Kawasaki’s 4-Cylinder 250cc bike could be poised to make a return, if rumors from Indonesia are to be believed. Several motorcycle blogs from Indonesia feel that Kawasaki could be considering a relaunch of the Kawasaki ZXR250.
Back in the 80s and 90s, every Japanese manufacturer tended to brandish a four-cylinder quarter-litre motorcycle in its stable. The likes included the Kawasaki ZXR250, Honda CBR250 ( Not the current one, which is a pale shadow of its former self! ), Yamaha FZR250RR and Suzuki GSX-R250. The technology used in these bikes bordered on excessiveness. Features included inverted forks, 18-inch rear wheels and a screaming 19,000 rpm redline!! The bikes were built around perimeter frames constructed using pressed aluminium. They employed dual discs at the front for braking, augmented by a smaller single disc at the rear.
The ballpark region for the power figures of these bikes was around 40-45 bhp. Need we say more?? So hear, all of them could reach speeds nearing 200 kmph!!
Several motorcycling blogs from Indonesia are pointing out that Kawasaki is preparing a new 4-cylinder 250 cc engine. Could this be for Kawasaki’s 4-Cylinder 250cc bike?? A look into the Indonesian market conditions reveals that there is a chance it could be so.
Motorcycle sales in Indonesia has touched the figure of 8 million per year. However, a closer look reveals that bigger-capacity bikes are taxed heavily. For example, bikes displacing in the range of 250-500 cc face a 60 % luxury tax. Those displacing above 500cc are hit even harder, with a 75% tax slap. Majority of the sales are thus occurring in the sub-250cc market.
There arises the problem of differentiation. Rising affluence has made sport motorcycles increasingly popular, and riders are always on the lookout for that extra bit of punch. Kawasaki’s 4-Cylinder 250cc bike could help quench a bit of the power thirst, by leaving all other single-cylinder and twin-cylinder bikes behind. Forget the current single-engined Honda CBR250R and Honda CBR300R, even the Kawaski Ninja 250 and the recently-launched Yamaha R25 will find it difficult to keep pace with Kawasaki’s 4-cylinder 250cc bike.
Changes will need to be made to the motorcycles to meet emission standards, which will involve inclusion of fuel injection technology. If sold in European countries, the power might need to be restricted, to stay within the limits of the A2-Licence compliant terms. Chances of making it to India are as short as a rabbit’s tail, considering its stratospheric pricing for the technology that it will boast of.
Nevertheless, isn’t Kawasaki’s 4-Cylinder 250cc bike something which you would be proud to own?
Source – TMCBlog
Any update on this ?
I would love to own such a screamer…. Man, what engineering feats these bikes were.
With such little bore-stroke values, they had lesser chance of touching high mean piston speeds, despite how high their rpm’s get to… And so, these were still safer at rpm’s which would make a conventional engine blast into pieces.
And the way they screamed…. Legendary music came out of the exhausts.
If Kawasaki gets it, it will kill the 250 competition in India easily. In fact, it will compete with 300-400cc bikes with single/ twin engines.
I do wish they could manufacture it in India. The costs are low here and the laws are easy to comply with. They can always export them too.