The Fiendish Rider Put the book down

The garage

Latest from the shed

Stage 1 of this site went live 21 July 2026. Two bikes in the garage; both online.

Garage card KX250F 2023

KX250F 2023

About The Bike

Last updated: 6 August 2026

Identity

  • Make: Kawasaki
  • Model: KX250F
  • Year: 2023
  • Nickname: The race bike
  • Current hours: ~99 at MCM intake, July 2026 (job sheet). Top end reset to zero at this service.
  • Primary use: Racing, trail riding at home, everything bike
  • Status: In service. Build completed at MCM (job 4053) and raced at Grafton Round 3. Bar cones to be rider-fit at home. Holeshot device and tyres the only open build items. Forks and shock to Moto Lab, with a softer setup as the brief. See Learning_Log, July 2026.

Standing-state entries appear below as systems get touched. Stock stays invisible. Sharpie on blank page.

Front end and bearings

2 June 2026 work done. Steering head bearings replaced. Bars tightened and moved forward. Wheel bearings greased. Front end sorted.

Exhaust

25 June 2026. Pro Circuit T6 Pro full system fitted, replacing the stock muffler. Stainless header, carbon end cap. Fitted by the rider in the shed (the 20 June build plan had MCM fitting it; done at home instead). Anti-seize on both slip joints and on the header spigot, not on the bolt threads. Assembled finger tight throughout, silencer springs on, then heat-cycled and tightened front to back: header flange first, mid pipe, silencer last. Header flange nuts set by feel, firm plus roughly an eighth turn. The manual doesn't spec the header flange; about 10-12 Nm is the standard for that fastener, and the OEM 21 Nm figure is the muffler body bolts, not the flange. No sign of a leak after the first heat cycle.

Swingarm and linkage

Greased regularly, roughly five to seven times across the first 96 hours. Clean grease in there. Re-greased on the rider's own cadence, about due again by that standard as of 16 June 2026. A maintenance habit kept up, not an overdue item.

Build -- phased (20 June 2026), dropped to MCM 7 July 2026

Locked in 20 June as a single job at MCM before 1 July, walked back the same day into phases, then reframed 27 June as a no-rush programme spaced over weeks as cash and timing allow. Phase 1 closed out 6 July: the 28 June local track day and the 1 July Ranch ride both rained out, and the known top end got its send-off on sand at a mate's place instead. Bike dropped to MCM 7 July. See Learning_Log, 20 and 27 June, 6 July 2026.

Phase 1 -- closed (rained out bar the sand day)

Local track 28 June and the Ranch 1 July both rained out. Ridden instead at a mate's place, first time on sand tracks. Top end signed off at ~97 hrs.

Phase 2 -- MCM build, dropped off 7 July 2026

Pro Circuit T6 Pro full system already fitted by the rider in the shed 25 June (see Exhaust). With MCM:

  • Top end rebuild: Vertex kit, gaskets, cam chain, labour (~$1,350 all in). Piston, rings, valve clearance check, clutch inspection while open.
  • EK Chain 520 SX-Ring 120L gold ($179.95)
  • Renthal ultralight rear sprocket 50T black ($119.95)
  • Chain guide: fitted. Worx R2.0 KX250-450F 09-24 black, substituted for the RaceTech monoblock in the quote, same price.
  • Brake and clutch fluid bleed, front pads as a birthday, rears fine (~$120 est plus pads)
  • Fit the firm poly bar cones (rider-supplied Ride Engineering kit), replacing the rubber cones that move every drop and won't hold tight
  • Order in: Works Connection KX250F 20-26 Pro Launch holeshot device via MCM (~$250-270; MX Store now lists $269.95). Rider fits.

Deferred from this scope:

  • Dunlop AT82 front and rear (~$275, free fitment deal to keep alive). Running job, not cancelled. The sand day opened a sand-vs-race rubber question, possibly a spare set/second rear down the track if sand becomes regular. Fresh race rubber still the call before the August block.

Rider supplying to MCM:

  • Front sprocket (on hand)
  • Acerbis chain slider (MX Store)
  • Sprocket retainer washers x2 (MX Store)
  • Ride Engineering firm poly cone kit (MX Store)

Completed 23 July 2026. Delivered scope beyond the quote: cylinder sent out for Nikasil replating after a chip was found in the coating on strip-down; valves removed and decarboned; new valve stem seals; clearances reset on reassembly. Timing chain replaced. Engine oil and filter changed, coolant in and bled, two heat cycles. Rider-supplied front sprocket, chain slider and retainer washers fitted at no parts charge. Poly bar cones came home with the bike for the rider to fit. Front pads inspected and not replaced, they did not need it. Clutch pack not inspected while open; MCM's read is that it is fine, fluid flushed and bled. Noted, not actioned.

Suspension -- Moto Lab, timing TBC

Forks, ~January 2026, Moto Lab (Louis). Full service, springs changed to suit rider weight. Not due again. Louis's read on drop-off (July 2026): no new springs needed, valving changes only, which he largely folds into the job when he has them. So the outstanding work is the rear shock service with a fork tweak alongside, not two full services.

Setup brief, July 2026. The bike wants softening. Read at Grafton Round 3 on the fresh build, consistent with the 12 July Reg's Ride Park note where the YZ's plusher, almost wallowy rear felt better. Softer and more forgiving, closer to the YZ feel, is the brief for Louis.

  • Rear shock service: committed. Overdue, never done since purchase.
  • XTRIG KX250F 21-24 preload adjuster ($305): maybe, leaning no. Decision due the day the shock's booked, since fitting while the spring's off is the only cheap moment. Rider can't check static sag solo, so it'd likely be set once and never touched. Still a shrug on booking day means no.
  • Holeshot device moved out of this list to the MCM scope above.
  • Plan (revised 21 July 2026): forks and shock stay on the bike for the July race weekend, then go to Moto Lab after the race. The earlier one-visit plan alongside the YZ forks is retired; the YZ set went in first on its own.

Ordered MX Store -- in transit (paid 20 June 2026, $145.64)

  • Acerbis KX250-450F 19-25 black chain slider
  • Ride Engineering Kawasaki firm poly cone kit
  • Ballards Kawasaki black steering stem nut (BA-SS3-K, swap request sent -- originally ordered BA-SS4-K in error)
  • All Balls sprocket retainer x2
  • RHK KX250/450F black chain roller

Graphics, plastics and seat

Ordered from SKDA (27 June 2026)

  • SKDA Walton KX250 base graphics kit, custom wording and colours. Ordered 27 June 2026, $494 including the seat cover. Order note emailed. Fitting to come later, once the bike is back together.
  • Solid green ribbed seat cover, comes with the kit. Replaces the previously planned GUTS Racing seat cover, no longer bought separately.
  • Fork guards in green, included with the kit.
  • Direction: more green overall, a newer-KX colourway.

Ordered from MX Store (6 July 2026, $314.90 paid)

  • Acerbis KX450F 19-23 green plastics kit ($269.95). Correct fitment for the 21-24 KX250, shared bodywork with the 19-23 450.
  • EZ Grip grey frame grip tape ($44.95).

To be fitted with the kit

  • New green plastics (ordered 6 July, above). Fresh stickers on fresh plastics, once the bike is back from MCM.

Still to come

  • Suspension setup and revalve, front springs. Rider's call, not urgent.
  • Goggles. Consumable, buy locally when needed.