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Looking at KLX250/300's primarily for off road riding here in Nevada. It would be street legal mainly to connect trails or cruise around surface streets. I'd generally haul it out to the desert with my truck. I'm 5'9 170lbs. I'm debating two scenarios:
A new(er) 2018+ KLX250 or, a 2020+ KLX300 (a 351 kit would likely be on the horizon regardless of which bike I go with).
A older kick start KLX300 '98 - '07 and dual sport it.
I'm considering the older bike as they seem considerably lighter and simpler with kick start (lack of electric start doesn't bother me) and should perform better off road where I will primarily be riding.
Is my logic sound?
I'd love to hear from someone who's owned or ridden both an early KLX300 vs. the newer generation models. Interestingly I can't find much of anything comparing the earlier lighter bikes with the later models.
Also looking at a '07-'08 KLX250 as they seem to essentially be an early KLX300 but dual sport from the factory with electric start.
As an owner of a new KLX300, I can affirm that simpler is better.
Since the day I bought it I've been getting rid of the complexity in order to simplify it.
It's been lightened 12 pounds, lowered 4 inches, shortened 4 inches, and narrowed 3 inches with alloy clip on bars. The smog canister, exhaust controls, valves, vents, and hoses have ALL been removed, The ECU controlled secondary throttle plate has been removed and the ECU controls on the primary throttle plate have been disabled. And the exhaust has been highly modified to produce more torque at very low rpms.
Mostly the 300 & 250 KLX's are identical except for the piston size, estart & suspension travel. Other parts are basically the same. If you got a 300, I doubt that you would go 350 as there is only about 4 hp difference, if that is a big deal, why not get a 450 out of the gate? The 250 stock is pretty anemic, although if you mod it, it does improve, but that's a lot of work. IMO, these are not race bikes, they make excellent trail bikes though.
Old vs new - KLX300
