3rd Place: 2010 Kawasaki KX250F

Since its introduction in 2004, the KX250F has been no stranger to winning, as witnessed by its multiple championships. For 2010, the KX-F has been subject to a lot of updates, but they have not changed the bike in a significant way compared to the previous model. That's okay for the most part, because a lot of those changes are for improved durability while others simply take a good thing and make it better.

In engine performance, the KX-F has excellent midrange and top-end power but lacks a little punch right off the bottom where it lugs instead of having an abrupt pull. It has good over-rev, though, so the Kawi probably won't need to be shifted as often as the other three Japanese bikes. The Kawasaki's carburetion is the best of the jets-and-needle bikes, but its power delivery still isn't as crisp and deliberate as it is on the Suzuki or Honda, the only two injected machines in this test.

Testers had mixed reviews about the KX's shifting. The gears engage fine when downshifting, but some of our riders complained of the tranny going into a false neutral if their foot remained on the lever after shifting up.

Our testers all agreed, however, that the Kawasaki's ergonomics fit them perfectly and that the new seat foam provides a nice combination of comfort and support/feedback. The chassis is very well-balanced, despite the fork being a tad on the soft side. New titanium-coated lowers keep fork action smooth while giving the bike a classy look. High marks also go to the Kawasaki for straight-line stability, and for coming home second only to Honda in terms of having a lightweight feel that gives its rider the impression that he always is in control. Making direction changes is an easy task but front wheel tracking through corners is not the best. Overall, though, the KX250F is an excellent motocross bike that just fell a few points short of coming out on top of this comparison.