Kawasaki KLX250S 2009-2020 Service Manual

MotorcycleDaily's own 2009 launch coverage confirms exactly what defined this second-generation redesign: "the engine, chassis and bodywork all get significant updates. Highlights include revised engine cooling, new carburetor settings, reduced travel suspension (resulting in a lower seat height), and a more modern, lighter swingarm" — with a new lightweight aluminum swingarm using KX racing-type chain adjusters for precise adjustment. Autoevolution's own account confirms the same 2009 update brought an updated braking system, a smoother engine, a stiffer seat, an all-digital instrument cluster, a new headlight, a redesigned fender, and more fuel capacity, alongside less suspension travel and less ground clearance than the outgoing first generation.

Power comes from a 249cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, delivering a claimed 22 hp at 7,500 rpm and roughly 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) of torque at 7,000 rpm, fed by a carburetor throughout this entire range. Autoevolution's own detailed year-by-year account confirms genuinely minimal change once this 2009 redesign was in place — 2011, 2012, and 2014 model-year entries each confirm "the same shape and form as the previous one," with no significant modifications across the whole span.

The chassis uses a high-tensile steel perimeter frame with a 43mm inverted cartridge-type fork offering 16-way compression damping adjustability and 285mm of travel, paired with a preload-adjustable Uni-Trak rear shock offering 16-way compression and rebound adjustability and 280mm of travel — genuinely real suspension sophistication for a dual-sport in this class. Road and Trail's own long-term review confirms a claimed curb weight of 297 lbs (304 lbs on the later fuel-injected 2020 model) and a 34.8-inch seat height, with stock tires performing reasonably on pavement, gravel, and dirt but struggling in mud.

That same review offers a genuinely useful comparison against direct rivals: the Suzuki DR-Z400S offers more performance and better suspension but weighs more and costs more, while the Yamaha WR250R runs a more sophisticated aluminum frame and fuel injection at a higher price point. Standard equipment throughout this range included wire-spoke wheels with off-road tires, a single seat, a high-mounted muffler and front fender, and a single headlight in a small cowl. This platform ran carbureted through 2019 before Kawasaki's KLX300 replaced it for 2021 with fuel injection and more power on essentially the same chassis architecture.

This factory service manual covers the procedures, torque specs, and diagrams needed to keep a 2009-2020 KLX250S running the way it was built to.