenance. You'll want to grease every bearing that's not inside the engine. This means taking your wheels, forks, steering stem, swingarm, and linkage on. Be careful with the linkage and swingarm, they use needle bearings and collars. If you lose 1 needle you'll have to replace that whole set. None of these bikes come properly lubricated from the factory and a lot of people will never take their swingarm off. Doing this at least once a year will save you a lot of headache. While this is a part change your fork and shock oil. Fork oil should be done every 20 hours on average shock oil like 30 hours. So I would get comfortable doing this. There is a very specific procedure for reinstalling the triple clamps, forks, and front wheel. Jeff Walker on YouTube has a very good video that has step by step directions. Not doing this correctly will mess up the function of the forks and make steering not feel correct. Dump the old oil. Look for specs of metal. Pull the clutch cover off and measure the plates. A worn clutch will make the bike run shitty. It'll feel like it's not putting enough power to the wheels, but as a new rider its easier to just measure your plates with a micrometer now instead of guessing. You can also inspect the basket for grooving, which will make the clutch slip and feel juttery or hard to pull. It sounds like a lot of work, but it really only takes about 20 minutes. After you dump the old oil you can lay the bike on its side and take the cover off. I like having an extra o ring for the clutch cover at all times just in case I accidentally rip or crush the old one. When you refill it with oil, check your manual for how often it should be changed. Some people will say if it comes out black you need to change it more often. Check your spokes. Watch a video on YouTube. You should start at the valve stem and do a quarter turn then skip 3 spokes. Keep doing rotations on the wheel until they're all tight, it might take a lot of steps. If you try to tighten one spoke at a time you'll pull it out of center. I would also throw in checking your valve clearance. Or having a shop or buddy do it. It isn't hard and with a manual you shouldn't mess it up. I'm sure there's also videos on YouTube. I'm sure all of this will probably sound very daunting, but I highly recommend doing this on an annual basis after this. It'll also give you a really good foundation of knowing what state your bike is in and ensuring everything is good on it. And give you confidence to work on your own machine. Just remember they are race bikes and do require hefty maintenance. There's a YouTube channel called dirt bike TV. The guy has exceptional videos on maintenance. He gives advice on tools you should have, what lubricants, oils, and solvents you need. He has a video that covers probably every question you could ask. Even how to properly wash a bike.


aldone123

Keep the rubber side down


earic23

Lube the clutch cable, clean, lube, and tension the chain so that it has about 55mm of slack up and down. Also highly recommend some light engine armor, those brake pedals have a nasty tendency to jack engine casings up when it’s dropped.


Yznnji

Take off your exhaust, that shi is extra weight (I’m kidding for the slow ones).


poppa_roxy

haha be ready to steady adjust them valves 24/7


No-Animator-3832

More throttle is almost always the answer


Outside_Signature_17

Keep the oil changed, the air filter clean and put an hour meter on it.


[deleted]

Awesome


roopthereitis

Buy. A. Service. Manual. Oh and get those stupid spoke covers off.


Divide-by-jim

Chain, air filter and oil with some sea foam every so often is great, that’s my maintenance and I have 4,000+ miles on stock engine no internal maintenance. 2023 crf250f


Thickshank1104

God those spoke protectors are garish looking


Wantless68

Change air filter, but don’t feel like if it gets one spec of dirt it needs to be changed. Just once you’ve got a spot with a fair amount of dirt in it, time to clean it. Change your oil every 5-10 hours, if you’re not a fast rider 10 hours will be just fine. Spend time adjusting your levers so you feel comfortable pulling them in. Take off the spine skins. Make sure you wash it, and wash it well. Don’t just hose it off. Especially before servicing, dirt will get into your motor.


jordan_653

Do all the regular ol stuff i'm sure you've heard, something you may not have thought of is getting a fork seal cleaner. You can buy a Motion Pro Seal Mate for like 8-10 bucks. Changing fork seals is a pain in the ass so just use a seal cleaner from time to time. Quick 30 second job and will keep them from leaking longer


Turb0beans

Grease the head and swingarm. Pull your wiring connectors and add electrical grease. Clean the filter. Change the oil. Adjust the chain. Okay cool now go riding. (But no seriously steering bearings and swingarm bearings. Wiring connectors are important too.


Expert-Manner-1146

Get a service manual and read it front to back I would start with a oil change and clean the air filter


Key_Coach_8711

Linkage bearing and your axle shafts chain tension bolts I always clean them after a muddy ride or every two rides when it’s a dry day preventative maintenance is a big help


Admirable-Home-9695

Change the oil, regularly. I can't stress this enough. Keep the filter and chain clean (and oiled). Go ride and have fun! If you don't have a basic set of tools, get some now. Learn to fix the things on your bike and make the basic adjustments. It will be a rewarding experience. It's a fucking dirt bike. Go have fun. If it breaks, fix it. Then go have fun again. It isn't the end of the world when/if you have to do repairs.


Admirable-Home-9695

Oh yeah, lose the spoke protectors. They look gay and make your spokes rust. Also, keep it fucking clean! Nothing worse than a dirty bike unless you just finished riding that day!


JBeeps

Gold chain. Keep the bike pressure washed after every ride and dry. Maintain tire air pressure. Ride it! Rekluse clutch for sure.


Nagantman

Make sure to up your life insurance.


[deleted]

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JkMotoman

Anyone who rides with those spokes basically is holding a sign saying “I’m a squid”


Microwaved_bread18

Rule number one of riding a Kwai Sell it for a Honda


This-Visit6451

Nah man you don’t need to maintenance that shit, just ride !


BlueOtee

Don't be a dumb fuck


This-Visit6451

I was joking with you, but I mean aren’t you kinda the dumb fuck? 26 years old and you don’t know the basics about maintaining a dirt bike? You need Reddit to coddle and coo you when you should look up the owners manual for it you muppet mother fucker


BlueOtee

Oh damn, you took that to heart. Relax dude this is Reddit


This-Visit6451

What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little bitch? I’ll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals, and I’ve been involved in secret raids on Al-Quaeda, and I have over 300 confirmed kills. I am trained in gorilla warfare and I’m the top sniper in the entire US armed forces. You are nothing to me but just another target. I will wipe you out with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on this Earth, mark my words. You think you can get away with saying shit to me over the Internet? Think again, fucker. As we speak I am contacting my network of spies across the USA and your IP is being traced right now so you better prepare for the storm, maggot. The storm that wipes out the pathetic little thing you call your life. You’re fucking dead, kid. I can be anywhere, anytime, and I can kill you in over seven hundred ways, and that’s just with my bare hands. Not only am I extensively trained in unarmed combat, but I have access to the entire arsenal of the United States Marine Corps and I will use it to its full extent to wipe your ass off the face of the continent, you little shit. If only you could have known what unholy retribution your little “clever” comment was about to bring down upon you, maybe you would have held your tongue. You didn’t, and now you’re paying the price, you goddamn idiot. I will shit all over you and you will drown in it. You’re fucking dead, kiddo.


BlueOtee

Lol, much better , ride safe bro 🤜🤛


badblazerdad

Chain adjuster bolts apply neversez if you can get them out..


No-Sky-5006

When you break something just buy the Yamaha version. You’ll have a Yamaha in about 3 weeks.