2008 Ninja 250R Q&A with Product Manager

2008 Kawasaki Ninja® 250R

Q & A with Sportbike Product Manager Karl Edmondson

Since its debut in the mid-80s, the Ninja 250R has developed quite a following. What is

the reason behind this model’s market dominance – this is the best selling Kawasaki

motorcycle, right?

In a nutshell, the Ninja 250 is priced to attract a lot of first time buyers and those on a budget.

Its easy handling, beginner friendly personality and excellent reliability increase the perceived

value of its low purchase price. This is Kawasaki’s number one selling motorcycle and one of

the few bikes from any manufacturer to show positive sales numbers, while the industry as a

whole dropped an average of about seven percent in the last year.

How has Kawasaki factored this legacy into the redesign for 2008?

Utilizing the lessons learned with the outgoing

Ninja 250R, the designers strove to retain its

positive traits and keep the price low, while

improving its beginner-friendly attributes and

updating its sportbike styling.

Besides the obvious visual (bodywork) updates, what are some of the other key

changes?

The engine received a major work over; it now produces

more torque earlier in the rev range, meets ever-tightening

modern emissions requirements and produces less noise.

Updated brakes with petal style rotors, and 17-inch wheels round out the significant changes.

What obstacles did the engineers face when they created the 2008 Ninja 250R?

Modernizing the styling, updating

the suspension, wheels, brakes,

bringing the engine into

compliance with tough (50-state

legal) emission standards and

improving real-world power

delivery, all while keeping the

price down was a quite a tall

order to fill.

Who are the target markets of the 250R? Is more than one market focus unique to this

model?

The most obvious sales demographic for the

Ninja 250R are young, beginning riders.

However, we found that it has quite a broad

appeal, including men and women in age

ranges throughout the scale. It boasts one of

the highest percentage of women riders as

well – fully 33 percent of Ninja 250R owners

are female.

Is it safe to label the Ninja 250R as “a do-it-all street bike”?

Yes, its excellent mileage, low cost to

purchase/insure, improved power delivery and

easy handling mean it’s certainly at home in the

urban jungle. Furthermore, the Ninja 250R isn’t

just a great city bike, it’s also a fun sport bike –

even a great club racer for some.

What accessories are planned or already exist for the Ninja 250R?

Right now we have an accessory seat cowling that

enhances the sporting appeal of the new bodywork

and will be available for $99.95.

Courtesy of www.kawasaki.com