Kawasaki Ninja 250SL Owner Review
We will introduce Tamarin-r passionate story about his riding experience with his beloved motorcycle, Ninja 250SL, from Webike Community's "My Beloved Moto" campaign. He told us about his review of the Ninja 250SL, including its advantages and disadvantages, which he knows well because he's the owner.
Brief self-introduction
Motorcycle history and how I usually enjoy my motorcycle.
I'm an old man who discovered the joys of motorcycling during the motorcycle boom of the late '80s. I like touring down the road and if I don't tell anyone, I'll ride all day long.
Motive for purchase and use
I had been riding a silver PCX150 (KF18) but I wanted to play in the mountain passes after a long time, so I was looking for a lightweight 250cc full cowl when I found a less than 2,000km old NINJA. At first, I was hesitant about the forward-leaning posture, but I bought it because it was the same forward-leaning posture as the 250cc I used to ride.
The comparison was between the imported GSX-R150 and GSX-S150 Suzuki machines. Both of these machines were small and lightweight, but the manufacturer's warranty was still the deciding factor. It's about 125cc in size and 250cc - 29 hp engine, there's no reason it shouldn't be fun. It's single, so it will be easy to ride with some low speed torque. The only concern I had was the tight forward lean and I wondered if I would be able to ride the distance on down road touring.
Satisfaction and Strengths
For applications
The balance of size and power was perfect for the mountain passes. Unlike the GROM I was riding before, I don't feel fear in high-speed corners. The tires were decently good as standard and I didn't feel the need to replace them. Unlike the 80's replicas I used to ride, the tank is high and you can hold the tank with your elbows, so you can push the tank with your elbows to make it bank further while banking, which is very fun.
You need to keep over 7,000 rpm to make it snappy. It reminds me of the TZR125 I used to ride. (The NINJA has a 4-stroke so it can flow at lower RPMs.)
I think lightness is justice. It's very easy to handle. Since it is a single engine, the fuel consumption is good. I've never gotten less than 35km/L while touring.
For appearance
It's slim from the front, but it's full cowl when viewed from the side, so it has some volume to it. Personally, I didn't have a green option because it looked like an insectoid face (it looked like a grasshopper).
Dissatisfaction and weaknesses
For applications
I'm a downhill touring hobby....it's a second motorcycle. It is not suitable for the main. It's a single, but the low speed is sluggish. My neck is tired because I lean forward. If you don't lift your neck, it's hard to see forward, so the helmet has to be light. I bought the Aeroblade III at the same time, it's a lighter helmet than the YS Gear Jet.
Loading capacity is "0". I always have a bag with Kappa and emergency tools on the exhaust system. The material of the cowl is cheap and does not feel luxurious. Also, the black part of the cowl turns white quickly and feels cheap.
Also, even though it's a lightweight motorcycle, the exhaust system is big, heavy, and rickety. Only the silencer can be easily removed, so I changed to the lightweight type of slip-on. However, the torque at the time of the start was lost and it became easy to stall because the release at low speed was too good (it seems to be a chronic disease though it is net information). It seems that the subcontractor is indispensable when I changed the exhaust system.
Summary
It's a fun cornering experience that can make up for all of its flaws. Or maybe that's the only way to do it. That's why I wrote it as a second motorcycle. If you don't have a tight forward lean and want to be the fastest in the downhill corners. It doesn't mean you can't tour. It's lightweight, so if you go over the speed limit on the highway, the wind will blow you away.
I wouldn't have given it up if I could always keep two of them at home. I can only keep one of them at home for reasons, so I had to leave one of them with the PCX150 at my parents' house in the distance to switch over. Although it is a forward-leaning posture, if you replace the handlebars on the top bridge, you can increase it by 20mm, which makes it much easier. If you turn the steering wheel as far as it will go, it will hit the screen and will scratch it, but that's the trade-off.
One more thing, the seat is so thin that my butt doesn't hurt, it was a torture seat on the GROM, but the Kawasaki Magic? Maybe suspension is a good idea. There is a lot of back-torque, so the rear wheels lock up quickly if you gear down too much, but that was fun too. I want to ride this motorcycle again.
Thank you, Tamarin-r, for your narrative that shows your love for the Ninja 250SL so much!
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