Kawasaki Z250SL review: After 30,000 km of mileage

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Hey guysss. I hope you guys can bear with my English which is not my first language. Let me give a brief introduction about this bike since I have been using it for the past two years. This bike is a naked version of Kawasaki Ninja 250SL and almost all of their parts are similar to each other (minus the headlamp and fairing). It can generate 28 HP and maximum torque of 22.6 Nm @ 8200 rpm. This agile bike weighing in at just 148 kg wet, thus promises nimble handling thanks to the front 100/80 and back 130/70 tires. In terms of styling, this streetfighter bike looks aggressive with lots of sharp edges.


My review after 30,000 km of mileage

Why do I pick this bike?

When it comes to naked bike, the streetfighter style is not everybody’s favourite in Malaysia but what I like the most is the design itself. Its Trellis frame design looks familiar (Ducati Monster look-alike) and even though my pocket is not deep enough to afford a Ducati, this bike is more than enough to satisfy my needs. Other factors that came on top of my head is I want a bike that can easily maneuver in congested roads of KL, not that heavy and can withstand occasional long-distance travel due to its tank capacity (11L).


After installation of windshield

Performance so far?

Alhamdulillah, I’ve never faced any big problems so far. For the past 2 years with more than 30,000 km mileage covered, the only thing that I’ve kept replacing were lubes and oil filters together with rear brake pads (only once). Other than that, factory tires have been replaced with Pirelli Angel CT (front) and Metzeler Sportec Street (rear). The furthest that I have ventured so far was from Melaka to Ipoh, Perak (which was not that far compared to other experienced riders). My daily ride to work is from Cheras to Cyberjaya – 62.4 km per day.

In terms of top speed, this bike is definitely not for the faint of heart (jk). My own personal record was only 151 km and I am sure that other Z250SL riders could extract every single juice from its engine and reach 160+ km. But still, it is not considered as fast enough as other quarter liter bikes out there, or even 150 cc bikes (particularly SYM VF3i, Y15ZR and RS150). What I am truly seeking for is not the thrill of the ride, but a bike for daily ride to work and occasional long-distance ride to my hometown.


Side profile

Is it comfy?

Truthfully speaking, the seat is so thin and what a pain in the ass to withstand long-distance ride with a seat like this. Short haul rides might not affect your butt nerves, but I would recommend to custom the rider and pillion’s seats with thick foam for your own comfort.

My height is about 184 cm (considerably tall for Asians) and my posture during rides are pretty comfy with not much lean to the front. If you want to adjust the riding position according to your preference, change the handlebar so that the position of your arm is high enough like on a touring bike. My legs can also be tucked nicely around the small fuel tank during corners.

Daily fuel consumption

The capacity of its fuel tank is 11 liters and based on current fuel price as of 1st of January 2020 (RM 2.08 per liter), the price for a full tank is RM 22.88. Based on my rough estimation, a full tank can achieve 240 km before the fuel indicator starts to blink. What I’ve been practicing so far is to start filling the fuel when the fuel gauge is only two bars. The reason why is if I let the fuel tank too dry, the fuel pump will be damaged easily so prevention is better than cure. The price of an aftermarket fuel pump will definitely make you feel dizzy so make sure the fuel pump is not damaged.

Handling and gear change

Even if I ride solo or with a pillion, this bike is so nimble and easy to control in congested city roads due to its light and small frame. I feel like its first gear is so short and needs to be changed quickly according to the speed (change to second gear is needed when I reach 15 km/h). The torque produced by its engine is quite high at low speed so extra attention and control is needed.

As we all know in terms of highway ride, naked bikes tend to struggle due to strong blows of wind to the chest because of aerodynamics. Lucky for me, I’m quite used to it already so there should be no problem. To improve the aerodynamics, just install a tall windshield so that the wind can be pushed above your shoulder (just like a touring bike’s windshield). This way, you can prevent backache and sore arms.
After changing the front and rear tires

Conclusion

All in all, I love this bike due to its adaptability for daily ride as well as long-haul rides. I’ve been through a lot with this bike (heavy rains, slippery roads, scorching hot weather, silly drivers with no turn signals) and it is so reliable. There’s no perfect bike in this world but it’s perfect for me. Even though the bike is not everybody’s cup of tea in terms of design and aesthetics, I still love this bike till this day.

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