ZX 25R - Kawasaki's new 4 cyl 250cc Sportsbike

[Kawasicki]

Thrilled to hear that Kawasaki is making a 250cc 4 cyl sportsbike again. I used to ride a ZXR400 and it was a lot of fun.

Rumour has it that it will make about 60bhp, which would be pretty impressive!



Looking forward to riding it!

[TommyBuoy]

Yes, very interested in this.

Name is on the list for the new Street fighter, but if this little bike is a bit of fun might keep the monster and have this beside it.

I saw 45bhp (guess that's to keep A2 compliant) but may well have a high power version. How it's euro compliant will be a bit of magic I think.

ETA : I have no insider knowledge, just web surfing so probably completely unfounded power figure

[Kawasicki]

I test rode a CBR250 back in the 90's....that was disturbingly funny... and that had a 19,000 rev redline.

something like this...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwyksKx6txo

[Baldchap]

The ZXR400/NC30s etc were fantastic at the time because they were a chunk lighter than thir contemporary 600s, but had decent, sportsbike suspension, frames and brakes, plus power outputs not hugely down on their bigger brothers. Hell, if we're talking specifications, the NC30 was a V4 with a single sided swingarm, for god's sake!

Sadly, I can't see these new bikes being anything other than a budget commuter frame, budget suspenders and cheap brakes. The other issue being that many bigger bikes don't carry the weight penalty they once did - for example a ZXR400's dry weight is 17kg more than my 800cc MV (which has over double the power), and without pricing the 400 like a 600, or even a 1000, these new ones won't be super light weight, and even if they are nobody will buy them because to get that light, they'll be 600cc money (or more). There just isn't the weight penalty for bigger bikes that there once was, and as such I see no driver for a 400 supersport.

Ah, the sad cost of progress. Hate to be a naysayer, but I think the days of decent 400 Supersports bikes are well behind us.

[TommyBuoy]

Sadly I think you may well be right - but Kawasaki are near the front of, main stream at least, innovation.

Heard hoping that it's not as you say, a commuter for the Indian / Asian market

[Steve Bass]

Kawasicki said:

Rumour has it that it will make about 60bhp, which would be pretty impressive!
Looking forward to riding it!

Unlikely on both counts.
With a single disc up front expect circa 30 bhp and apparently its for the Indonesia market only.

Shame

[pozi]

I rode a Yamaha FZR250 once, the rev counter started at something like 4K and it sounded like an egg whisk at 18.5K

Alas I doubt this new Kawasaki will be anything like that, in fact I found the article which I think you are referring to and it says the engine "could" produce 60PS. I could win the lottery but the chances of it happening are pretty slim.

[Byronico]

Steve Bass said:

Kawasicki said:

Rumour has it that it will make about 60bhp, which would be pretty impressive!
Looking forward to riding it!

Unlikely on both counts.
With a single disc up front expect circa 30 bhp and apparently its for the Indonesia market only.

Shame

Not necessarily.
My NC750X DCT has a single disc on the front.
54 bhp, 750CC
220kg

Stops pretty well!
The little 25R won't nearly weigh as much!

[chris4652009]

Looks pretty decent

[Donbot]

It's a strange design decision if it is a 4 cylinder producing 30bhp. That's the same as the Ninja 250 twin.

I'm hoping for a 45+ bhp screamer.

[MrGman]

Quite a lot of stuff pointing at this being a proper little sports bike.

Showa sff bp forks, 60hp, full electronics package and rumours of a $9500 price tag.

[AceOfHearts]

I am going to be keeping a close eye on this. I have a 1991 CBR250rr (4 cyl) and have developed a real love for small capacity screamers

Proper small capacity sports bikes are on their way back, and not just as half arsed commuters! Honda have recently bought out a new CBR250rr which even has its own race series in Asia. Unfortunately only a twin still but they are going in the right direction.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...

Edited by AceOfHearts on Thursday 24th October 13:20

[MrGman]

I’ve wanted a small capacity sports bike for ages, but always wanted a modern one and the current crop are all just cheap entry bikes where this sounds as if it could have potential.
Be interesting to see if it makes a new market for such bikes.

[Kawasicki]

Baldchap said:

The ZXR400/NC30s etc were fantastic at the time because they were a chunk lighter than thir contemporary 600s, but had decent, sportsbike suspension, frames and brakes, plus power outputs not hugely down on their bigger brothers. Hell, if we're talking specifications, the NC30 was a V4 with a single sided swingarm, for god's sake!

Sadly, I can't see these new bikes being anything other than a budget commuter frame, budget suspenders and cheap brakes. The other issue being that many bigger bikes don't carry the weight penalty they once did - for example a ZXR400's dry weight is 17kg more than my 800cc MV (which has over double the power), and without pricing the 400 like a 600, or even a 1000, these new ones won't be super light weight, and even if they are nobody will buy them because to get that light, they'll be 600cc money (or more). There just isn't the weight penalty for bigger bikes that there once was, and as such I see no driver for a 400 supersport.

Ah, the sad cost of progress. Hate to be a naysayer, but I think the days of decent 400 Supersports bikes are well behind us.

I don't know what MV you own...but I just checked the German press for technical specs on the ZXR 400. They say it has 159-163kg dry weight and around 185kg wet.

Is your 800cc MV 142-146kg dry? Sounds unlikely.

[Birky_41]

Kawasicki said:

I don't know what MV you own...but I just checked the German press for technical specs on the ZXR 400. They say it has 159-163kg dry weight and around 185kg wet.

Is your 800cc MV 142-146kg dry? Sounds unlikely.

My MV Dragster was 166kg dry

[Steve Bass]

Byronico said:

Steve Bass said:

Kawasicki said:

Rumour has it that it will make about 60bhp, which would be pretty impressive!
Looking forward to riding it!

Unlikely on both counts.
With a single disc up front expect circa 30 bhp and apparently its for the Indonesia market only.

Shame

Not necessarily.
My NC750X DCT has a single disc on the front.
54 bhp, 750CC
220kg

Stops pretty well!
The little 25R won't nearly weigh as much!

The point of the single disc isn't about performance but cost to market.
If K are only fitting a single disc then it's highly unlikely that they will spend the considerable $$$ to develop a quarter litre engine capable of 60bhp.
Think about it, that's 240bhp per litre on an engine with 85% of the frictional losses of a full litre engine. And then sell it into the learner class segment??? Seriously???? Sounds like WeWork are building bikes....
Consider that a well tuned multi cylinder 2T 250 will get near 60bhp and they have far higher specific outputs than a 4T and in racing a 400 4T has parity with a 250 2T.

So nay, nay and thrice nay. Expect 35-40 BHP absolute tops and having to be Indonesian to buy one..........

Edited by Steve Bass on Friday 25th October 17:10

[Kawasicki]

Steve Bass said:

The point of the single disc isn't about performance but cost to market.
If K are only fitting a single disc then it's highly unlikely that they will spend the considerable $$$ to develop a quarter litre engine capable of 60bhp.
Think about it, that's 240bhp per litre on an engine with 85% of the frictional losses of a full litre engine. And then sell it into the learner class segment??? Seriously???? Sounds like WeWork are building bikes....
Consider that a well tuned multi cylinder 2T 250 will get near 60bhp and they have far higher specific outputs than a 4T and in racing a 400 4T has parity with a 250 2T.

So nay, nay and thrice nay. Expect 35-40 BHP absolute tops and having to be Indonesian to buy one..........

Edited by Steve Bass on Friday 25th October 17:10

I agree that 60bhp is unlikely...but over 50 should be doable. Adding another disc to the front also not that hard. I reckon this will be actual competition for the KTM 390, and I think it will be sold worldwide. Going to all the hassle of engineering a 4 cyl 250 and then restricting the marketplace....unlikely.

[Tango13]

The chances of Kawasaki getting 60 bhp from a 250 4 pot are a lot less than fk all, Yamaha claimed 45 bhp from their FZR250RR so I can't see Kawasaki getting a 1/3rd more.

Back in the sixties Hondas' 4 pot RC162 put out about 40 bhp @14k rpm and the six pot RC165 was good for 60 bhp @18k rpm neither of which bothered with the niceties of Euro 5 compliance or came with any sort of warranty.

[warch]

I reckon it'll be 25-33hp, like most 250cc bikes these days.

[BugLebowski]

Isn't euro4/5 partly responsible for killing off the 600cc supersports class? Not sure how fun a 250cc choked by about 5 catalytic converters would be.