3 days riding my Kawasaki Z250

Nov 21, 2010
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After 3 years riding my Versys (40.000 km) and 3 months my CB500F (6000 km) I bought a Kawasaki Z250 about 2 months ago. Going from a Versys (650cc) to a CB500F (470cc) was already a bit a reduce of power on the throttle. So a step further to the Z250 (250cc) was a bit of a risk in losing too much power on the throttle.

The Z250 has a long and pain-staking break-in period. But finally I could make a 3 day tour about 800 km (Khon Kaen, Petchabun, Loei, Khon Kaen) to test the motorbike.

I learned a few things,
On the highways the power is enough for me, with the naked concept it makes you feel going 130km/h when you are doing 100km/h.
At higher RPM there is surprisingly much power for overtaking, but missing a 7th gear (I am not used to high rev bike).
The seat is shit! Are there gel-seats for the Z250 or Ninja 250/300?
Brakes are fine but when making a quick stop for a u-turning car my rear wheel slipped a bit. Do I need ABS or better tires (now stock IRC)?
I love my new handle-bar (from a ER6N).
Going up Khao Kho needs a bit more shifting and just does not go that easy (as the Versys).
The little engine is doing great millage (much better as the Versys or CB500F).
Mirrors are very narrow, especially my right one shows more of my arm as of the road. Do I need mirror extenders or just wider mirrors ?

Not related to my bike but while parked at a gasoline station I came back and my helmet was on another place on my bike. Did it fly away? The helmet has some scratches and was dirty. Now coming home and cleaning my helmet I see that there are actually cracks in the outer shell. Did it fall and car hit? Did someone try a helmet crash test?
 
Dec 27, 2007
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Nice review Ivo! My comments in BLUE :)

Changnoi1;298669 wrote: After 3 years riding my Versys (40.000 km) and 3 months my CB500F (6000 km) I bought a Kawasaki Z250 about 2 months ago. Going from a Versys (650cc) to a CB500F (470cc) was already a bit a reduce of power on the throttle. So a step further to the Z250 (250cc) was a bit of a risk in losing too much power on the throttle.

The Z250 has a long and pain-staking break-in period. But finally I could make a 3 day tour about 800 km (Khon Kaen, Petchabun, Loei, Khon Kaen) to test the motorbike.

I learned a few things,
On the highways the power is enough for me, with the naked concept it makes you feel going 130km/h when you are doing 100km/h.
At higher RPM there is surprisingly much power for overtaking, but missing a 7th gear (I am not used to high rev bike).
Indeed, the little 250 twin loves to rev! Peak power if I remember right is around ~8-9000 RPM and she'll pull right up to redline so don't be afraid to twist the wrist- these bikes love to be flogged!

The seat is shit! Are there gel-seats for the Z250 or Ninja 250/300?

You're fortunate to live in Thailand where having a seat re-shaped and modified is cheap as chips. First you need to identify exactly what it is that you don't like about the seat, and once you've figured that out, you'll want to find a decent saddle shop in Khon Kaen that can modify your seat to your liking. Here's my "seat guru" re-shaping one of my seat- small changes can make a HUGE difference in comfort!

Brakes are fine but when making a quick stop for a u-turning car my rear wheel slipped a bit. Do I need ABS or better tires (now stock IRC)?

You're riding a much lighter bike so you will have less traction in general, and remember, on a road bike you never have much stopping power from the rear brake regardless of what bike you ride. Ever watch racing? Not unusual under heavy braking to have the rear wheel off the ground. The top guys do it all the time-
rossi-jerez-braking.jpg

Even in normal street riding your back brake may provide only ~20-30% of your braking power. As you apply front brakes and weight transitions forward you will have less traction at the rear. Perfectly normal and nothing to be worried about, but sounds like you might want to get out and practice some emergency braking maneuvers in a big empty parking lot- you'll be amazed how quickly you can stop with practice!

I love my new handle-bar (from a ER6N).
Mirrors are very narrow, especially my right one shows more of my arm as of the road. Do I need mirror extenders or just wider mirrors ?

You are running wider ER6n bars so I'd have thought the mirrors would be positioned further apart than on the narrower stock bars? Are you certain that whoever installed your ER6n bar properly aligned the mirrors? My guess is they simply need to be adjusted.


Not related to my bike but while parked at a gasoline station I came back and my helmet was on another place on my bike. Did it fly away? The helmet has some scratches and was dirty. Now coming home and cleaning my helmet I see that there are actually cracks in the outer shell. Did it fall and car hit? Did someone try a helmet crash test?
Sounds like your helmet fell off (or got knocked off) the bike... Cracks in the outer shell?! Do not wear that helmet! It's been damaged and will not offer you full protection in a crash. Toss it and buy a new one right away!
 
Nov 21, 2010
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Yes about 9000rpm opening the throttle it wants to GO-GO-GO.

The ER6N is not wider (the bar-ends make it look wider) but indeed the mirrors were not set correct. I adjusted that and now still the right view is not good.

Riding the Versys or CB500F I never had that problem of sliding rear. But well both were ABS (the Nissin factory is nearby so maybe can snatch a ABS for the Ninja 300).

Yes will have to be looking for a seat-master-guy. The pain is not really at my backside but at the very top of my inner leg. I notice when I put my toes on the footpegs (and putting my all leg a bit higher) the feelings goes away. But that is a bit uncomfortable riding.

Yes helmet will be tossed.