[CrAzY dRiVeR]

As per various reports, Kawasaki seems to be working on a new 250cc inline4 motorcycle, likely to be christened the ZX-25R. Reports suggest the prototype is already being tested at their Indonesia facility and is likely to produce close to 50ps of power.

- Developed primarily for JDM + Asian markets.
- Would be a sportier model than the Ninja 300 and 400.
- Reports suggest it could be based on the old JDM 250 inline4 motor, which could revv all the way to 19k rpm!
- Expected to debut at the Tokyo / EICMA Motor Show later this year.
- Indian market plans not known, but if launched - is likely to be an expensive motorcycle closer to the Ninja 400 than the 300.

Source

[giri1.8]

I might of the minority who would even pay close to 5L for this 250, our roads are still not good enough for bigger 600cc Inline 4 beast machines, this would surely hit the sweet spot in terms of performance, aural pleasure and uniqueness

They could pull off what Yamaha did with R15, hope I am not the only one who is excited

[ethanhunt123]

I dont know why people say our roads are not good enough for 600cc/Liter class bikes. GQ highways are pretty decent & there is next to no speed monitoring. If we are living outside India - roads would have been probably safer - but speed restrictions mean you cant go beyond 120-130 anyways.

At 5L - this will be dead in water in India. R15 sells because its relatively affordable.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

I dont know why people say our roads are not good enough for 600cc/Liter class bikes.

Because all the folks who did say that they are good enough for liter class bikes are dead and not around anymore

[IshaanIan]

5 lakhs on road makes me a prospective customer I have been thinking of upgrading from my RC390 to a used 848 or Daytona or something of the sort but I keep thinking of how the power that my bike produces is just about enough for our Indian cities and that perhaps a bigger bike may not be able to keep me grinning ear-to-ear quite the same way

[aargee]

I've only 1% hope that inline 4 250cc will be available in India for the following reasons...
1. Cost of the bike will be at par with Ninja 400 & will not be surprised if its same as 650
2. At that high price point, a price conscious market like India, there will be extremely few takers with ultra low volumes. May be some track lovers that's all
3. Last but not the least by the time the screamer puts on some decent torque to move, even the twin 250 will be atleast an inch ahead or worst case there will be someone showing hands to stop so that he can cross the road!!

[roy_libran]

Leaving potential pricing concerns aside, I wonder what kind of low-end and mid-range torque would a 250 cc Inline 4 give. The last thing one would want is another high strung bike, that needs to be revved hard to get it moving. Would probably not make a good city bike, and 250 cc might not be fun on a highway with luggage/pillion, so what would it be good for?

[payeng]

Dream Stuff for someone like me.

Would love a 250 cc, High Strung, In-line four at around 50 Ps @ 14K-15K rpm. Kawasaki please have a NAKED (250 cc, inline 4) Option as well please. 5 Lakhs would be ok I guess.

Kawasaki did make 250 cc Inline 4's earlier. The BALIUS II was one such model, used to make 40 odd Ps at 14,000 RPM.

[GoBlue]

Speaking from a personal riding experience of a higher capacity inline-4 motor (750cc, more HP, more torque), it's not as buttery smooth going at city speeds (< 50 kph), as it is in it's mid-range and top end.
There's a lot of heating and the motor begs to be revved.
Due to this inherent nature of such an engine, I wonder what utility the 250cc I4 motor may serve, given that Kawasaki already has the parallel twin in the Z250.

It would be interesting to know from those here who are open to the idea of a 250cc I4, what would be the usage pattern of the motorcycle?

If one had a higher capacity parallel twin (say, Street Twin/T100/T120) and missed the free revving nature of an I4, then this 250cc I4 could be a potential second bike, perhaps?

[hiren.mistry]

Great to read this, with the right set of cans this will sing. But I doubt this will ever come to our shores. From the pictures it seems that the magazine has mashed several bikes to come up with an image. The front and rear sections are disproportional, the exhaust seems to be lifted from the KTM Duke 790.

[nitro.1000bhp]

I doubt this will make it to our market. This is mainly for places where bikes above 250cc fall in a higher tax bracket like Malaysia, Indonesia etc and countries that have tiered license laws.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by roy_libran

what would it be good for?

For sportbike enthusiasts like me who simply want to be able to ride hard, admittedly a small market.

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

For sportbike enthusiasts like me who simply want to be able to ride hard, admittedly a small market.

But 'where'?
A bike with a better torque spread can be ridden harder in a variety of conditions than a bike that just has a top end. At least that's what I'd imagine.
I'm actually struggling to understand the usability of such a machine.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

I dont know why people say our roads are not good enough for 600cc/Liter class bikes. GQ highways are pretty decent & there is next to no speed monitoring. If we are living outside India - roads would have been probably safer - but speed restrictions mean you cant go beyond 120-130 anyways.

At 5L - this will be dead in water in India. R15 sells because its relatively affordable.

[OT]
Actually many of the good roads are not open for two wheeler traffic.
Case in point, Ahmedabad-Vadodara express way is one of the best road I have seen in India. However it is open only for four wheeler traffic.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by roy_libran

But 'where'?
A bike with a better torque spread can be ridden harder in a variety of conditions than a bike that just has a top end. At least that's what I'd imagine.
I'm actually struggling to understand the usability of such a machine.

Sure but what's stopping someone like me from staying in lower gears and banging in smooth rev-matches to keep the engine humming at its optimal? Like I said, this would only appeal to someone like me who derives pleasure out of being able to extract the most out of a machine. It doesn't matter if it takes work because it feels rewarding.