I went for an early morning ride in the twisties to check jetting and I had to say something about what a blast this bike is to ride quickly through mountain roads.

As my bike progressively improves with little mods here and there, it is becoming the twisties monster I always knew was lurking beneath the stock bike you get off the dealer's showroom floor.

This bike is a handling dream! The goal for any vehicle that I've have owned has been to see if I could set it up to handle as well as I could get it to be. How does one know when you have a vehicle setup correctly? The litmus test for me has been when the vehicle feels like you and it are "dancing" through the curves. No surprises, no disruptions… just smooth, quick, clean lines back and forth over and over till you feel as "one" with the vehicle. This bike has that in spades... stock!! It feels like it becomes a part of you when riding and at no time are you fighting for control or off a line you don't select. Stay focused and it does exactly what you ask of it. Want to change directions??? Just "think" about it and the bike seems to move in that direction. With its light weight and rather modest power output, you are never overwhelmed or overcooking a corner. Momentum quickly becomes your new best friend. :)

Uphills??? Just keep the motor at 9k and above and you have all the power you need to move quickly. Downhills?? Man, it's like getting a power boost as gravity is helping you in every turn. I've always said that uphills is all about power and handling and downhills is about handling and brakes.

So how well does this bike handle?? I have been driving this same mountain road to work daily for the last 30 something years. I have driven the same road in a variety of high performance vehicles I have owned throughout those years. I'm talking HP handling vehicles that are noted for their superior road manners.

This 250R has me going through those same turns at the same speeds or higher than I have ever in those cars. I'm talking a highly suspension modified Porsche 993, a relatively stock Acura NSX, and a highly suspension and engine modified Integra Type R. I have also done this road on CBR 600 F2 and F3 bikes. Although these vehicles were much faster down the straights, once out of the turns, none felt capable of going any faster through these same turns as I am with this bike now. Simply amazing!!

Am I stoked with the handling performance of this bike?? Guess?? :D

Have (lottsa) fun, ride safe


Vid is about 17 minutes long.....

1292929

Looks like fun! The handling of the ninjette is stellar. Lightweight, and it just effortlessly follow the rider's intentions. Just think about putting the bike on a certain line, and it's there before you blink. The modest power helps this impression even more, as the rider doesn't need to spend as many cycles focusing on throttle control as would be necessary on a more powerful bike.

We need to start a fund to get Kelly a point and shoot camera... :nod:

(sorry I am at work I can't view the video :( )

Yes, love the balance this bike strikes... and yet, it easily responds nicely in whatever direction the owner wants the bike to fulfill. Tourer, canyon carver, racer, daily transportation, pimp mobile. Kawi really got it right with this bike.... both the new and pre gens.

Sunny, hope you get to view the vid once you get home from work... just be thankful you have a job. These are tough times. :(

Yes, love the balance this bike strikes... and yet, it easily responds nicely in whatever direction the owner wants the bike to fulfill. Tourer, canyon carver, racer, daily transportation, pimp mobile. Kawi really got it right with this bike.... both the new and pre gens.

Sunny, hope you get to view the vid once you get home from work... just be thankful you have a job. These are tough times. :(

That's a great vid. I always wondered what it would be like to ride in Hawaii.

Over here in California we have some incredible twisties, but I made a promise to myself to never ride them. Why? Too many friends and people who have crashed or worse. You see, in California (Southern), there is a lot of dust and gravel in the mountains, so it's too easy to slip, no matter how skilled you are.

My buddy named Ray, who is a motor police officer, went down bad in the Azusa canyons a few years ago.

I do plan to do track days in the future though...

I do plan to do track days in the future though... if there were a track on kauai, I'd def be a permanent fixture, track rat, for sure. Unfortunately, we don't have a track in the entire state at the moment after the raceway park on Oahu closed down a few years ago.

Purspeed, you should do a track day asap. You are missing out on more than half the fun of these bikes as it just eats corners in a blink of an eye. If I lived in your area, I'd be in track heaven. :cool:

Isn't it increadible that so many people think they need to start with a 600cc bike and that the Ninja 250 is "too small" for them? I wonder how many of those people have actually sat on a new Ninja. There aren't many bodies this bike doesn't fit and for sheer "bang for the buck" this bike really has no competition.

Isn't it increadible that so many people think they need to start with a 600cc bike and that the Ninja 250 is "too small" for them? I wonder how many of those people have actually sat on a new Ninja. There aren't many bodies this bike doesn't fit and for sheer "bang for the buck" this bike really has no competition.

Good to see you here, TrueFaith.

The 250 Ninja is a world unto itself. But, half of me wonders what a Yamaha 250 would be like...

http://bottpower.com/eng/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/yamaha_yzf-r250.jpg

Good to see you here, TrueFaith.

The 250 Ninja is a world unto itself. But, half of me wonders what a Yamaha 250 would be like...

Hiya Purspeed. Don't get me started on Yamahas. I've owned 3 and I loved every one of them. The Ninja's new design (and it being the only 250cc streetbike sold here) got me to buy a Kawasaki this time. I still think Yamaha makes a better bike and I'd be all over a Yamaha 250. Hell, I'd even settle for a 125! ;)

Hiya Purspeed. Don't get me started on Yamahas. I've owned 3 and I loved every one of them. The Ninja's new design (and it being the only 250cc streetbike sold here) got me to buy a Kawasaki this time. I still think Yamaha makes a better bike and I'd be all over a Yamaha 250. Hell, I'd even settle for a 125! ;)

I'm with you there, 100%. For me, I would get a Yammie 125 today if I could. That thing is incredible. Yamaha's are the highest quality bikes out there, in my opinion (in terms of build). But, I'll always be a Ducati fanatic. :)

I wish there was more info on the YZF-R250...if you have any, be sure to post.

...Like this:

...Like this:

I'm more of a full fairing person...any info on stateside of the mini-yammies?

...Like this:

wtf is that??? :suspicious:

wtf is that??? :suspicious:

Yamaha FZ150. Was supposed to have come out in October of this year. All you have to do to get one is move to India, since they're not available in the US.

Yamaha FZ150. Was supposed to have come out in October of this year. All you have to do to get one is move to India, since they're not available in the US.

I'm not sure who is doing their surveys, but the demand for small displacement yet cool looking bikes is big in the US. With all the resources of KawiYamaSuzukiHonda, you would think that the demand would be obvious to them.

SPEAKING of Yami's, I've always wanted one, but Yamaha stopped making them in the states in the early 90's

http://www.strappe.com/tzr-2.jpg
The TZR-250's. They're little 2-stroke bastards and are tiiiiiny :p They look like a pocket-rocket almost, but are still street legal.

SPEAKING of Yami's, I've always wanted one, but Yamaha stopped making them in the states in the early 90's

http://www.strappe.com/tzr-2.jpg
The TZR-250's. They're little 2-stroke bastards and are tiiiiiny :p They look like a pocket-rocket almost, but are still street legal.

a street legal 250 2 stroke? where??? I'd love a 2 stroke for the street, if I could get one.

^^^ They were in the States from about 1989 - 1994 (I believe). But they were really dangerous as they sat so low to the ground and all so were hard to see. That and the 2-stroke thing didn't help :p

^^^ They were in the States from about 1989 - 1994 (I believe). But they were really dangerous as they sat so low to the ground and all so were hard to see. That and the 2-stroke thing didn't help :p

hmmm... I don't ever remember 2 strokes being available during that time period. The last I remember of over 100cc, 2 stroke, street legal bikes was the rd400 bikes from Yammie. I know the FZR 400 was available then, but that was an I4 4 stroke. I'll have to look into this more... I thought the TZ line was a track only bike.

hmmm... I don't ever remember 2 strokes being available during that time period. The last I remember of over 100cc, 2 stroke, street legal bikes was the rd400 bikes from Yammie. I know the FZR 400 was available then, but that was an I4 4 stroke. I'll have to look into this more... I thought the TZ line was a track only bike.

I remember the TZR being available for a really short period. I had just gotten rid of my RD and didn't want another 2-stroke (who knew they'd become extinct?) In hindsight I wish I'd bought one and put it in storage for a few decades...:rolleyes:

I remember the TZR being available for a really short period. I had just gotten rid of my RD and didn't want another 2-stroke (who knew they'd become extinct?) In hindsight I wish I'd bought one and put it in storage for a few decades...:rolleyes:

Thanks. I just did a search on TZR 250 and came up with a lot of info. I never knew that bike was imported into the US. Was it?

Thanks. I just did a search on TZR 250 and came up with a lot of info. I never knew that bike was imported into the US. Was it?

I remember it being advertised, but I never saw one at a dealers or on the road. This was right around the time the EPA was damming 2-strokes, so if any made it here they probably went straight to the track. It was probably considered "too expensive" for a 250 and wouldn't have sold too well anyway.

These pics remind me of the first lil bullet bike I ever fell in love with and would still love to have....
The old yamaha YSR80's

Link to a nice blue one:
http://www.bikepics.com/members/rs2ksam/88ysr80/

The lil red one shows the size comparison... and the blue is a nice R1/2 LOL

One of my buddies has a street legal CR500 motard that he takes on sunday rides sometimes. Talk about a head turner.

Sounds like he and TheDuck should get together. He's trying to shoehorn a cr500 engine into a street bike chassis right now.

That was a great video, what a beautiful road. I'd love to visit and ride in Hawaii sometime, how old do you have to be to rent a motorcycle there?

I haven't done any canyon riding out here in southern california yet for apprehension of the nature of the things purspeed was referring to. Also I almost crashed my old Miata there stupidly going at night once at Turnbull Canyon. Didn't crash though thankfully. Poor car eventually lost its life by getting rear-ended at a highway onramp red light by an SUV soccer mom a few months later.

Kelly, that road looks amazing. Must be nice to still be riding. I'm in the 5 months-of-winter camp.

VeX, I've ridden a TZR250, and an NSR250, both street legal. They are insane. A lot of fun.

http://photos-h.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v271/78/14/501912042/n501912042_774031_7929.jpg

There is my CBR250 sitting next to a nice NSR250.

I LOVE those old two-strokers and would get one in a heartbeat if I had the money to drop right now.

Kelly, how many miles is this section of your commute?

Kelly, that road looks amazing. Must be nice to still be riding. I'm in the 5 months-of-winter camp.

VeX, I've ridden a TZR250, and an NSR250, both street legal. They are insane. A lot of fun.

http://photos-h.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v271/78/14/501912042/n501912042_774031_7929.jpg

There is my CBR250 sitting next to a nice NSR250.

I LOVE those old two-strokers and would get one in a heartbeat if I had the money to drop right now.
I would love a street legal NSR250!!! :Cry:

Kelly, how many miles is this section of your commute?

13 miles.... stop dividing the miles by minutes. :mad:

13 miles.... stop dividing the miles by minutes. :mad:

well, you already told me how fast you were going in some of those sections.... and most of us should be able to tell anyway from the sound!

13 miles.... stop dividing the miles by minutes. :mad:

Hey i trust you know what you're doing. On the other hand, if i posted a video like that, flame me. :)

Just watched a section of it again. Still looks fun!

Oh yeah, and you're averaging 46mph :D

Oh yeah, and you're averaging 46mph :D
:p

Good to see you here, TrueFaith.

The 250 Ninja is a world unto itself. But, half of me wonders what a Yamaha 250 would be like...

http://bottpower.com/eng/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/yamaha_yzf-r250.jpg

I wish the other Japanese motorcycle companies would release these lower cc bikes. That thing looks so damn hot.

I wish the other Japanese motorcycle companies would release these lower cc bikes. That thing looks so damn hot.

I think they'll be coming sometime in the near future. At least, it would be smart for those other companies sales if they did...

That Yamaha really looks like its missing something above the rear tire. It's really empty looking.

Oh yeah, and you're averaging 46mph :D
:thumbup:

Hey KKim, blame the cagers halfway through :D

They knocked the average speed down by being on the road. How dare they :rolleyes:

holy thread resurrection, batman

And since when did kkim live on Kauai?

I think kkim is not real.
Just a legend started by the old timers on here.

KKim has left the building.

I believe is he currently doing the voice of Krusty the Clown on the Simpsons TV show.

I think kkim is not real.
Just a legend started by the old timers on here.

Lol replied to the thread without looking at how old it was :o still new here lol. Seriously, tho, the legend of Kkim... its like Santa Claus. Created to make us newcomers believe in ourselves and stay strong. I want a KKim decal on my bike lol jkjk:bow::bow::bow: