Unveiled at EICMA: Kawasaki Ninja 250SL and Z250SL
Along with the street-spec Ninja H2, and the Z300, the Japanese manufacturer had more 250cc suprises in store at EICMA. Kawasaki unveiled the for 2015 Ninja 250SL and Z250SL, supposed to slot in below the Ninja 300 and Z300 in Kawasaki’s international line-up.
Essentially faired and un-faired models of the same bike, its 249cc single cylinder motor develops 28bhp and 22.6Nm of torque, and is mated to a six speed transmission. This engine is unlike the one found in the current Z250 on sale in India, which comes with a twin-cylinder motor that pumps out 32bhp and 21Nm.
Both the 250s get a steel trellis frame which Kawasaki claims helps provide a slender package with nimble handling. The un-faired Z250SL weighs is at 148kg while the Ninja weighs 151kg, making for class leading power-to-weight ratio.
Kawasaki’s signature design shows through on both bikes, especially ques taken from the Z1000 (on the naked) and the Ninja 1000 (on the faired version).
The entry-level bikes sport a single 290mm petal-style front brake disc with a twin-piston caliper and a 220mm disc at the rear, with ABS is an option using the (as Kawasaki claims) ‘world’s smallest ABS unit’.
The 37 mm telescopic fork at the front and the Uni-Trak rear suspension are both fitted with adjustable shocks.
Besides the fairing (or lack of one), the bikes can be further differenciated thanks to the fact that the Z250SL has flat bars, while the Ninja’s are clip-ons. In addition, the Z250SL comes in green or black, and the Ninja 250SL gets finished in green and black, or white and black.
As both bikes are made in the Far East, it would be cheap for Kawasaki to bring these bikes to India via the CKD route. However, with Kawasaki’s entry-level line-up in India already including the Ninja 300 and the Z250, there is a very small chance that they will launch in the country.
