Kawasaki 250R Ninja (2008-current) - Mororcycle

New price £2,995
Engine size 249cc
Power 32.5bhp
Top speed 110mph

Overall verdict

The American market has been a big success for the Kawasaki Ninja 250 range for years and years and… But even the septics need a fresh brew every now and then and the Ninja 250R is the latest offering. Fortunately for 33bhp probationary riders in mainland Europe and the UK, we are getting the bike too, complete with emissions compliant fuel injection. A brave move by Kawasaki because the Ninja is virtually in a class of its own. Trend setting? Maybe.

Engine

A major overhaul of the old, forgotten about ZZ-R/GPX 250 engine has bought Kawasaki Ninja 250R bang up date by being environmentally friendly and as easy to use as a Raleigh bicycle. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R’s claimed 33bhp is spread thinner than gold plating – there’s no sensation of the power coming into play or fading as the motor spins to 14,000rpm so very quickly. Fuel injection does what it does precise and cleanly, which kinda sums up the motor.

Ride and Handling

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a lithesome agile number that makes the most of narrow tyres, high-ish bars and minimalist 154 dry weight figure. It all adds up to make town work and B-road rides a hoot – think slightly more powerful 125cc sports learner motorcycle and you’ll be spot on. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R’s suspension is perfectly suited to all but the worst of UK roads but lacks any damping adjustment, which is a blow on the rear side because the single rear shock needs more preload to keep the bike from getting all floaty and bottoming out. The standard tyres are for upright city use in our book.

Equipment

You wouldn’t know it, even looking at the Kawasaki Ninja 250R up real close, but it is manufactured in Taiwan under strict quality control. The gear linkage looks budget but is no worse than other manufacturer budget-line specials. The clocks are olde worlde analogue and there’s even a front wheel driven speedometer cable, which is novel. But the styling and dramatic black or corporate green paintwork is choice and the wave-style brake discs are ultra-cool… on a what is essentially a learner bike.

Quality and Reliability

Good marks here because the Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a good motorcycle – it works perfectly as a motorcycle, and works better as bike to gain confidence on. MCN’s only worry is what will the Kawasaki Ninja 250R be like after the 24 month probation period; a period of time where the bike will undoubtedly be hammered non-stop and (hopefully not) be treated much the same as a cheapy 125cc learner machine.

Value

You could do worse by buying a more powerful machine and getting it restricted especially if it’s a new bike where insurance costs will be horrific. Even a decent private-sale second-hand bike would be expensive and probably lose more money over the next 24 months.


Model History

2008: Model introduced.

Other Versions

None.

New Tata Indigo CS

Quick Take

* Fuel Economy 11/15 kmph (city/highway)
Available Engines 1.2L In-line 4, 64 bhp Petrol
1.4L In-line 4, 69 bhp Turbocharged Diesel
Available Transmissions 5-speed Manual Transmission (MT)

* Estimated values may differ under various conditions.

Highlights

Stylish look.
Performance.
Quiet engine.

Pros

Comfort.
Fuel efficiency.
Affordable.

Cons

No central locking system.

Overview

The Indigo CS is a sub 4-meter sedan based on the popular mid-size Indigo sedan from Tata Motors. The sedan was introduced by Tata to allow consumers to benefit from the current tax structure favouring small cars. At 3988 meters in length, the Indigo CS manages to qualify as a small car. The 'CS' in Indigo CS stands for 'Compact Sedan'. The car has good pickup and comes with a lightweight body. It is a great sedan available at the price of a hatchback. The model comes in both petrol and diesel versions.

Powertrain & Performance

The Indigo CS is offered in five variants- LE, LS and LS DiCOR in diesel & GLE and GLS in petrol. The petrol variants come equipped with a 64 bhp 1.2-litre multi-point fuel injection in-line 4 engine and the diesel variants get a 1.4-litre turbocharged diesel engine that delivers an output of 69 bhp. With minimal engine noise and vibration, the performance of the sedan is acceptable. All variants come with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The wheelbase of the Indigo CS is exactly the same as its parent model Indigo sedan and as such the ride quality of both the cars is nearly the same. The independent front and rear McPherson strut suspension systems ensure a smooth ride even on tough roads. The reduced length of the Indigo CS makes parking easy and city driving more enjoyable.

Build & Styling

The exterior is adorned by a classy chrome grille, body coloured bumpers (LS, GLS and LS DiCOR) and black bumpers (LE and GLE), well positioned dual-beam headlights and taillight cluster. All variants ride on the 14"steel wheels with 165/65 R14 radial tires (LE and GLE) and 175/65 R14 radial tires (LS and GLS). The LS and GLS get full wheel covers.

The interior gives a good feel that's typical of C segment sedans. The petrol and diesel versions get unique interior trim options. Petrol variants are available with quite beige interiors whereas the diesel variants get sporty black upholstery. The steering wheel has a sporty look and the gear shift knob is leather-wrapped. Power steering comes only with the higher end LS and GLS variants. The instrument cluster comes with a very useful light intensity adjustment feature.

The partial fabric covered seats on the Indigo CS are quite comfortable. The front seats, being anti-submarine type, keep the driver and front passenger from sliding forward in case of hard braking or minor road accidents. The double folding backrest on the rear seat offers additional luggage space. The air conditioning system on the car is quite powerful. Higher-end LS and GLS variants get a more efficient HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and AC) system.