Pit Crew-On the Race Track

2011-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

2011 Ducati Diavel

The Ducati Diavel features blistering acceleration from its Superbike-derived 1198cc L-Twin powerplant.

The Diavel chassis makes for a stable platform and confident handling when the road throws some bends.

Gorgeous 17-inch Marchesini wheels are both adorned with Pirelli’s sporty Diablo Rosso II tires.

Retailing for $16,995 in standard form and $19,995 in the higher spec Carbon version, Ducati expects its new Diavel to anchor a rebounding 2011 season in the U.S.

The Diavel churns out 162 horsepower, with its bottom end the equal of anything in the Ducati lineup.

LED lights proliferate throughout the Diavel, including the tail.

Source: MoorcycleUSA

2011-02-25T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Plugs Finally

I have long been looking for the CR8E plugs, the original plugs for my FZR250R. The plugs on the bike right now are NGK C7HSA, which come with the Honda CD70. There is a clear difference between the two plugs, the CR8E has a bigger head length as compared to C7HSA which means that the ignition does not take place at the ideal place because of the shorter length of C7HSA, and I think this was exactly the reason I have been having cold starting problem the whole winter.

CR8E, I came to know, come with the local Suzuki GS150. I looked for it in the local market but in vain. Then I contacted the Suzuki dealer shop and came to know that now the GS150 comes with a Denso U24ESR-N plug which also comes from Japan. So I bought the Denso plugs and also a proper plug wrench. Will be putting the new plugs on, this Sunday.

2011-02-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

Yamaha to invest $150 million in Pakistan
This is the latest and confirmed news. I heard the news on GEO and also came across this LINK
I see it as a prologue to an entirely new era in "motor biking" in Pakistan. For the first time Yamaha will locally manufacture bike from 125 to 150cc range, plus the bikes will be featured with EFi technology.

Lets hope they bring something according to the desires of the biker's community.

2011-01-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

FZR 400 Genesis, First Ride

Being a lover of bikes is quite something. I was in Islamabad on this weekend and had my plans to meet MONOO (Waqas), a member at PAKWHEELS FORUMS and see his bike. Fortunately, he called me a day ago and we decided to meet.

It was about 7 o' clock in the evening when MONOO arrived there. I could hear him coming on his roaring Genesis from quite some distance, and there came MONOO on his two eyed beast_ the FZR 400 Genesis

It was the first time that we had met. Only five minutes into talking when we noticed that its not just thatwe both ride the FZRs, our shoes are also the same

Well that shoes thing was just for fun

I took a ride on the bike. It was the first time I was riding anything above 250. My experience of riding this bike was the same as I had when I first shifted from 125 to 250 about four years ago. You put the bike in the first gear, pull the throttle and ask yourself where all that power has come from! I rode the bike in the first and second gear almost hitting the red line, and I tell you this is a brilliant machine.

The bike does need some attention to its fairings of which MONOO is planning to invest some $$$ into restoring its looks. The electrics also need some minor adjustments, but besides that it was really a good bike.

When I compare the bike to my 250, obviously MONOO's bike has got more power and more acceleration, but the top speed for both the bikes is the same. The forks gave a better feeling on the brakes while my bike definitely has the edge when it comes to looks, styling and better looking condition, MONOO will admit that too

A few minutes of chat and then I took some pics of the bike:

And one of myself

It was freezing cold at that time and the jersey I was wearing was no match to such extremely cold weather, hence only a few pics. MONOO then gave me a ride on the bike with he driving, and showing his control of the bike. If you know how it feels to sit on the back seat of a sport bike, you can understand why you tend to sweat when the driver is doing some speed. Good for me it was winter, I didn't sweat

It was great to meet MONOO as much as it was to ride his bike. Nice ride!

2010-11-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

HONDA CB1000R

The Honda CB1000R is a naked roadster that’s designed and manufactured in Italy and uses an aluminum backbone chassis that supports a de-tuned CBR1000RR engine. The inline-four makes 124bhp and 74lb/ft and has to power a total package that weighs 217kg/478lbs (wet). Suspension is fully adjustable front and rear and features 43mm upside-down forks and radial brakes. No dollar price has yet been announced.

Those front lights are kinda wicked but overall the bike looks like a must have. Compact engine in a sturdy chasis and notice the brilliantly shaped read wheel. I am impressed.

2010-10-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate FZR Post

FZRs are among the hot selling series of the 90s and their production was ceased when the YZFs, the more improved form of the FZRs were brought into production. The FZRs are still liked across the world, gold is gold they say

I'll post pics of the bikes, since FZRs have been much alike in colour (the renowned red/white colour scheme) people find it difficult to differentiate which is which, because the re/white colour scheme is found in all cc class.

FZR150, not sure about the model year and could find only one pic. Not many were produced, a rare bike to find.

The 250s

The 250s were brought to market first in the year 1986. The bike was featured with a Genesis engine, single front disk brake and in only red/white colour scheme. The 1986-87 models were 2kr/2rf models.

A modified 86 model:

1988-89 models were 3HX1/3HX2/3HX3, slight changes made to the fairings:

1990-91 model 3LN1/3LN2 came with the revolutionary EXUP valve, 45HP, dual front disk brakes and Deltabox 1 main frame:

1992 models FZR250R 3LN3/3LN4 (Single opening twin headlights) Rest of the features were almost the same, produced 45HP:

1993 FZR250R 3LN6 HP was reduced to 40 in later models:

1994 FZR250R 3LN7 40ps@14,000rpm:

The 400s

1986 marked the beginning of the 400cc class of FZR. The first model was the 1WG Genesis model.

The 1987 model was given the name FZR400RSP EXUP, it was 2TK model with fully adjustable rear shock and an oil cooler.

The 3EN1 1988 model came with same features except for the shift in ram air pipe position, which shifted to just above the headlights.

A modified EN1:

The 1989 EN2 model which looked much alike the 1990 model 250, and almost same colour schemes had similar specs as previous model, except for the shift in ram air pipe positioning, the pipes were shifted below the headlights again. I came to know I wasn't the only one who didn't like the above headlight ram air pipe position:

The 1990 model was a completely new one inthe 400cc class. It was named FZR400RR EXUP and it was 3TJ1 model. A true racing bike with new design frame, sleek stylish, meant to be ridden hard on the track:

The 3TJ2 1991 model was named FZR400RRSP EXUP. It came with large capacity radiator, one extra fibre and one metal clutch plate, and different rear calliper bracket. The FZR was on a way to modernization.

The 3TJ6 model produced in 1992 and 93 had same features as the previous model, only 500 of these bikes were produced so finding one in Pakistan is quite rare. Anybody got one?

The 1994 3TJ7 model came with only a change in colours, again only 500 units were produced:

The 600s

The 600s have had great many changes in the shape and some other specs. I am not much sure of the model names but as far as I know all the models were 3HE, and they were Genesis models, someone correct me if I am wrong.

The 1987 model:

1988 model:

1989 model, with ram air pipe above the headlight:

The 1990 model came with wider rear tyre and 4 pot front calipers.

1991 model:

1992 model:

1993:

A modified 1994:

1995:

The 750s

The 750s were perhaps not among the hot favorites, even on the internet I could find little information on bike and its pics. However I read that it came with 5 valves per cylinder and the correct tuned bike gave 18km per liter, the top speed was 240km/h:
A 1987 model:

An 88 model:

An unknown 750 model:

The 1000s

The 1000s were fast and track style bikes that improved with the passage of time. Many around the world still run races on their race-tuned FZR 1Ks. Some spend $$$ to give it a whole new look instead of going for a new one, its the magic they have got within

The 1987 model:

1988:

1990:

1991:

1993:

A modified 1994 model:

A group photo:

2010-10-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Barber Vintage Motorcycle Museum

This is a motorcycle museum in the USA where they keep up to 600 bikes on display, old models, and they keep rotating the models time to time. The total collection is around 1200 bikes with over 200 makes from 20 countries, simply fabulous The museum restores many of the bikes itself, and any model you may place your finger on can be brought to the running condition within one hour.

2010-08-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

Yamaha YZF 250 R4

Yamaha will release New YZF 250 R4. This motor seems to be a serious challenge Kawasaki Ninja 250 R. Yamaha manufacturing efforts seemed to bear new members of the caste YZF R slightly parted, at least Photos of the new sports Yamaha Motor has been spread in cyberspace. From the shape of this motor is not much to take from the design YZF R6 brother and sister who was born first YZF R125. The tank design, the front headlamp, rear view mirror, footstep, muffler, under fenders, rear fender, seat, and other details really adopted YZF R6 style. Unlike Ninja 250R handlebar, 250 R handlebar shape sporty type so that will force to rider little duck. Front tires have applied the dual-disc brake.

Not a lot of data of YZF 250 R4 machine specifications, but the indication this bike in production with a minimum engine twin cylinder DOHC and supported by direct injection. Viewed from Yamaha brings courage spec rear tire tread width, apparently carried by the motor power is greater than the Ninja 250 R. My second indication of this bike will meet customers much higher than the Ninja 250R, at least until the $ 2000 higher than the Ninja 250R that are likely to face-to-face directly with the Cagiva Mito Aprilia RS 525 and 125.

BikePics - sniperr's 1991 Yamaha FZR 250 Home Page on BikePics.Com

2010-06-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

BikePics - sniperr's 1991 Yamaha FZR 250 Home Page on BikePics.Com

2010-06-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

Students of EME Design Pakistan’s First Hybrid Car

Who knows, maybe the energy crisis in Pakistan will soon be history. Pak Wheelers, a team of young enthusiasts from NUST have manufactured Pakistan's first ever Hybrid car which they will showcase in Eco-Shell Marathon to be held in July 2010 in Malaysia.

It has been told that the group was laughed at initially when they started with the project, a very common trait of our society, but now the nation is all applause for the marvel they have done. The car can cover 700km in just one liter of fuel. At present, it can carry only the driver, improvements have been made with the sponsorship of Telenor Pakistan. Had this feat been done by the students of some other country, arrangements would already have been made to bring the car into production for the public use but TIP, this is Pakistan so you never know if this brilliant attempt is sent into oblivion.

Salient features of the car.

It features combining a combustion engine with an electric motor to increase its efficiency.

It harvests energy lost during breaking and reuses it for running.

It uses super capacitor banks to store energy.

The petrol engine produces a constant energy of 3.5 British horsepower and the remaining power comes from the super capacitor banks.

It uses a carbon-fibre body.

“We want to be able to show a new face of Pakistan to the world, one that is considerably different than what the western media is showing,” he added, reciting the team mantra, “For some teams it’s a car, For some teams it’s a project For us, it’s an ideology An ideology to prove that Pakistan can be constructive.”

Way to go Pak Wheelers.

2010-06-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hybrid Car that Does 700km in 1 Liter

Not a bike thing but surely interesting. Students from National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan have made this hybrid car capable of doing 700km/lit, which means 1646mpg, now thats amazing. Improvements are being made to shape and other parts, looks like the energy crisis will be history soon.

Link

2010-05-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Harley Davidson Day Trippin'

2010-03-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

Super Bikes Allowed on Motorway

Click to read the full article, along with some cool pics..

Super Bikes on M2

2009-09-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

Pics of my FZR250RR Exup

2009-06-16T11:42:00.001-07:00

Something Different

Here's my beloved.... :-)

2008-09-01T10:11:00.001-07:00

Motorcycle Personality Test

I came across this link. Very interesting. Tells you what kind of bike you should ride.

Take the Test

2008-06-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yamaha WR250R & WR250X

Yamaha WR250R & WR250X: Great things in small packages

It's only a second or so, but a lot can come to mind while arcing through a sweeping corner on a supermoto track, listening to the asphalt scrape a few million more molecules off your footpeg. Real important stuff. Stuff like, why do motorcycle manufacturers manufacture the motorcycles they do?

For example, some segments of the U.S. motorcycle market are over-run with options. Think, sportbikes or big V-twins. Others, not so much. Think small-bore dual-sports and street-legal supermoto bikes.

Engine : Liquid-cooled, four-valve single
Displacement: 250cc
Bore x stroke : 77mm x 53.6mm
Carburetion : Mikuni electronic fuel injection
Compression ratio: 11.8:1
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Wheels: 1.60 x 21 inch front
2.15 x 18 inch rear
aluminum rims, spoked 3.00 x 17 inch front
4.00 x 17 inch rear
aluminum rims, spoked
Tires: Bridgestone TW-301/TW-302
80/100-21 front
120/80-18 rear Bridgestone BT090R
110/70-17 front
140/70-17 rear
Front brake: Single 250mm disc
Nissin two-piston caliper Single 298mm disc
Nissin two-piston caliper
Rear brake: Single 230mm disc, Nissin one-piston caliper
Front suspension: 46mm KYB inverted cartridge fork
Adjustable rebound damping (24 clicks)
Adjustable compression damping (20 clicks)
10.6 inches of travel
Rear suspension: SOQI single shock
Adjustable rebound damping (25 clicks)
Adjustable compression damping (12 clicks)
10.6 inches of travel
Seat height: 35.7 inches to 36.6 inches 34.3 inches to 35.2 inches
Wheelbase: 55.9 inches
Fuel capacity: 2.0 gallons
Dry weight: 276 pounds 280 pounds
MSRP: $5,899 $5,999

2008-06-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

2008 Hayabusa: More displacement, fresh styling

From the beginning, Suzuki's Hayabusa has been all about standing out from the crowd.
Since its debut in 1999, the Hayabusa's over-the-top styling and prodigious top speed have made it unlike anything else on the street. That the Guinness Book of World Records lists the Hayabusa as the world's fastest production motorcycle doesn't hurt either, especially because Japanese manufacturers have since electronically limited their motorcycles to 299 kph (186 mph), making future comparisons impossible.

The 'Busa has become nothing short of a modern motorcycling icon, a 10,000-a-year seller and a rock star at bike nights across the country, where they're often decked out in one-off paint and customized with everything from NOS bottles to extended swingarms.

So when it came time to update the GSX1300, Suzuki's designers took the logical approach: They took everything the Hayabusa does well and maxxed it out.

As the world's press discovered at the bike's intro at Great Lakes Dragway and Road America Raceway in Wisconsin, Suzuki engineers have created a bike that can do a quarter-mile pass in the 9s, bury the speedo at 180 mph on the racetrack and still be a surprisingly manageable streetbike.

Changes for '08 start with the engine. Instead of a full makeover, engineers stroked the motor 2 mm to increase displacement from 1,298cc to 1,340cc and bumped compression from 11.0:1 to 12.5:1. Valves are now titanium and lift was increased on both the intake and exhaust sides.

As for styling, Koji Yoshiura, who also designed the original Hayabusa, said he was influenced by a visit to the United States, where Suzuki collected opinions from riders at bike nights and sportbike gatherings. Prior to that trip, he was leaning toward a sleeker, more slimmed-down look. Instead, based on the input from owners, the 'Busa's muscular and beefy look was accentuated.

Engine: Liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder, four valves/cylinder

Displacement: 1,340cc

Bore x stroke: 81.0mm x 65.0mm

Carburetion: Fuel injection, 44mm throttle bodies

Compression ratio: 12.5:1

Transmission: 6-speed

Final drive: Chain

Tires: 120/70-17 front; 190/50-17 rear

Front brake: Dual 310mm rotors, radial-mount four-piston calipers

Rear brake: Single 260mm rotor, one-piston caliper

Seat height: 31.7 inches

Front suspension: Inverted fork, adjustable for rebound and compression damping and preload; 4.7 inches of travel

Rear suspension: Link-type: single shock, adjustable for rebound and compression damping and preload; 5.5 inches of travel

Wheelbase: 58.3 inches

Fuel capacity: 5.5 gallons

Dry weight: 485 pounds

MSRP: $11,999

2008-05-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

2008 Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

The original Guzzi V7, fitted with a 703cc v-twin, was born back in 1967. Styled on the lines of its predecessor, the new V7 Classic packs a Euro-III compliant 744cc v-twin. With its Weber Marelli fuel-injection, the engine makes about 50 horsepower and 54.7Nm of torque.

The V7 Classic certainly isn’t very powerful, but you know the deal – it’s been designed to look good loping along at medium pace, with rider and hot Italian girlfriend sitting comfortably, wearing large sunglasses, open-face helmets and smart leather jackets. For some, the V7 Classic would probably be the ideal motorcycle for lazy Sunday mornings…

With its round headlamp, chrome-plated exhaust pipes, twin rear shocks, spoked wheels, flat seat and black-and-white paint job, we think the V7 Classic looks good in an old-fashioned way. The rear shocks offer 118mm of suspension travel and are preload adjustable, while the 40mm Marzocchi front fork offers 130mm of travel. The chassis is a dual-cradle steel tube number, wheels are 18-inch front and 17-inch rear, and brakes are single 320mm disc at front and 260mm disc at the back.

2008-05-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

2009 BMW S1000RR

BMW's intent to go racing in World Superbikes in 2010

With the recent unveiling of the S1000RR, BMW are now pulling out all the stops in their bid to be taken seriously as manufacturers of high-performance motorcycles. Of course, BMW are already present in endurance racing events this year, with the HP2 Sport. But with its brand-new four-cylinder engine, the S1000RR is meant to be in a different league altogether.

With the S1000RR, BMW have announced their intent to go racing in the World Superbikes series in 2010. The company will also build 1,000 street-going units of this bike next year, in order to meet WSBK homologation requirements. Technical details for the bike have not been released, but the S1000RR is likely to be packed with the very latest in electronics and technology, including an advanced version of traction control.

Going by the pictures here, the BMW S1000RR is fitted with top-spec bits – Brembo brakes with radial-mount, monobloc calipers, Ohlins fork and shock, Akrapovic exhaust system, Pirelli Diablo rubber, carbonfibre bodywork and a very beefy looking aluminium twin-spar chassis. Indeed, the bike looks totally awesome – if appearances are anything to go by, Japanese and Italian manufacturers should be a bit worried already.

With the V4-powered Aprilia RSV 4 also coming out next year, 2010 should be one hell of a year for World Superbikes. In the meanwhile, for BMW fans hoping to get their hands on an S1000RR next year, price might possibly be a deterrent. The HP2 Sport already costs US$25,000 and we suppose the S1000RR is likely to be at least as expensive, if not more.

2008-05-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

Bike Ride to Khabeki Lake and Kanhatti

Here's another of my bike rides I undertook on Sunday 20th. The journey started at about 7:30am, five of us on three bikes, the destination was the Kanhatti garden in the famous Soun valley.

Both ways we did a total of about 150km ride. Following are the pics with the commentary.

Just as you are about to start climbing the hill, you pass through two gate-like pillars with a brief history of this passage:

The Kanhatti garden:

A natural spring in the garden:

Bikes in the parking lot:

Walking through the garden our way was blocked by this camel whose intentions did not seem too good so we changed our course:

We could see very small fish in this water but not big enough to be captured by the camera's eye:

The garden is pretty vast and rich with shady trees:

Here we enjoyed the cold water for some time:

Ready to head on your way to the Khabeki Lake:

Our rides:

The road:

The CD70 guys were too slow!!

Arrival at Khabeki Lake:

Old graves, I wonder if these are of the soldiers from the world war!

An old tree

2008-03-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

Nicky Hayden is no longer a rising star but a strange type of has been

Lost in the Shuffle
By Dirck Edge

He was largely being ignored before the start of the series, but after his poor performance in the opening round at Qatar a couple of weeks ago, Honda's Nicky Hayden is completely off the radar screen. The first rider to take the MotoGP title away from Valentino Rossi two years ago, and still in his mid-twenties, Hayden is no longer the rising star, but a strange type of "has been".

The new guard has arrived in the form of Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and others. Will the point-and-shoot style of an American-trained flat tracker ever match the speed of the kids raised on two-strokes? Are the new 800s tailor-made for the guys stepping up from the 250 GPs?

We have a long MotoGP season ahead of us, but the "younger guns" are setting the pace thus far, not Nicky Hayden

Source: Motorcycle Daily

2008-03-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

Ride to Jahlar Lake

On Sunday March 09, the three of us took this ride to the Jahlar lake in the Soun valley. We were riding my 125 and the friend was on his CD70. The journey began at about 8 o clock in the morning. Our route was Joharabad to Kathwai, Khoora, Nowshera, Surakki and then Jahlar.

Below are some pics with brief info on the journey..

On our way to Kathwai we stopped near the shrine on Dada Golra, thats what you can see in the background.

My friends:

Below is the pic of a historical well built by some king in the past. We couldn't be sure of its exact history:

Some people:-)

Another well we saw by the side of the road, even deeper:

The Mehria Hotel in Nowshera. We took tea here.

Some pics taken on our way from Suraki to Jahlar. I should mention that the trip from Suraki to Jahlar is steep so you have to be careful while doing the corners, while the trip from Jahlar to Suraki can be a tough time for novice riders and weak engines!!

A distant view of the Jahlar lake:

The Jahlar Lake:

A little fun is what such trips are all about..

In the middle of the pic you'll see some small mountains, it was soil mountain actually and gave a brilliant look, the pic does not do justice here:

We found a path to move closer..

We moved down from here and took some pics:

Back to Kathwai, we took lunch from a 'dhaba' here. Below is the pic of Kathwai Sarai, "Kathwai Inn" built in 1866 by the British government:

Parked our bikes under an old tree:

Some pics on our way back:

2008-02-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

Good for some laugh

A biker is riding by the zoo, when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion’s cage.
Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes of her screaming parents.
The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch.
Whimpering from the pain the lion jumps back letting go of the girl, and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly.

A reporter has seen the whole scene, and addressing the biker, says, “ Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I saw a man do in my whole life. “

“Why, it was nothing, really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted, as I felt right. “

“Well, I’ll make sure this won’t go unnoticed. I’m a journalist, you know, and tomorrow’s papers will have this on the first page.

What motorcycle do you ride?

“A Harley Davidson.”

The journalist leaves.

The following morning the biker buys the paper to see if it indeed brings news of his actions, and reads, on first page:

BIKER GANG MEMBER ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT
AND STEALS HIS LUNCH

2008-02-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R

By Bart Madson

Zipping past an unexpected Border Patrol checkpoint near Tecate, California, we lean into a banked turn pinned in fourth-gear with the tach hovering near redline on Kawasaki's best-selling sportbike. But it's not what you think. No border agents or any other government officials are scrambling to run us down with flashing lights blazing because, lucky for us, Kawasaki's best-selling sportbike is the Ninja 250R.

Yes, that is not a typo. In fact, the little Ninja isn't just the best-selling sportbike for Kawasaki - it is the Japanese firm's best-selling bike period. Experiencing steady double-digit sales growth year after year, the reliable little Ninja has achieved cult status as the beginner sportbike here in the US of A. And as we discovered at the recent San Diego press launch, the redesigned 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R isn't just the "little Ninja that could," it's the "little Ninja that does things way better than it should."

The story of the Ninja 250's unexpected success began when it entered the American market in 1986 - with the design unaltered since the 1988 model year. Now, while not a bad year per se, 1988 saw Phil Collins' Groovy Kind of Love top the music charts. The point being tastes can alter over a two-decade span. On that note, one of the Ninja 250's most glaring weaknesses was its dated styling.

We are happy to report that the old 250's antiquated lines have been jettisoned - much like Phil Collins' career. All-new bodywork adorns the little Ninja, and like a passable fake ID, it pulls off looking like its bigger ZX siblings at first glance. The fairing bodywork sweeps back to a clean tail section, much like its supersport and superbike brothers. An accessory seat cowl, available for $99, can replace the standard passenger seat, further enhancing the 250's sporty look. Also tied into the sportier lines is the single-side upswept 2-into-1 exhaust, which replaces the dual cans of the 98-07 model. And just in case you missed its intention to mimic the bigger Ninjas, the "250" logo is absent from the new bodywork graphics.

The 2008 changes are far from just cosmetic, however, with the Ninja sporting multiple revisions to its liquid-cooled 248cc Parallel Twin. Although it retains a 62 x 41.2mm bore and stroke, Kawi reps claim changes to 70% of the engine. Internal modifications include reshaped intake and exhaust ports, a more compact combustion chamber, thinner valve heads in addition to new camshafts and camchain tensioner. Another enhancement is the more efficient cooling system, with a redesigned Denso radiator and noise-reducing fan keeping the 250 running cool.

Fuel injection will be included on the European version of '08 Ninja 250 to meet Euro 3 emissions, but to keep cost down U.S. models retain a pair of Keihin CVK30 carbs. Kawasaki research listed "price/deal offered" as the top concern in an American rider's decision to purchase the little 250 - the only bike in Kawi's lineup where price was the major concern. Without FI, a choke lever resides on the leftside switchgear.

In terms of real world performance, the little Ninja engine is a scrapper. Far from sedate for a 250, Kawi claims internal mods increase low and mid-range pop. From what we recall of the old 250, this is true, but the extra juice in the lower revs isn't earth-shattering and more often than not a rider is wringing the Ninja's throttle to the stop, hovering near the indicated 13K redline. In fact, we can't recall a bike we rode so often pinned to full throttle since, well, the old Ninja 250. While no horsepower figures are released, spec sheet claims in torque show the new Kawi dipping 1.9 lb-ft in peak production at 16.2 lb-ft at 9500 rpm.

In urban settings, the high-revving Twin is more than adequate and is a fine commuter. Winding country backroads are also well suited to the Ninja 250's tastes. For stints on the Interstate, however, we did find one area of concern. Accustomed to the raw passing power of a 600 or 1000, cracking the 250's throttle open does not deliver the immediate blast to get past that 18-wheeled laggard on the superslab. As we ventured out of San Diego on the I-5 toward Highway 94, it was necessary to downshift to keep the revs high and get the most acceleration for quick lane changes. The Ninja can still scoot around slower obstacles, but a rider needs to exert more than the usual caution by planning ahead and carrying some momentum to slingshot past.

On the positive side of the equation, the diluted throttle keeps a rider out of trouble. The steady acceleration is more than acceptable for the vast majority of riding situations and it may even be preferable for beginners - who are, after all, the real target for this bike.

As we said of the earlier Ninja 250 when it won our 2006 Newbie Comparo, this bike gives a rider just enough rope not to hang themselves. Sure, riding the 250 doesn't remove the inherent hazards of motorcycling, but it is an extremely forgiving mount. When a newb hits a pothole on the 250 and slips the throttle to full blast, they will get a scare but be okay. Compare this to the brave/stupid who hop on a ZX-10 or ZX-14 as their first-ever motorcycle and accidentally blip the throttle only to end up picking themselves off the asphalt wondering a) where their bike went and b) where they can go change their pants.

While power delivery on the Ninja is tolerant, the new 6-speed gearbox is more lenient than Brittany Spears chaperoning a Vegas bachelorette party. Even when we tried to confound the idiot-proof system with some intentionally ludicrous downshifts, the Ninja's transmission handled the extreme gear changes with a nurturing admonishment rather than rear-wheel lockup. The new, more durable clutch delivers seamless engagement - one would have a difficult time conceiving a better transmission to hand over to a green rider.

The often held notion that it is more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow is often scoffed at. But there is truth to the assertion, especially on public roads. Unless you want your license revoked and cut up into a million pieces, the ZX-10R cannot be ridden to its limits anywhere other than the racetrack, and even then, unless your last name is Hacking or Hayden, you ain't getting everything out of the bike. Yet, almost anyone can ride the Ninja 250R to its potential, which makes it an absolute blast.

Handling on the Ninja is quite a revelation. Even though the new model has added a surprising 29 lbs for a claimed dry weight of 333 lbs, the Ninja is still super slender and feels quite light. The last Kawasakis we rode were the ZX-14 and Concours, so believe us when we say the little Ninja is much easier to navigate in the parking lot. For foot-dabbing newbies, the 250 is going to be a treat.

At speed the 250 Ninja is just as welcoming. In the tight, twisty stuff the super-light and compact bike is a scalpel where larger machines are broadswords. Side-to-side transitions are ridiculously quick and our journo testing crew had a ball tossing 250s around California's Highway 94 just north of the Mexican border. Like a swarm of killer bees, our 250 hoard mobbed the desert canyons with pert, buzzing exhaust notes ricocheting in our ears.

Light, slim and low to the ground, the Ninja 250R sports a redesigned chassis with all-new suspension components. The 37mm Showa fork, which replaces a 36mm Kayaba unit, has revised settings but is still non-adjustable. A Kayaba single rear shock is now five-way adjustable for preload, replacing its non-adjustable predecessor. The new units do an effective job, but at 210 lbs I felt about 30 - 40 lbs too heavy for the front end. That said, my non-ideal BMI never bottomed out the fork, which we recall occurring on the older machine. So, overall, the suspension changes are a definite improvement.

Steering geometry has been altered, with rake angle decreased from 27 to an even 26 degrees. But the most important improvement to the Ninja is the move up to 17-inch wheels, which replace the old 16-inch units. With wider rims the new six-spoke wheels support lower profile modern tires and are a major contributor to the improved handling. Yes, it is still a small machine, but the new Ninja feels like a bigger bike on the road, lacking any skittishness in the corners.

The Ninja 250's riding position has been tweaked, somewhat sportier than the '07 but still delivering a pleasant upright stance. Handlebar height has been raised and reach to the bars was just right for us. The footpegs felt cramped for this tester's 6'1" frame, but the neutral ergos figure to be right on par for entry-level riders - Kawasaki research indicating 62% of Ninja owners are first-time buyers, with one third of owners hailing from the fairer sex.

Although raised by 1.2 inches, the slender 30.5-inch high seat still allows easy reach to the ground. Even the shortest in our testing group were able to tip-toe around without trouble. Standing flat-footed a 32-inch inseam had us straddling the slightly forward-sloping perch with a couple inches to spare. One minor complaint is that after a 100-mile ride our backside was stiff. On the plus side, however, the protection delivered by the new windscreen is a pleasant surprise.

Also new for 2008 are the single 290mm front and 220mm rear petal-style rotors with dual-piston calipers. Teamed together the Ninja's new brakes are quite effective and a couple simulated emergency stops further increased our confidence in the little Ninja's efficient braking performance.

The 250's new instrument console now features the analog speedo in the larger center position, flanked by an analog tach and fuel gague (the previous model had the tach taking center stage). But the big change to the display is a new fuel gauge, which replaces the old temperature gauge and keeps track of the 4.8-gallon tank. We seemed to go through a tank pretty quick during our intro ride on the '08 bike, but fuel economy figures to be somewhere in the 50-60 mpg range we observed during our previous Ninja 250 test, which ensures more than a 200-mile range. Quality mirrors round out the impressive view behind the controls and even though a large rider's elbows block out the interior half of the view, they are better than the previous units.

One of the greatest aspects of the previous 250 was its amazing value. At $2999 it was the best deal out there. The new and improved Ninja has upped the asking price by 500 bucks, but it's still an amazing bargain when compared to its 250 rivals.

With little direct competition and an attractive, refined package, we see no reason why the Ninja 250R won't continue with its immense success. Kawasaki already expects as much, with the enthusiastic dealer response at the 250's September debut. In fact, Kawasaki admits having trouble getting enough of the Thailand-built Ninjas on U.S. shores to meet the dealer demand.

The only surprise about the Ninja 250 will be if it doesn't continue its reputation as a best-seller. Too often we want bigger, faster and more powerful over practical, affordable and simple. The press is just as guilty, if not complicit in these prejudices, but the bottom line is that if you are riding the Ninja 250R and not having fun, the problem lies with the rider, not the machine.

Specs:

Engine Type Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel twin

Displacement 249 cc

Bore & Stroke 62.0 x 41.2mm

Maximum Torque 22 Nm (2.24 kgf/m) 16.2 lb-ft/9,500 rpm

Compression Ratio 11.6:1

Carburetor Keihin CVK30 x 2

Ignition Digital

Transmission 6-Speed

Final Drive O-Ring Chain

Cooling Liquid

Frame Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel

Rake/Trail 26 degrees / 3.2 in.

Front Tire Size 110/70-17

Rear Tire Size 130/70-17

Wheelbase 55.1 in.

Front Suspension / wheel travel 37mm hydraulic telescopic fork / 4.7 in.

Rear Suspension / wheel travel Bottom-Link Uni-Trak® with 5-way adjustable preload / 5.1 in.

Front Brake Type Single 290mm hydraulic disc with two-piston caliper

Rear Brake Single 220mm petal disc with two-piston caliper

Fuel Tank Capacity 4.8 gal.

Seat Height 30.5 in.

Dry Weight 333 lbs. / 337 lbs. (CA-model)

Overall length 82.1 in.

Overall width 28.1 in.

Overall height 43.7 in.

Color Lime Green, Ebony, Passion Red, Candy Plasma Blue