Facts About the Kawasaki 250R
- The first 250cc Ninja was the GPZ-250. It was solely marketed in Japan from 1983 to 1985. This bike had a belt drive system and an air-cooled engine. It had two valves per cylinder, 18-inch wheels and 17 peak horsepower at 8,000 rpm.
- The second-generation 250cc bike was produced from 1986 and 1987. It was sold in America and Canada as the 250R or the EX250-E, and in Japan as the GPZ-250R. This bike had a water-cooled parallel twin engine with dual carbs and four valves per cylinder. This motorcycle had 37.4 horsepower at 1,000 rpm, a 14,000 rpm red line and a top speed of 95 mph. It had 16-inch wheels and a chain drive.
- The third-generation model was one of the most popular 250R Ninjas and was produced from 1988 to 2007. This motorcycle had a liquid-cooled, in-line-twin, four-stroke engine with dual-overhead cam and four valves per cylinder. The engine had a bore and stroke of 2.44 by 1.62 inches, a compression ratio of 12.4-1. It had twin Keihin CVK30 constant velocity carburetors and was equipped with a six-speed manual, constant-mesh transmission. The maximum horsepower was 28 at 12,500 rpm, the torque was 18 pound-feet at 10,000 and the top speed was 99 mph. Third-generation bikes had a wheelbase of 55.1 inches, height of 43.1 inches and width of 28 inches. It had a length of 80.1 inches, 16-inch wheels, ground clearance of 6.1 inches and seat height of 29.3 inches. It weighed 304 lbs. dry and 355 lbs. wet.
- The fourth generation, first produced in 2008, is very similar to the third generation with a few minor changes. The fourth generation uses a catalytic converter in the exhaust system with a single muffler. The maximum horsepower is 27 at 12,500 rpm and the top speed went from 99 mph to 96. It also has an 11.6-1 compression ratio and torque of 14 pound-feet at 10,000. The engine's compression and maximum torque have been lowered to provide better midrange performance, where the motorcycle spends most of its time. Other changes include 17-inch wheels, overall length of 85.1 inches, dry weight of 333 lbs. and wet weight of 374.9 lbs.
