June 19th, 2008, 04:45 AM | #1 |
All the news that's fit to excerpt
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[motorcyclistonline] - First Ride: 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R - A First Ride To Remembe
First Ride: 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R - A First Ride To Remember
Do you remember your first streetbike? I've spent the last few years trying to forget mine. Heavy and difficult to maneuver, it let me know who was really in charge. The new Ninja 250R is everything mine wasn't. Lightweight and fun to ride, it builds your confidence instead of destroying it. After five minutes on the 250, I concluded that it's more than a great beginner's bike. It's a great bike, period. You notice the sportier look immediately, along with a Ninja family resemblance. The low seat height and even weight distribution aid maneuverability, so you're comfortable parking or even pushing the machine around the garage or parking lot. One of the most intimidating feelings for a new rider is sitting too far from the ground. Kawasaki eliminated this problem by lowering the seat to 30.5 inches-lower than on the original 250R. Interestingly, the lower saddle didn't seem to affect the seat-to-peg distance. I felt a comfortable bend in my knees and a nice, upright seating position, placing minimal strain on my wrists and lower back. An optional $99 accessory seat cowl gives the Ninja an even racier look, completely eliminating the pillion if you're not carrying a passenger. Unfortunately, there's minimal underseat storage. Registration and insurance papers are about it, and they'd better be well secured. Plan on using a tank bag or backpack if you commute. The dramatic new styling isn't the only improvement to the '08 model. According to Karl Edmondson, Kawasaki's sportbike product manager, over 70 percent of the engine was updated. I noticed smoother power delivery in the low end and midrange, and a burst of power above 9000 rpm. Experienced riders may find themselves wanting a bit more, but the littlest Ninja definitely gets up to speed quickly enough to put a smile on your face. The transmission is extremely smooth, as is the clutch engagement, and the lever is easy to pull-a relief if you have small hands like I do. That makes in-town riding much more enjoyable, preventing a new rider from fatiguing his or her underdeveloped motorcycle muscles. Slowing down is easy too, thanks to new dual-piston calipers and petal discs front and rear. They stop you faster than the original bike's brakes and with better feel. New 17-inch wheels replace the previous 16s, opening the door to a wider range of tire options. All of these changes felt great riding from stoplight to stoplight, but the real proof came in the twisties. Equipped with a 37mm Showa fork and single Kayaba shock working with Kawasaki's trademark Uni-Trak linkage, the littlest Ninja handled nicely under my 140 pounds. The rear suspension is adjustable this year, a noteworthy improvement since not all riders stand 5-foot-6 and weigh a buck twenty. Previous Ninja 250s were notorious for front-end dive, but with the new suspension and chassis geometry I didn't experience any difficulties. After a full day of urban and canyon riding, I was extremely impressed with the new Ninja. Kawasaki has built a bike to benefit specific riders, and the motorcycle industry in general. It's an inexpensive machine that will bring plenty of new riders into our sport. Whether you're a first-time buyer, a commuter, a canyon rider or even a roadracer-Kawasaki is offering racing contingencies and a few clubs are running spec classes-the '08 Ninja 250R is worth a look. No matter who you are, this one will surprise you. Tech Spec Evolution Introduced in 1986, the Ninjette was status quo from '88 till this massive '08 makeover. Rivals Aside from a few cobby Chinese imports, the minimum Ninja is in a class of its own TECH Price $3499 Engine type l-c parallel-twin Valve train DOHC, 8v Displacement 249cc Bore x stroke 62.0 x 41.2mm Compression 11.6:1 Fuel system (2) 30mm Keihin carburetors Clutch Wet, multi-plate Transmission 6-speed Claimed horsepower na Claimed torque na Frame Diamond-type steel-tube Front suspension 37mm Kayaba fork Rear suspension Single Kayaba shock, adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping Front brake Single Tokico two-piston caliper, 290mm disc Rear brake Single Tokico two-piston caliper, 220mm disc Front tire 110/70-ZR17 IRC Road Winner Rear tire 130/70-ZR17 IRC Road Winner Rake/trail 26.0/3.2 in. Seat height 30.5 in. Wheelbase 55.1 in. Fuel capacity 4.8 gal. Claimed dry weight 335 lbs. Color Lime Green, Red, Black Available Now Warranty 12 months, unlimited mi. Contact Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA 9950 Jeronimo Rd. Irvine, CA 92618 949.770.0400 http://www.kawasaki.com Verdict A 13,000-rpm dose of street cred for the under-appreciated 250cc class. Photo Gallery: First Ride: 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R - A First Ride To Remember - Motorcyclist Magazine Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us Click here for full story...
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June 19th, 2008, 07:32 AM | #2 |
ninjette.org dude
Name: 1 guess :-)
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much.
Blog Entries: 7
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Nice, concise write-up of our Ninjette from Motorcyclist's magazine online site. This was pulled in to our motorcycling news section here on the site, but since I replied to the post it pulls it into the General Discussion forum so more folks have a chance to see it.
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