Kawasaki GPX250

IcePick88 · Post by **IcePick88** » 02 Jun 2008, 13:19

Good afternoon!

Well, I am very chuffed! Got my new wheels about a week ago. It's a Kawasaki GPX250 (as known in SA, Ninja 250R in the States and AUS).

Twin Cylinder 250 4 stroke. Very nice! For anyone that wants to beat the traffic and also wants to have speed and the sports bike look, then this is the bike for you! Very good commuter and VERY light on fuel! With my first tank of juice, I got 24km/L!! Coming in at R30 000, it is well worth it! I have surprised alot of 600cc riders with her already!

The engine loves to be revved high. The power kicks in at about 6K rpm, and then she goes like a rocket! As far as my Kawa dealer tells me, I have taken the last new one. Dunno if true, but if you can source a new one, go for it!!!

UrBaN · Post by **UrBaN** » 02 Jun 2008, 13:23

I think that is the one that's being replaced by the Ninja 250R which is due for release in SA last week (I say IS because I don't think it was released, so it's still due last week

)

Did yours come with any sort of maintenance plan or anything like that dude? 'cos I'm seriously looking at one too..

Nostalg1a · Post by **Nostalg1a** » 02 Jun 2008, 13:23

it it looks like its 40 mil years old

EDIT: the new ninja is R42K average

IcePick88 · Post by **IcePick88** » 02 Jun 2008, 13:34

@ UrBaN: Well, it comes with a 2 year unlimited km factory warranty. I guess you can take out a maint plan, but I normally don't. In all honesty, it's a great bike!! Good power delivery and quick for a 250!! And so light on fuel. She tops out at 170km/h, so freeway driving is a go.

@Nostalq1a: Same engine as on the new Ninja 250R, just the looks that vary. And you are right in a sense, the shape has been retained for a long time, BUT is the best selling 250 of all makes. Got tell all the VW citi drivers what you told me, cuz that shape is older than my 40 mil years!

IcePick88 · Post by **IcePick88** » 02 Jun 2008, 13:36

Styling is still up there Nostalq1a.

Scavenger · Post by **Scavenger** » 02 Jun 2008, 17:48

I'm afraid the styling is stuck in the late 80s early 90s...

This is more like it, the replacement:

Photoshopped

I do recall there being a thread on the new one though.

Hex_Rated · Post by **Hex_Rated** » 02 Jun 2008, 19:11

I had the KS100 Baby ninja when I was 16. Old school, lol

2 stroke 100cc. I think it was 11kW (or 11 hp can't remember). Wasn't very fast, got it to 140km/h on a steep downhill but you could lean it all the way to the ground.

psYChowIt · Post by **psYChowIt** » 02 Jun 2008, 19:23

that's awesome! (the baby Ninja)
except for the exhaust

IcePick88 · Post by **IcePick88** » 03 Jun 2008, 06:56

hahaha psyChowIt!!! It's got two! hahaha!

RobThePyro · Post by **RobThePyro** » 10 Jun 2008, 09:31

Im saying this ONCE:

IF Bike(CC) < 350
Then Two-Stroke = FTW
Else Fail = True
IF Bike(CC) > 400
Then Four-Stroke = FTW
Else Two-Stroke = absoultemaddness CC and Death!!!

EDIT: the old ninja 250 was a 2-T and would prob own all 400'd and give most 600's a run for their money in the twisties. If they had made the new ninja a 2-T with modern styling (Full fairing, pillion seat separate to drivers, double headlight etc.) and at that price, It would TOTALLY own and i would SO buy one!!!! even over a 600. (oh and they had used a modern 2-T design for lotsa power and a lightweight chassis for awsome handling...)

UrBaN · Post by **UrBaN** » 10 Jun 2008, 09:37

I went by Kawasaki Fourways this morning and had a look....flip that thing is SAXY!

I'm seriously considering buying one...wonder if they'll let me take one for a test ride though?

WiK1d · Post by **WiK1d** » 10 Jun 2008, 09:43

RobThePyro wrote:Im saying this ONCE:

IF Bike(CC) < 350
Then Two-Stroke = FTW
Else Fail = True
IF Bike(CC) > 400
Then Four-Stroke = FTW
Else Two-Stroke = absoultemaddness CC and Death!!!

EDIT: the old ninja 250 was a 2-T and would prob own all 400'd and give most 600's a run for their money in the twisties. If they had made the new ninja a 2-T with modern styling (Full fairing, pillion seat separate to drivers, double headlight etc.) and at that price, It would TOTALLY own and i would SO buy one!!!! even over a 600. (oh and they had used a modern 2-T design for lotsa power and a lightweight chassis for awsome handling...)

I'm with you on this one

Couldn't have said it better myself. Except for the taking a 250 stroker over a 600. It might be faster, but the 600 is much better for longer distances and whatnot. But nothing beats a two stroke, nothing. </Want RS250>

IcePick88 · Post by **IcePick88** » 10 Jun 2008, 09:56

Urban, are you referring to my shape or the new '08 shape? The '08 shape is very nice!!! I had a look at it at my kawasaki dealer. The gauges on it is not as nice as mine though. But the rest is awesome!

At R46000 I think, it's a bit pricey for a 250.

If you talking about my shape... nice indeed!

UrBaN · Post by **UrBaN** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:00

I meant the new one...Yours is nice too though, I just prefer the shape of the new one.

The stoor was closed so I couldn't get in to see the bike, just saw it through the window.

After a test ride I will decide, though a 600 is probably better value (as well as better for long rides)

RobThePyro · Post by **RobThePyro** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:00

If you like looking at piccies then http://www.moto-station.com/article4153 ... baine.html Else i hope you like LE FRENCH! lol..

WiK1d wrote:
RobThePyro wrote:Im saying this ONCE:

IF Bike(CC) < 350
Then Two-Stroke = FTW
Else Fail = True
IF Bike(CC) > 400
Then Four-Stroke = FTW
Else Two-Stroke = absoultemaddness CC and Death!!!

EDIT: the old ninja 250 was a 2-T and would prob own all 400'd and give most 600's a run for their money in the twisties. If they had made the new ninja a 2-T with modern styling (Full fairing, pillion seat separate to drivers, double headlight etc.) and at that price, It would TOTALLY own and i would SO buy one!!!! even over a 600. (oh and they had used a modern 2-T design for lotsa power and a lightweight chassis for awsome handling...)
I'm with you on this one Couldn't have said it better myself. Except for the taking a 250 stroker over a 600. It might be faster, but the 600 is much better for longer distances and whatnot. But nothing beats a two stroke, nothing. </Want RS250>

Yea man i know!!! But imo, a 600 will be faster in a straight line and top end over a 250T BUT cause the 250 is so much lighter, better power to weight, better center of gravity due to smaller engine, better breaking again cause its lighter, Etc. Etc. Etc. if you have a decent rider you could OWN 600's round a track cause you can break SO much harder and get it SO much more sideways round the corners! so like in town and stuff 250T owns, but if your doing ALOT of highway riding then 600 is FTW.(2T will be VERY tiring aswell)

I know dude! my step dad had a RS250!!!! and he sold it just after he married my mom... (/BASTID!! ) If i had alot of money I would buy a TZ250 from yamaha, which is a dedicated track bike (R150000...) give it and awsome paint job(they come stock with plain white fairings) and put some led indicators/breaklights/headlights on, maybe a mirror or two. That would just TOTALLY own...

HOW SIC IS THAT!~!!!

Skidd · Post by **Skidd** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:02

Well there is reasons why they not building 2 strokes anymore, of which Im not going to go into.

That being said I would rather get my hands on a RVF 400 NC35 over this bike, sure its not new but its so much better.

I should buy myself a 600 again. Had lots of fun on a 600.

UrBaN · Post by **UrBaN** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:07

Skidd, my boss's son had one...he was killed on it though so it's not for sale. Still, gorgeous bike.

IcePick88 · Post by **IcePick88** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:07

Well, it's all up to the prospective owner. I do mainly commuting to work and back, and this little 250 is perfect for 60km a day. And the speed limit on the road I'm travelling is 60km/h. So I can overtake easily and save time.

I'm not going to do alot of highway riding. Nothing further than 200km anyway, so it's perfect.

If you are seriously thinking about joining a club or going to rallies, then a 600 would by far be the best.

My brother in law has a Suzuki RGV250 2 stroke. Man that thing is a handfull. Even around town. Don't get me wrong, that thing flies, but they are too much work for a commuter bike.

Urban: The new 250 Ninja is very nice. If you want to buy it, then go for it. The reason I did not buy one is, the fact that my girlfriend does not like the raised backseat that much. She says it's too uncomfy.

So it's all up to the rider.

Post by **KillerByte** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:08

i plan to buy a bike, need to look at the prices though, probably buy a second hand.

don't want something too small, pr two big. would a 250 meet my needs, just to go to work and back. i'll save on petrol big time.

Frozenfireside · Post by **Frozenfireside** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:09

I would get a 600 if I could. R600 would be great.

Screeper · Post by **Screeper** » 10 Jun 2008, 10:29

2 Strokers are a dying breed sadly. Emission controls are getting tighter and tighter (especially in Europe) and the little screamers are just not enviro friendly at all. Plus their fuel economy is off the charts and not even worth looking at when you compare a similarly engined 4-stroke machine.

On the topic of 250 2-stroke vs 600 4-stroke. I used to come up against quite a few RS250's and TZR's at the track days at Phakisa. If the rider was a good one they could make a dice really interesting. (I was on my R6).

Drive out of the corners the 250's are definitely in trouble, the torque of the bigger cc bikes means that even in the wrong gear on the R6 you usually got fairly good drive, but on the 250's if you dropped the revs to much you lost a lot of distance to the 600's.

Braking I'm not to sure. I found the feel of the brakes on the R6 way better than on the RS250 (never tried the TZR). In terms of corner speed the RS was noticeably quicker, I lost a bike length or two mid-corner on most of the tighter corners. Also at sections where a quick change of direction was required the more flickable RS pulled a gap on me.

Top speed was actually quite close. The only real straight at Phakisa is the back straight, and if both bikes got clean entries onto the straight I'd say the R6 maybe managed to pull about 3 bike lengths out, which is not much, but it did mean that the RS was never in a position to out-brake me.

Rob - is that a TZR125 in the pic? Can't see the other exhaust..

WiK1d · Post by **WiK1d** » 10 Jun 2008, 12:33

R150K for a 250cc Stroker? No thank you.. :\

Skidd, I have to agree on the RVF400 part, I'm actually contemplating one at the moment. Really fantastic bikes.

RobThePyro · Post by **RobThePyro** » 10 Jun 2008, 12:44

Its a TZ250 you can sort of make out the second exhaust through the rear wheel, BUT the TZ125 looks identical. BTW not to be confused with the TZR 250 & 125, R standing for road. The TZ series is a strictly a race bike just like what they use in the motoGP. For example, my TZR125 readlines at about 12000RPM and will pull nicely all the way to 160KMh Whereas the TZ125 revs to OVER 17000RPM!!!! and will pull well into 200kmph area. Thus we arrive at the extrodanary price for the TZ series (R100000+ for TZ125 and R150000+ for TZ250) (+ i think you have to actually own a team in order to buy one...) But Its basically the only way you can buy a modern, unrestricted small CC stroker...

Yea wikid its a crazy price...BUT if i had the money..

I was also looking into like a VFR400 or something as my next bike after im done with my TZR125... but then i crashed.. LOL 8O 8O

Rob~

EDIT:

1990TZ125

TZR250 3MA

(for reference, the TZ(R) 125's and 250's used the same frame, the only difference being the engine and brakes)

~1990TZR125 like mine!!

Skidd · Post by **Skidd** » 10 Jun 2008, 12:46

Yeah I rode one a couple weeks back at kaylami. Was very impressed with it. Its not over powerful but enough for track use, but when it shines is when its cornering and braking.

I posted a respectable 2:04 on that bike around kylami. The obvious places I was loosing time was down the main straights and back straights and up towards the top of mine shaft and the S's just before the last corner.