2008 Ninja 250R Review - Kawasaki
Reviewed by: Kenzie
Where do you live: Toronto Ontario
Your height: 6′ 1″
Your weight: 250 lbs
Manufacturer: Kawasaki
Model: Ninja 250R
Model year: 2008
Displacement in CC’s: 250cc
Final drive: Chain
Cost: 5100 otd
Beginner bike yes/no: Yes
Reliability 1 to 10: 8
Reliability explained:
Being a beginner bike, it has already taken a beating. With a few falls and is still ticking nicely. However, down shifting from second to first is at times abrasive, as though the clutch is not disengaging properly. After the 1000km Oil change the problem seems limited but still existent.
Performance 1 to 10: 7
Performance explained:
The Bike is a 250, that should explain why its not getting top marks from me. However the bike has more than enough power to move my 250lb body around obstacles and out of trouble with fair ease. In 6th gear the bike cruises at 8.5k rpm at about 130km. Theoretically it can reach 170 at its 11k redline, but I don’t have the courage to try….yet.
Comfort 1 to 10: 6
Comfort explained:
Again, being a 250 should explain some of this. The bike has a decent riding position. sporty yet still straight enough that long hauls are okay on the back. I rode the bike from Kingston to Toronto (300KM) on sideroads, this meant I was on the bike for almost 6hours and my back was fine. However, being 6′1 The bike was a little cramped. This showed up in my tailbone, which became numb while seated, and screamed with pain if i stood on the pegs for a moment to stretch out. Certainly not for long road tripping for anyone over ~5′10.
Body looks/quality 1 to 10: 9
Looks/Quality explained:
Im not much of a perfect score kind of guy, so I’m not going to ten. But the bike has been completely redesigned for ‘08, it has a great aggressive sporty look, like the bigger ninjas. and the body has taken a beating from drops with very little cosmetic damage.
Things that have gone wrong:
The above mentioned Clutch disengagement problem into 1st. When using the in trunk helmet hooks the trunk becomes very difficult to close. A little weary about using the hooks to hold my helmet.
After a drop the shift lever predictably bent, completely human error, but worth posting.
Overall summary/Final comments about this bike:
This bike has been a great bike to learn on. It doesn’t quite have the instant snap of bigger bikes, and I am sure glad for it.
Rode the competition cbr125 for my safety course and came away with the feeling that the 125 was like a twig, didn’t feel substantial or safe, and I found the 125 controls to be surprisingly sensitive and finicky.
The Ninja 250 has performed all of the functions I would expect from a 250 beautifully. This might explain why they are impossible to find right now.
Would you recommend this bike to someone else?: Yes
Overall tallied rating:
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MotoGP Style Exhaust from Motowerkz.net