KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
#1
05-10-2007, 02:26 AM
KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
I have seen 18 to 28 hp on this bike, 25-30 years ago when I rode a Kaw and Honda 4 stroke enduro 250 the Honda had 18 at the crank and the Kaw had 18-21 but these bikes had 2 valves per cylinder so I would expect more now. I am waiting to purchase this 250s (when my money is right) The owner of the bike shop showed me the title on this bike and it clearly states 28 hp on the title and I would guess thatsat thecrank. 28 is quite good for a 250 enduro and I should be happy with it.
#2
05-10-2007, 02:32 AM
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
I'm holding my title right here and the only numbers on there for specs is the weight. The service manual shows 28 PS which is a different power rating, this bike from the factory has 17-18 hp at the rear wheel, been dyno verified a few times, in mags and on dirt bike tv. Stock the 250 is what it is, an ok all arounder. With a few mods such as removing the snorkel, rejetting, and any pipe of your choice its a fun do it all, aside from interstate, bike. I'm not trying to come off as harsh, I'm tired and not formulating full thoughts very clearly. Take the bike for a spin if you can, only you will know if you will like it.
#3
05-10-2007, 02:48 AM
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
Thanks for the information, is that just not strange that your title says nothing and the title the guy showed me was 28 hp but like you said if it is not the same units it is useless. If I go to a 331 will it vibrate more being that I did not change the counter balance weight?
#4
05-10-2007, 04:40 AM
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
28 horse is $2500 later. 22 if you're lucky with a pipe and jetting with airbox mods. stock it does what it's meant to do- go down the highway at 55mph while getting you to a trail. if it's a torque wheelie machine you're after, well, the KLX isn't for you. Even with the mods excluding a 331 big bore kit and pumper carb, it won't pin you back or power wheelie. Ride before you buy. Aside from being a bear to start sometimes, it is a very nice package if you're not over 250 lbs. Over that, then you probably will need revalved suspension. I weigh 150 and I bottomed my KLX out, and I had it near the stiffest up front.
#5
05-10-2007, 04:49 AM
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
28 HP is at the crank. All motorcycle manufactures use this to measure HP. It is very optimistic just like the weight figures they put out. Kawasaki claimed 185 HP for the zx10r. I have spenta lot of moneyfixing mine up and I now have 172 at the wheel. It had 163 when I started. The KLXhas much more power than the Honda dual sports of 25-30 years ago. So the claimed 18 for the Honda back then is comparable to the 28 Kawasakistates for the HP.
#7
05-10-2007, 09:00 AM
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
ORIGINAL: Iowaguy
hmmmmm, I'd be interested to actually see 28 at the crank. If this is true, my new DRZ must be making close to 45 at the crank, because it's dynoed at 35 rwhp.
hmmmmm, I'd be interested to actually see 28 at the crank. If this is true, my new DRZ must be making close to 45 at the crank, because it's dynoed at 35 rwhp.
#8
05-10-2007, 01:36 PM
Join Date: May 2006
Location: White Rock, BC
Posts: 881
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
Rick, I noticed a slight increase in buzziness and vibration at highway speeds with my 331 cylinder.
Nothing drastic though.
Nothing drastic though.
#9
05-10-2007, 03:46 PM
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...35096766547755
Naw. No power wheelies, even with a 331. Yeah, Right.
Rick, maybe this info will be helpful.
As for what it cost to get more horsepower, there are a number of routes to take. If you want to keep your bike as a great woods weapon rather than an all out motocrosser, you will want it to make power down low and to pull to a reasonable rpm. If you want maximum, high rpm power, the cost goes up significantly.
The KLX does very well with a big bore, good air filter, exhaust and carb. Cams and headwork help at higher rpms, but don't make as much difference down low. The difference between my bike with cams and headwork and Brian's, same setup only nothing above the head gasket, is negligable. I am still in the research phaze, but you will benifit from knowing that it isn't all that expensive to get good performance from your KLX. You should be able to have your cylinder bored or purchase a servicable 300 cylinder and have it done for under $500.00. Check with Bill Blue on his Mikuni TM 34 Pumper, but I think it can be had for $350.00 or less. Air filters aren't expensive, nor is a better flowing KLX 300 exhaust. That's about all you need to get well over an honest 25 rear wheel horsepower. With that, I'll assure you, it will do power wheelies, if that's what you're after.
Bill Dragoo
Norman, Oklahoma
Naw. No power wheelies, even with a 331. Yeah, Right.
Rick, maybe this info will be helpful.
As for what it cost to get more horsepower, there are a number of routes to take. If you want to keep your bike as a great woods weapon rather than an all out motocrosser, you will want it to make power down low and to pull to a reasonable rpm. If you want maximum, high rpm power, the cost goes up significantly.
The KLX does very well with a big bore, good air filter, exhaust and carb. Cams and headwork help at higher rpms, but don't make as much difference down low. The difference between my bike with cams and headwork and Brian's, same setup only nothing above the head gasket, is negligable. I am still in the research phaze, but you will benifit from knowing that it isn't all that expensive to get good performance from your KLX. You should be able to have your cylinder bored or purchase a servicable 300 cylinder and have it done for under $500.00. Check with Bill Blue on his Mikuni TM 34 Pumper, but I think it can be had for $350.00 or less. Air filters aren't expensive, nor is a better flowing KLX 300 exhaust. That's about all you need to get well over an honest 25 rear wheel horsepower. With that, I'll assure you, it will do power wheelies, if that's what you're after.
Bill Dragoo
Norman, Oklahoma
#10
05-10-2007, 04:38 PM
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: KLX 250s Horsepower confusion
ORIGINAL: Shadetree
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...35096766547755
Naw. No power wheelies, even with a 331. Yeah, Right.
Rick, maybe this info will be helpful.
As for what it cost to get more horsepower, there are a number of routes to take. If you want to keep your bike as a great woods weapon rather than an all out motocrosser, you will want it to make power down low and to pull to a reasonable rpm. If you want maximum, high rpm power, the cost goes up significantly.
The KLX does very well with a big bore, good air filter, exhaust and carb. Cams and headwork help at higher rpms, but don't make as much difference down low. The difference between my bike with cams and headwork and Brian's, same setup only nothing above the head gasket, is negligable. I am still in the research phaze, but you will benifit from knowing that it isn't all that expensive to get good performance from your KLX. You should be able to have your cylinder bored or purchase a servicable 300 cylinder and have it done for under $500.00. Check with Bill Blue on his Mikuni TM 34 Pumper, but I think it can be had for $350.00 or less. Air filters aren't expensive, nor is a better flowing KLX 300 exhaust. That's about all you need to get well over an honest 25 rear wheel horsepower. With that, I'll assure you, it will do power wheelies, if that's what you're after.
Bill Dragoo
Norman, Oklahoma
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...35096766547755
Naw. No power wheelies, even with a 331. Yeah, Right.
Rick, maybe this info will be helpful.
As for what it cost to get more horsepower, there are a number of routes to take. If you want to keep your bike as a great woods weapon rather than an all out motocrosser, you will want it to make power down low and to pull to a reasonable rpm. If you want maximum, high rpm power, the cost goes up significantly.
The KLX does very well with a big bore, good air filter, exhaust and carb. Cams and headwork help at higher rpms, but don't make as much difference down low. The difference between my bike with cams and headwork and Brian's, same setup only nothing above the head gasket, is negligable. I am still in the research phaze, but you will benifit from knowing that it isn't all that expensive to get good performance from your KLX. You should be able to have your cylinder bored or purchase a servicable 300 cylinder and have it done for under $500.00. Check with Bill Blue on his Mikuni TM 34 Pumper, but I think it can be had for $350.00 or less. Air filters aren't expensive, nor is a better flowing KLX 300 exhaust. That's about all you need to get well over an honest 25 rear wheel horsepower. With that, I'll assure you, it will do power wheelies, if that's what you're after.
Bill Dragoo
Norman, Oklahoma
-a new 300 cylinder is over $300. a used one will cost you close to $200, and they're rare, check ebay if you don't believe me.
-sending it to kustomkraft (.com) for their 331cc big bore kit is $440 w/out shipping back.
-the pumper carb is $350, but when I was considering doing this setup, after some research I learned that the modified 33mm pumper was too small for the 331 kit according to guys that put it on. Some say it is better coupled with just the oem 300 kit.
-but this is my favorite: a free flowing KLX exhaust is not expensive? since when. even a noise maker slip-on is close to $350 for the name which costs so much. a full big-gun or muzzy will set you back at least $400. the restrictive oem header is what you want to get rid of, so a slip-on really just shaves weight but does open up the flow a bit. don't forget sprockets to lower the gearing because it won't do wheelies very easily with the oem 14/42. you'll want 13/45 for optimum wheelies. another $150 for chain and sprockets.
so right there you're looking at roughly $1500. not bad when you look at what it costs to buy a better bike. don't forget to rejet your carb if you stick with the oem which can be done to save you money, but it won't feel like a MX bike which is what you need to do wheelies like you sound like you want. AND, is expensive. And it takes time as well. Turn around time for the big bore is probably going 3 weeks now and exhausts are hard to get a hold of sometimes.
I think if you want what it sounds like, you should skip the modified 33mm pumper, and get the 35 FCR like nobrakes had. apparently it rocked and didn't need all this filler stuff like cams and porting to loft the front and made the same horsepower if I remember right. all he had was the big bore kit and FCR carb (and a muzzy exhaust). right there is around $1400 I think. but it is NOT inexpensive to mod anything. but with all this, you're still under 30 horsepower. As a previous owner of a piped, rejetted, lower geared KLX, I can say that I just still wasn't happy with the power. Sure I could have dumped more money into it. I even bought a 300 jug from a person on this forum. But I decided it still wouldn't be worth it to me as I wanted more power than even those mods can bring. If you're into spending a lot of money on a bike that is 13 years in design, then go for it. I chose to buy a bike that has all I need right now already on it. Only thing I'm lacking is some dirt wheels/tires. But I do have 35 horse at the rear wheel each time I push my e-start. And that's something the KLX will never have, unless you're a Larry Roeseler raced bike.
btw, I could do a wheelie like that on my KLX all day long on level ground like is shown in the video. It's just a matter of getting it up. There is no way to tell if the rider is clutching or just rolls on as the video starts right at the time the front wheel comes up. Level ground and a steady wrist will keep any bike up for a wheelie. I had friends that rode wheelies on underpowered early '90's 600 Ninjas and would come down at over 100 mph. It wasn't because the bike had so much power, but that they were doing it on flat ground and shifting all through the wheelie. Not hard to do. Let's see the same bike rolling and then just powering up a wheelie. Then I'll be impressed. I don't see it happening though. That's hard to do on a 250 four stroke MX bike. Really, only 450's have that sort of power. 28 horsepower is not going to throw you over backwards.