Let’s see, what would be an ideal motorcycle for tackling the treacherous roads, unending traffic and inclement weather conditions of a typical Asian city?
You want a bike that is lightweight, easy to maneuver and doesn’t put too much of a traction burden on mounds of slippery cow manure. You also want a bike that is torquey to get you out of the way of juggernaut garbage trucks that won’t stop no matter what gets in their way.
With these characteristics in mind, the newly revealed Kawasaki Ninja RR (or Kawasaki Ninja 250SL in some markets) seems tailored made for these environments.
The Japanese company took their popular twin-cylinder Kawasaki Ninja 250R, changed it to a single-cylinder thumper, and built the bike around a new steel trellis frame.
The downside: a deficit in power (compared to the normal 250) of 3.9 hp, but a increase in torque of 1.2 lbs•ft. The best part is is that the Kawasaki Ninja 250SL / Kawasaki Ninja RR weighs about 46 pounds lighter than the parallel-twin Ninja 250.
While this bike will be no match for the KTM 390cc bikes in terms of power-to-weight or torque-to-weight, it should be a practical and smarter choice for those looking for a lightweight runabout. No word on whether Kawasaki intends to bring this bike to other markets.
Source: TMC Blog
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