Kawasaki Ninja 250R launched in India – price is Rs 2.69 lac

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is launched in India courtesy Bajaj Auto – but price is Rs 3 lakh on-road!

Bajaj Auto has officially launched the Kawasaki Ninja 250R in India today. The Ninja 250R is a 250 cc four-stroke motorcycle, with a DOHC, liquid cooled parellel twin engine churning out 32 bhp @ 11,000 RPM. 17 inch wheels, Kawasaki’s UNI-Track rear suspension, full fairing and 290 mm frnt and 220 mm rear disc brakes complete the package. Low and mid-range torque is good enough to carry the rider even in typical traffic situations – it is not like you have to scream all the way up the powerband to get the Kawasaki Ninja 250R to do your bidding. Gentlemen, this is the Yamaha RD350 for the new generation!

2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250R launched in India!

0-60 kmph comes up in 3.42 seconds, and 0-100 kmph in 8.1 seconds. Top speed is 169.1 kmph.

The Ninja 250R comes with a six-speed transmission. The 172 kg little sporsbike from Kawasaki is 2085 mm long, 715 mm wide and height is 1115 mm. It is not exactly a light motorcycle at that weight, but not too heavy either. The fairing protects the rider sufficiently from the wind, and the riding position is reasonably comfortable on long trips.

Photo: Kawasaki Ninja 250R

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R will be offered in the standard green colour of Kawasaki, as well as black.

Interesting, for a sports motorcycle, the Kawasaki Ninja 250R offers a fuel consumption of 42 kmpl according to Bajaj Auto. Not that it would matter much to those who are willing to pony up the price of Rs 2.69 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. Yes, the price of the Ninja 250R is more than what we expected. It was rumoured that the bike would cost around Rs 2 lakh, but not so. At a price of 2.69 lakh, the target market of this motorcycle would be a little less than what we expected, but I doubt if Bajaj Auto would mind, considering that the Nnja 250R would be positioned as a flagship motorcycle. It was believed that as the Ninja 250R was imported as a CKD from Thailand, prices would be under control. Sadly, on the road, it would cost close to Rs 3 lakhs, putting the little Ninja out of reach for most of us.

On the other hand, enthusists also have something to rejoice about – the motorcycle that is coming to India is the 2010 version of the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, and not the 2009 version as originally expected.

Booking for the motorcycle would start in the next few weeks at Bajaj Pro-biking showrooms in India.

Bajaj said that the company expects to sell around 1000 units of the Kawasaki Ninja 250R in the country over the course of one year.

Kawasaki Ninja 250R basic specifications

Twin-cylinder

Liquid cooled

Fuel injection

4-valves per cylinder, twin overhead camshafts

33PS at 11,000rpm

22Nm at 8200rpm

Six-speed gearbox

172kg

17 inch wheels

0-60 kmph in 3.42 seconds

0-100 kmph in 8.1 seconds

Top speed – 169.1 kmph

Kawasaki patented Uni-Trak rear suspension