Kawasaki Motorcycles – Ninja 250R

There’s absolutely nothing on this planet that matches a sports motorcycle at getting the adrenalin pumping.  One of the safest and most affordable ways of enjoying the experience is with the sexy new Kawasaki Ninja 250 R.

Specifications

Motorcycle Grand Prix fans will have noticed something remarkable about the performance of the 250cc machines when compared with the mighty 800cc MotoGP bikes that get all the acclaim.  With well under half the power of the bigger machines, the little twin-cylinder racers lap most circuits within a couple of seconds of the big four-cylinder bikes of more than treble their capacity.  At our last South African GP in Welkom, for instance, MotoGP lap record holder Max Biaggi averaged 163,840 km/h around the circuit, while the quickest 250cc machine took just 2,4 seconds longer to circulate at an average speed of 159,752 km/h.  The reason for this is quite simple:  Lighter machines with less power are easier to ride quickly, and what they lose out on down the straights they just about make up through the corners.  You, me, and the guy down the road with the litre class superbike would all lap Kyalami more safely and just about as quickly on a smaller machine that we can ride at the limit than we would on a superbike that intimidates us way before we reach its limits.

All of which takes us to the Kawasaki Ninja 250R – a stylish machine that replaces the GPX 250 that became the brand’s best seller in the USA and a weapon of choice around the world ever since it was launched way back in 1988.

The most obvious change in the new model is in the styling that is closely aligned with that of the Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-6R superbikes. A picture paints a thousand words, so we won’t waste too much space here – just take a look at the pics and you’ll have to agree that this is one sexy motorcycle.

The new Kawasaki uses a new more nimble thick-walled steel frame and beefy swingarm to contribute to rigidity and deliver racetrack handling. Uni-Trak rear suspension (5 way adjustable for preload) and 37mm telescopic forks soak up the bumps and keep the wheels on track, while new 17” wheels support sporty low-profile tyres – one of the most important advances made for the ’08 model.  A 290 mm petal disc brake up front is grabbed by a twin-piston calliper, while a 220mm rear disc and twin piston calliper look after the back end.

The instrumentation of the new Kawasaki Ninja is very comprehensive, with a large, easy to read analogue speedometer and rev counter, an odometer and trip meter, and all the usual idiot lights. This is a very user-friendly motorcycle.  The air-cleaner element can be easily accessed from the side, there are two helmet holders under the seat, there’s under-seat storage for a U-Lock or similar device, and hooks are provided under the tail for tying luggage down with bungee cords.  The slim tail cowl can be easily removed to make room for a pillion.

The new Ninja 250R as sold in South Africa and Europe is now fuel-injected – a carburetted version is retained for the USA. Although the parallel-twin four-stroke DOHC eight-valve engine shares the 62 X 41,2mm bore and stroke dimensions of its popular predecessor, changes have been effected to over 70% of the engine components. A more compact combustion chamber houses lighter valves, and the intake and exhaust ports have been revised to produce a stronger midrange. The camshafts and camchain-tensioner are new, and a redesigned Denso radiator keeps temperatures down even when the bike is flogged around the racetrack at 13000 rpm.

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a superb bike for beginners and experienced riders alike. It’s light and low, and provides enormous fun when ridden hard, while being perfectly capable of functioning as an affordable and reliable city runabout. With its 0-100 km/h time of under six seconds and the ability to run the standing-start 400 metres in around 14,5 seconds it’ll keep comfortably ahead of just about everything on four wheels between the traffic lights, and its top speed of well over 160 km/h makes it no slouch on the freeway either. It’s a non-intimidating motorcycle that, in the right hands, is quite capable of surprising superbike riders when they see it looming large in their mirrors along a decent winding back road.

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R comes with a one year / unlimited distance warranty.