Kawasaki May Soon Reveal Naked Ninja 250 for Asia
Tue, 15 Jan 2013
Kawasaki will unveil a new naked version of the Ninja 250 this month, reports TMCBlog.com. The Malaysian Indonesian blog first published a sketch back in October of a new motorcycle believed to be a new model based on the Ninjette to be called either the ER250 or the Z250. TMCBlog.com now reports Kawasaki will be announced before the end of January, quoting Freddyanto Basuki, marketing manager of Kawasaki Motor Indonesia.
The ER250 appears to be more than just a rumor, as the model codename “ER250C” popped up on an Indonesian Ministry of Industry database of motor vehicle trademarks registered by Kawasaki Motor Indonesia. The name Z250 may still be used in other markets, considering the new model reportedly has more in common with Kawasaki’s modern Z family than it does with the ER-6n.
If the sketch is accurate, the ER250 will combine styling elements from Kawasaki’s Z1000 and Z800 with the mechnical parts of the Ninja 250. The sketch shows a headlight resembling that of the Z800 but the fuel tank, tail and exhaust resemble those of the 2013 Ninja 250 and Ninja 300.
According to the Indonesian government’s database, the ER250C trademark applies to a vehicle with a 249cc engine, the same displacement as the Ninja 250 which claims 31.5 hp at 11,000 rpm and 15.5 ft-lb. at 10,000 rpm. The ER250 will be fuel injected and come available with ABS like the 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 250.
A new Kawasaki ER250 will likely only be offered in the Asian market where Kawasaki still offers the Ninja 250. More developed markets such as Europe and North America probably won’t get the ER250, but it may be possible Kawasaki will introduce an ER300. The new Ninja 300 is, after all, virtually identical to the 2013 Ninja 250 except for the engine displacement, so it’s possible Kawasaki may introduce a naked 300 to Europe as either an ER300 or a Z300.
A North American release is even less likely as the industry has been hesitant in offering a small-displacement naked motorcycle. That may change however, now that Suzuki is introducing the GW250 while KTM may still yet import the 390 Duke.
[Source: TMCBlog, Indonesian Ministry of Industry]
By Dennis Chung
See also: 2013 AMA Supercross Phoenix Race Report, Report: Dorna to Replace Superstock Classes with More Stock-Inspired WSBK and New 250cc Class, Malaysian Police Launches Fleet of 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 250 Patrol Bikes – Video.