Kymco’s Mongoose 250 Long Term Test

As you can see, the Mongoose 250 looks right at home on their showroom floor. Month after month, our favorite ATV publications test the latest machines from all of the various manufacturers. Flooded with machines, products, and the ever imposing deadlines, the magazine boys do a great job of giving their impression of machines, although they sometimes miss one of the largest concerns that most buyers face, long term reliability.

When Kymco sent us our Mongoose 250 some 10 months ago, rather then do a traditional “take it out and ride it test”, we decided to take a different approach. People are generally skeptical about buying non Japanese ATVs, mainly due to reliability and parts availability issues. That’s why we decided to give the machine a few seasons worth of thrashing before we tested it.

In order to give the Mongoose several years of abuse prior to testing, we had a team of three racers, Nathan Delabar, Brad Morrison, and Jack Moore, (father of multi time women’s champ Angela Moore) race the machine at the Maxxis 12 Hours Of ATV America. We later turned the machine over to our novice level test riders for seven more months of riding to further punish the machine. There is no doubt, after all of the countless hours of abuse that we would really know what this machine was made of.

Getting to know the Kymco 250

The swingarm on the Mongoose 250 looks like military hardware and we can’t imagine it failing. Chain adjustment is easier than on some Japanese quads.The Mongoose 250 is an entry-level sport machine and comes equipped as such. A two-valve 249cc water-cooled 4-stroke motor, which Kymco claims puts out 18hp. The motor is mated to a fully automatic CVT transmission, (with reverse) making getting started as simple as pushing the thumb throttle. The machine is equipped with an electric starter with no kick or recoil backup. The choke is located recessed in the bodywork on the lower left side of the gas tank.

The chassis uses a conventional tubular steel frame. Up front the suspension chores are handled by a dual a-arm setup with preload adjustable shocks. Out back, there is the normal swingarm setup mated to a preload adjustable shock.

Triple hydraulic brakes, two fronts and one rear handle braking. The brakes work in the conventional way with the fronts being operated with the lever on the right of the handlebars. The rear can either be activated using the pedal on your right foot or the lever on the left side of the handlebars. The Kymco features steel braided brake lines as standard equipment, a feature not offered on many other sport ATVs. To activate the parking brake, you must squeeze the front brake lever with your right hand and depress the locking mechanism into one of the grooves located on the perch with your left hand. It’s not a one-hand operation, but its simple enough.

To get the power to the ground, Kymco mounted Kenda Klaw XCs on DID aluminum rims. Both are extremely sweet OEM additions. Good tires are one of the easiest ways to make a machine handle well. Kymco apparently knows this.

Good styling, acceptable power, good handling, the Mongoose offers beginners a fun and reliable platform on which to gain experience.

At the races
Hard rain showers the day before the race left the morning a muddy mess. Our original plan was to go out and run the entire race, being mindful to take care of the machine. Within the first lap we had our first problem, the stock chain broke. After a quick pit stop, the chain was fixed and off we went. Before the next lap had completed, the chain broke again! The stock chain stretches horribly, especially under race conditions with large up hills. Replace it before you leave the dealer. Fortunately we had another brand of chain on hand which we installed, – this solved our chain issues for the day.

While other machines were enjoying aftermarket skid plates, our machine was still running the stock one. A hard hit on the track managed to bend our rear disk, but rather then spend time trying to fix it, we just continued on with no rear brakes.

As the day progressed, the mud began to dry leaving behind a course filled with kidney bruising whoops. With our chain issues cured our team began putting in lap after lap stopping only a couple of times to check the machine over. By the time the first cession had ended, our race team forgot about the original plan of being mindful of the machine, and started trying to actually race the machines. Our riders even managed to pass a few 450s in the tight woods. The Mongoose was being pounded without a whimper! Not bad for the smallest least powerful machine in the race.

 In the second session night fell and after hours of racing with no problems, Jack Moore hit a two foot hole in the dark while hard on the gas. Jack was thrown onto the front fenders, breaking a plastic mounting tab.

The original impact with the hole also wound up snapping a tie rod end. Back in the pits, the tie rod was replaced, and the machine that no one expected to survive the 12 Hours, went on to finish with no major and very few minor mechanical problems. The same can’t be said for more than a few fully prepped 450s and other big bore machines lying dead in the pits.

When we looked the machine over the following week, the only other damage we found was a broken plastic rear skid plate. All in all, the 12 Hours was a real proving ground for the machine. After we replaced the skid plate and front fenders Jack got body slammed on, we sent it back on the track and trail for another seven months of abuse. Now we are finally prepared to give some definitive answers about this machine.

Ride review
So how does it run now? It still starts easily and the motor seems to have lost nothing, In fact, it’s seemingly good as new. The machine takes a few minutes to warm up but once it does, it runs cleanly at all RPM levels and builds revs well for its two valve design. The motor seems to run quite cool. In fact, the cooling systems backup electric fan only came on once and a great while during full throttle abuse sessions.

The Mongoose doesn’t make a ton of low end power. Instead, it likes to be revved. Leisurely takeoffs are possible for beginners, but once experience is gained, exploring the sporty side of the machine requires a cut and thrust throttle style. Coming out of corners is best handled by whacking open the throttle, accelerating to your desired speed, and setting the throttle position to match. Our more experienced testers felt the tranny could be made a bit more responsive. Although beginner level riders never complained.

Hills can be tackled with confidence as long as you keep in mind that this is a beginner level machine. We were taking 5ft runs at a 30ft hill that worked its way from flat up to 35-degrees of steepness and were making it with no problem. At the steepest part of the hill, the front end never felt like it was going to come up unexpectedly. Even though it was necessary to keep the machines RPMs up to make it over the top, beginner level riders felt like they could attack with confidence, thanks to the machines smooth non intimidating power delivery. A bit more bottom end torque would still be nice, but overall it’s a very user-friendly power package that will deliver countless weekends of fun.

From left to right, Bradley Morrison, Nathan Delabar, and Jack Moore can attest to the durability of the Kymco Mongoose 250. After all, it did power them to finishing the Maxxis 12 Hours of ATV America. If you want more details, ask Jack Moore the next time you see him, but be careful, he might not stop talking about the quad and the event.

The only problem we encountered with the motor was when crossing a creek at torpedo speed. About ¾ across the motor cut out and wouldn’t re-fire for a couple of minutes. We checked the air box, but there was no sign of moisture. Fortunately, the Mongoose started back up and we kept on playing in the creek, this time however at a more leisurely pace. We’re glad to say there were no more water related incidents to report.

At 41in in width and weighing 392lbs, the Kymco feels surprisingly light in the turns. The machines already low center of gravity combined with its excellent Kenda Klaw tires do a fine job of hiding the machines weight. All of our testers felt the machine was a decent cornerer with more stability then you might expect for an entry level machine.

The machines suspension works, but it needs some tweaking. It is both too stiff and too soft. It isn’t ultra plush on small hits like tree roots and small logs, and it bottoms if you start jumping higher then a few feet. While the rear end is acceptable, the front end is noticeably more harsh. While beginner riders didn’t comment on the suspension issues, it’s something that any more experienced pilot will notice. Whether you ride aggressively or not, you will want to consider aftermarket shocks. While it wasn’t bad enough to keep us off of the machine, it is the weakest link in an otherwise good package.

It might not have been as fast as the 450s on the pit straight, but the Kymco was able to traverse even the most treacherous parts of the 12 Hours course. Riders of all sizes felt comfortable on the machine. The relationship between the bars, seat, and pegs is quite spacious. While the machine isn’t too big for people around 5ft, riders in the 6ft plus club won’t feel cramped, as Nathan Delabar discovered during the 12 hours race. The seat is quite comfortable, as is the bend of the handlebars, and even the foot pegs are plenty wide. The only bad thing about the machines rider compartment is the bulge on the left of the motor caused by the transmission. The wider mid-section forces you to take a wide stance making it difficult to grip the machine with your knees.

With the engines lack of compression braking, good brakes were essential, and the Kymco delivers. Braking on the machine is exceptionally good. We’re talking big stopping power. They have a progressive feel inspiring confidence on steep decants. Both the front and rear brakes work equally well and resist fading on long rides.

The reversible Kenda Klaw XCs are extremely durable and offer great traction in any conditions. Their grip combined with the machines mellow power delivery sometimes makes power sliding difficult. With all of that traction though, you never feel like the rear end is going to lose traction on slippery climbs. Kymco’s aluminum DID rims are also excellent quality and should hold up to plenty of wear and tear on the trails.

Both the quality and function of the controls are first rate. After all we’ve put it through they are still tight and everything feels new and crisp. The machines headlight was a bit underpowered for racing at the 12 Hours, but it works fine for casual trail riding.

The bottom line
Kymco is a growing company with big plans for the future including a full size 4×4. There are even rumors of a big bore sport machine in the works. Kymco has also been working with aftermarket companies like Desert Toyz, Fisher’s Cycle, and Powroll to develop performance accessories for their current models. Kymco also has a decent size dealer network, with new dealers signing up all the time, so finding a dealer near you shouldn’t be a problem.

After all we’ve put it through; durability does not appear to be an issue on the Mongoose 250. Its power works well for its intended audience, it requires little maintenance, and fit and finish are a cut above many of the other brands currently being produced in Taiwan. The Kymco’s separate front and rear brakes offer a level of power and control not available on machines using single lever brakes and its fully automatic CVT transmission fills the niche for riders who don’t want to mess with shifting gears. If you’re shopping for a reasonably priced machine to learn on, that is most importantly reliable, we suggest you give the Kymco Mongoose 250 a look before you buy.

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