New Kawasaki KX250 two stroke????

[JohnN]

A friend just passed a link from Kawasaki's Facebook page.... no other information but these photos!!

Whooo Hoooo!







Could this mean a return to two-strokes in Pro Racing?? Inquiring minds would like to know!

[miedosoracing]

From what has been said, it is James Stewarts old SR250 that he raced. It is now in RV's possession. 

[JohnN]

From what has been said, it is James Stewarts old SR250 that he raced. It is now in RV's possession. 

But why would RV want a two-stroke? 

[maicoman009]

 :POh come on John?!#$.Why would anybody want a Kawasaki 250 2-STROKE!!!! They're BADASS BIKES & I would'nt mind at all if Ryan Villipoto raced that beast in the AMA Nationals.Hellsbells I'll race that 250 2-stroke in the ama nationals @ age 39 with Multiple Sclerosis and probably finish in the top 15 I'll bet!

[ferrahount]

Beautifull bike!!!
Ah it remembers me the good old days when the electric green bikes dominated MX Carmichael in 125 and Emig 250, uffff.
And well, as maicoman said, those bikes were fast as hell.
Now I hope Kawa will revive their two stroke lineage, but just don't think so.
I'll try to see if I can find something else about this matter...

[Hondacrrider]

Oh man, that made me drool

[Jesse162]

Im the friend who sent the pics... there was no information but under the pictures there were discriptions, tall picture with back of semi had "RV2 has a new bike to ride" written. wide picture with back of semi had "We had to go into storage to get some of the parts but the bike sounds great" written. and the side/front view picture had "ready to ride" written. Anyway It would make my day if there was like a spec sheet on this bike or a video of ryan riding it or somthing

[burn1986]

It is interesting why Kawasaki would give RV a factory two stroke right now (in the midst of the SX series)? Why would the put current plastic on James Stewart's old 250 (If it is JS's old SR250)? Why would they even spend money, time, or any effort at all on a two stroke?

[grumpy]

Why? Perhaps they see the writing on the wall. Dealers full of '08 & '09 4 strokes that won't sell. KTM and smaller vendors selling plenty of 2 strokes. 2 strokes coming back to the tracks despite the huge displacement disadvantages. 2 stroke sales thriving in Europe amidst a poor economy.

Regardless of how well the handicapped 4 strokes have done in recent years, it appears to be more of a fad than a permanent direction of motocross. With a weak economy, people don't have the money to support 4 stroke racing. The down and dirty truth is that 2 strokes produce more power per cc and are massively cheaper to produce and maintain.

Maybe Team Kawasaki is testing the waters of resurrecting the 2 stroke as it makes better business sense.

[JohnN]

Grumpy is correct... the tides they are a changing... at some point the manufacturers will either get with the program or stop selling bikes..

Someone wrote someplace that they asked Malcolm Smith about the four-strokes and he said, "It's just a fad." I wish I could remember where I read that..

[Chris2T]

i gotta say - that is one badass looking bike! after the nearly complete capitulation of the 2 strokers, it almost seems weird seeing one all dressed up in modern plastic. But it makes sense. Just look at MotoGP - they are trying so hard to control spiraling costs that they're about to announce the unthinkable: 2012 regulations that would allow non-factory teams to use PRODUCTION based engines. Yes, that means the engines you can buy at your local dealer: R1, GSXR, Ninja etc. Incredible, but it's about to be reality. Hell hath truly frozen ove.r And you can best believe the drastic cost cuts will happen in motocross too.   

[burn1986]

It's obvious that they wouldn't have given RV the bike if they didn't want him riding it. The question is "for what?"

[admiral]

i think there is a chance that Kaw or Suzuki will bring in some 250 two strokes in the near future. since they still make the machine for other parts of the world market it's no big feat. at the dealer meetings some dealers were asking the company brass about it.

[miedosoracing]

It's obvious that they wouldn't have given RV the bike if they didn't want him riding it. The question is "for what?"

According to his tweet or something like that, the mechanic of Stewart gave RV's mechanic this bike, and then RV's mechanic rebuilt it to new looking. So from what that says, it has nothing to do with the factory. Just the fact that RV likes it and wants to ride it.

[burn1986]

Bummer, I wish it was a factory thing. Oh well, wishfully thinking. I still agree that the 4 strokes are a fad. Hopefully, this bike will at least stir a buzz.