[pgsagar]

A welcome move if Kawasaki brings it here. Unlike hyperbikes, you can max out a 250 cc and yet be in controllable speeds. Why the need to max out? Aural pleasure. Nothing comes close to an inline-4 bike in acoustics. I had a ZX12R in 2012. You can never max out that damn thing. Well, at least I couldn't. It crosses 100 kph in 1st gear itself at the twist of the wrist. You can live with an i4 250 and even use it as a daily drive. I'm sure it won't roast your legs like hyperbikes do. ZX12R did. Early morning or late nights were the only times I could ride without barbecuing my legs.

When it comes to sound effect, there isn't much difference between a hyperbike and 250 cc, as long as both are inline 4. Will leave you with a video of Honda's CBR250RR of 90s. Gives me goosebumps just listening to the sound. But, like all good things Honda had, they pulled the plug on it. Anyway, enjoy the sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHuF56yaUj0

[neil.jericho]

Well the official numbers are hardly any consolation given that we were all expecting a near 60 HP motorcycle. The Kawasaki claim of 51 HP is just a shade above the A2 level 45-47 HP bikes that we get from other manufacturers (admittedly singles and twins). With a few mods, those bikes should be close to the 50HP figure, if not more.

There is no premium fully adjustable suspension at the rear either though the front gets a good setup with the Showa Separate Function Forks with Big Pistons.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Especially when it comes to the fact that irrespective of what class or paper specs the motorcycle belongs to, this is the only offering that gives a normal person the privilege to experience MotoGP spec engine speeds.

The Yamaha R6 that is still sold today has a 16,500 RPM redline.

[bf1983]

A 360 degree video of the zx25r on Jerez. A symphony for an exhaust

https://youtu.be/m_GkGlGn10o

[KarthikK]

The quarter-litre supersports segment got a new player in Indonesia with a droolworthy inline-4, 250cc mill capable of revving all the way upto almost 18,000 RPM. The mini rocket puts out 51 PS @ 15,500 RPM and 22.9 Nm @ 14,500 RPM. Perfect recipe for an inline-4 pocket rocket which won't kill you for making mistakes

In Indonesia the price is IDR 96,000,000, which translates to roughly 5L INR!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_GkGlGn10o

Other titbits about this bike: It comes fully kitted with KTRC, riding modes, LED lights, bi-directional Quickshifter and many more goodies just like its elder Ninja siblings.

Obviously the Indonesian market has some restrictions which prompted Kawasaki to launch this bike there first, and their emission norms are a few years behind the rest of Europe or even India from my understanding. It remains to be seen if this might be brought to India as a CBU in limited numbers, nothing is known about that as of now but one can always hope.

Full source of the news article is here:
https://www.zigwheels.com/news-featu...donesia/39105/


Pricing might be an inhibiting factor to its feasibility and eventual success here in India, considering our displacement-obsessed market may not digest a 250cc bike being priced at upwards of 6L .

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

In Indonesia the price is IDR 96,000,000, which translates to roughly 5L INR!

Kawasaki has the new Ninja 250 (parallel twin) in Indonesia (based on our 400) and it retails at IDR 74,400,000. So I guess the ZX25R is positioned somewhere close to the 400 in reality.

Hope this comes to the Indian market! Kawasaki has nothing to lose really - the 400 is not selling anyways and there is no sign of the Euro5/BS6 compliant 400 engine, yet!

ZX25R will have a niche USP which will at least create a true fanbase for Kawasaki.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Kawasaki has the new Ninja 250 (parallel twin) in Indonesia (based on our 400) and it retails at IDR 74,400,000. So I guess the ZX25R is positioned somewhere close to the 400 in reality.

Hope this comes to the Indian market! Kawasaki has nothing to lose really - the 400 is not selling anyways and there is no sign of the Euro5/BS6 compliant 400 engine, yet!

ZX25R will have a niche USP which will at least create a true fanbase for Kawasaki.

Nice points! It will definitely have a very niche USP in the enthusiast market here if they do decide to bring it in here.

Meanwhile, I was doing some more digging on this topic and found Kawasaki has launched it in Japan (manufactured in Indonesia though) at a price roughly equivalent to 5.86 lacs INR. Some differences in the Japanese version include a heavier kerb weight of 2 kg more and a reduced state of tune putting out 46 hp instead of the 51hp output of the Indonesian version, owing to the stricter emission norms in Japan. I'm guessing if it does come to Indian shores, the bike here might be more or less similar to the Japanese version.

[tchsvy]

According to this article, the baby ZX is going to have some competition from an inline four Yamaha R25M, and Honda is also rumoured to be working on an inline four CBR250RR-(wait for it)R. Not sure about the authenticity of this article, but if it turns out to be true, I am not going to complain!

https://motoblast.org/2020/07/22/yam...-new-yzf-r25m/

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by tchsvy

According to this article, the baby ZX is going to have some competition from an inline four Yamaha R25M, and Honda is also rumoured to be working on an inline four CBR250RR-(wait for it)R. Not sure about the authenticity of this article, but if it turns out to be true, I am not going to complain!

Some of the Indian automotive websites have started rumour mongering of the finest kind by linking to this article and speculating that the Yamaha might have 50 HP and so on! The same kind of journalism that speculated that the ZX2R would have 60 HP and be light weight

I had read this link yesterday, it seems to be nothing more than speculation with Yamaha understandably denying all rumours. But as you said, if it turns out to be true, we are all going to be a happy bunch indeed!

[Mission_PGPX]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Kawasaki has the new Ninja 250 (parallel twin) in Indonesia (based on our 400) and it retails at IDR 74,400,000. So I guess the ZX25R is positioned somewhere close to the 400 in reality.

Hope this comes to the Indian market! Kawasaki has nothing to lose really - the 400 is not selling anyways and there is no sign of the Euro5/BS6 compliant 400 engine, yet!

ZX25R will have a niche USP which will at least create a true fanbase for Kawasaki.

Absolutely!! writing something on this forum of motorcycles for the first time so excuse my knowledge and skills!! I was all into cars until lockdown and within last 4 months i am all into bikes.

Kawasaki need not to worry about pricing actually, since they know this is not a typical 250cc motor. They may have competition from their own products, but thats there currently also. Look at the price difference between Ninja 1000 and ZX-6R for example, still ZX-6R was a hit in our market. Also, this is a supersport category and not a road / touring stuff. ZX-25R will have a fanbase may be only for sound of an in-line 4 for the price half of next inline-4 i.e. ZX-6R.

Also, it gives a more controlled power delivery because of lesser cc and you are less scared to drive it or to share it with someone in family / friends. As they say, its safe and easier to drive slower bike faster than riding faster bike slower. Lucky are the bunch of people who have access to expressways to have a chance to experience the full throttle of anything around inline 4 600 cc engines. Our roads are never safe to ride at 14000 rpm in second or third gear. I would rather have a less cc inline 4 with same sound and chance to rev it all the way to 16000 rpm. as you can see from the odo, upto 4000 rpm the meter is marked very close, that says power and sound comes after crossing 6000 rpm.


All of a sudden, Honda CBR650R started looking next best option at 8.8 lacs (if launched in BS6). Less than 100 horses, sports tourer type and inline 4.

[turbo]

Another racetrack video
6th gear 174 kph at 16K RPM
6th gear 120 kph at 11.1K RPM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTmZqC6Q9M8

[shan_ned]

Originally Posted by turbo

Another racetrack video
6th gear 174 kph at 16K RPM
6th gear 120 kph at 11.1K RPM


https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=gTmZqC6Q9M8

From the above data, the 6th gear ratio arrangement results in 10.9 kmph/1000RPM.

For a 250cc bike, it is a super short gearing. Even the 150cc motorcycles will have something around 12 to 13 kmph/1000RPM.

What does this mean ? Even though the 250cc engine is going to produce less torque, the wheel torque is going to be very high. Of course this motorcycle can afford to have such a super short gearing due to the high revving nature of the engine. It revs all till 18000 rpm even in the 6th gear. Definitely a pocket rocket

[drive_angry]

A pure symphony with Orion Exhaust

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMDhIXe9Nmc

[amvj]

I wish Kawasaki bring this to India. This could make the cheapest 4 cylinder bike one can buy. It sounds incredible.

https://youtu.be/nhEagCARzpI

[shancz]

Does this mean that an enthusiast's reasonably priced but usable garage in India can look like this :
- Scooter : errands
- ADV : traveling
- 250 : to satiate the soul longing for the 4 cylinder symphony and true sports bike feel, coaxing for a track session

All of this in 1 + 4 + 7 = 12 lakhs on road accurate by 50k based on taxes.
3 real world specialists for the price of one specialist which might not be used to its potential and intent 90% of the time.

Is my assumption correct or am I missing something ?