The Ninja was pehaps one of the most eagrely awaited launch amongst the Indian biking enthusiasts. True to their word, Bajaj India has launched the Kawasaki Ninja 250R in the Indian market and deliveries are going to start immediately. The partnership between Bajaj and Kawasaki goes back a long way in time, when they together marketed bikes as ‘Kawsaki Bajaj’. And it looks like the partnership would go on for some time to come, as Bajaj Pro-Biking showrooms will offer the complete three S’s – Sales, Service and Spares – for Kawasaki bikes in India.

Adoringly called the baby-Ninja, the Kawasaki Ninja 250R has supersport styling, rider-friendly engine, real world performance and an amiable chassis – perfect reciipe for a performance motorcycle which would be fun to ride. Once it hits the roads, the Yamaha R15 would have a better-looking rival and one that is more powerful as well. The only consolation for the Yam R15 is that it would no longer be the most expensive motorcycle in India – the Ninja costs a whopping 2.69 lacs. And the Pulsar 220 owners would no longer be the ‘fastest Indians’.

Bajaj will be importing the Ninja as CKD (completely knocked down) units from Thailand to save on customs duties. The Ninja offers good low and mid range torque, thanks to a dual overhead camshafts. The overall design of the bike is very well balanced and wind tunnel tested and of course the trademark ninja styling is carried from its bigger siblings. The bike has a top whack of 175kmph and 0-100 just under 6 seconds. The instrument cluster of Ninja 250R disappoints a bit as it comes in analog format, as against the digital meters we are so used to seeing in Indian bikes now. The cluster features some warning lights such as low oil, low fuel, choked air filter, high oil temperature and low battery indicators.

It is not fair to compare the Ninja with the Karizma ZMR, Pulsar 220 & Yamaha R15, but that is where the bike is going to compete. The high price tag is only where the bike loses out. Otherwise, the Ninja simply destroys it’s competition. A good mileage of 42.5 kmpl is also promised by Bajaj India. Disc brakes at front and rear and a mono-shock suspension are higlight features. Here are some of the specifications of the baby Ninja. All we can say is that the performance bike market in India is getting bigger and better by the day!

Specifications:

Name	Ninja 250R
Type	Sports
Engine Specs
Displacement	249cc
Engine	4 Stroke, Parallel Twin, DOHC
Power	32.5 Bhp @ 11000 rpm
Torque	22 Nm @ 8200 rpm
Gears	6 speed
Cooling Type	Liquid Cooling
Dimensions	Length:2085 mm Width:715 mm Height:1115 mm
Comfort and Convenience	Self Start Trip Meter – Analogue(1) Low Fuel, Low Battery, Low Oil Indicators Alloy wheels, Step-up seat High Oil Temperature, Choked Air Filter Indicators
Other Specifications	Weight – 172 kg Fuel Tank – 17 ltrs Headlamp – Halogen Wheel Size – 110/70 R17-130/70 R17 mm
Price(Expected)	Rs 2,69,000

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