1999 Zxr250

[placidfemme]

I've been chatting with some Americans about the ZXR250's as they don't get them. They have the Ninja250 (or the ER250... whatever they call it)... which by NZ standards is closest to the ZZR than the ZXR.

I thought Kawasaki stopped producing them in 1995 (because I've never seen a ZXR for sale in NZ newer than 1995).

But I was doing some searching to answer some questions they had (spec's and so forth) and I found this:

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Kawasaki_ZXR_250_1999.aspx

Doesn't look much different from the earlier "C" (1990 onwards) models, and the specs are pretty much the same... same power and so forth... Looks like the 1999 model came in red... pretty kewl...

Anyone seen a 1999 model in person? Or riden one?

[placidfemme]

Oh... heres a comparision of the 1992 and 1999

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/compare/782/789/

[R6_kid]

no difference, the ZXR250 A model (A-B) is the 89-90, then the 91-93 model is the C-D model, not sure exactly on the numbers (eg D1) but the D is known as the C model anyway. They ceased production in 1993, and bikes were just 'first registered' later.

For example my R6 is registered as a 2001, but is actually a 1999 (5EB) or R6L, the 1999-2002 models are (look) the same, but some parts are slightly different.

[Sniper]

I think they also go by the year registered as R6 said. I know in Aus you get 2001 MC22 CBRs which I figured out was the year they were registered for the road in Aus

[Ghost Lemur]

The GPX250R and the ZZR250 are both available new in Oz. I pretty sure the GPX is the model that the yanks call Ninja. Although from what I've seen they have a tendancy to use Ninja for any Kawasaki sports bike.

[placidfemme]

The GPX250R and the ZZR250 are both available new in Oz. I pretty sure the GPX is the model that the yanks call Ninja. Although from what I've seen they have a tendancy to use Ninja for any Kawasaki sports bike.

thats true...

Me: I ride a Kawasaki

American: Oh a ninja?

lol

I thought thier version was the ER250... but I'm not 100% sure... IMO they're ugly as fuck

[Brett]

Funny, I saw some dude on his blog a while back with pictures of what he claimed to be a late 90's early 2000's ZXR 250. Sure looked the part, albeit a bit sleeker. Maybe they made them in Japan and they have never been exported over here??

[placidfemme]

Funny, I saw some dude on his blog a while back with pictures of what he claimed to be a late 90's early 2000's ZXR 250. Sure looked the part, albeit a bit sleeker. Maybe they made them in Japan and they have never been exported over here??

lol cause they send us the old bikes

[mynameis]

ER250 is the Ninja 250 or GPX 250 which is how it's marketed. For some reason it just has different names in different countries. They are still in production and you can get a new GPX 250 2006 from dealers. But there is hardly any difference between a 2001 and 2006 GPX besides the fairings and graphics on them.

With ZXR 250 the last production date was 1999 and yes we don't get them here, nor have I seen anyone with one. Reason, according to Mike from Mt Eden, he can get one in (1998) but it would cost about $8000-$9000 because it would fall in a nic condition grade hence the high price. Obviously no one would pay that much for a ZXR 250.

And according to Red Baron and Mt Eden the last production date for ZXR 250 was either 1998 or 1999 with no changes in engineering or specs of the bike but just minor cosmetic changes. Someone correct me if I am wrong?

mynameis

[Karma]

ZXR400s were produced up to 99, the later models were just cosmetic tweaks mind...

[zeocen]

I thought thier version was the ER250... but I'm not 100% sure... IMO they're ugly as fuck


........ :(

[lukelin250]

can we get some pictures posted??

[placidfemme]

heres some (of the ER250)

[Landshark92]

I have been wondering the same thing. Check this thread out.

http://www.netrider.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6212&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Some of those people claim to have a 2004 model built in 2003. And some bought brand new. I have a 1992 ZXR250 and it sure looks 14 years old. I don't think those people could have been tricked into buying an old bike for new prices.

Just curious as my bike piles on the kilometers, I am really starting to need stuff like cam chains and camchain tensioners. IF there are new bikes, maybe I can get some new parts or fairings etc.

[placidfemme]

I have been wondering the same thing. Check this thread out.

http://www.netrider.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6212&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Some of those people claim to have a 2004 model built in 2003. And some bought brand new. I have a 1992 ZXR250 and it sure looks 14 years old. I don't think those people could have been tricked into buying an old bike for new prices.

Just curious as my bike piles on the kilometers, I am really starting to need stuff like cam chains and camchain tensioners. IF there are new bikes, maybe I can get some new parts or fairings etc.

Yeah... the mis-understanding is in the common names for the bike used in different countries...

ZXR250 - Japan/Australia/NZ
ZX2R - America
ER250 - America
Kawasaki Ninja - America

All the above terms are interchangable at will (except not the ER250 here in NZ... cause we know better lol)

The new models they are talking about are the ER250's not the ZXR250's

As mentioned in the above posts the ZXR was stopped from production in 1999, those models are still too new to be imported to NZ, but keep an eye open I'm sure they'll start arriving soon...

I've got a 92 ZXR250 too :) great bikes!

Edit: Ok I've just seen that you are from the States...

The ZXR250 (check my profile for a picture of one) is not available on the American market (dunno why). In the USA you only get the ER250 (aka Kawasaki Ninja 250 & ZX2R)

[SPman]

An ER250 is a cruiser style thing
The US Ninjas are the good ol' GPX250, (as per your photos), which is also sold new over here in OZ, along with the ZZR250. Occasionally some eascape to NZ bike shops....

[Landshark92]

I really do have a ZXR250, a four cylinder that redlines at 19k rpm. Over here, the 2 cylinder model is called an EX250. Altho a fun bike, it cannot be mistaken for a true sport bike, with its non adjustable suspension and single front disk brake. My bike is the only ZXR250 around my parts and I get questions about it all the time. Here in the US, there are many forums dedicated to the EX250 or at least there is a lot of info about them. I am here on Kiwi Biker because this place has the most knowledge for 4 cylinder 250's anywhere.

Here are some quotes to save reading thru that whole thread.

"i just got my 2004 zx2r not long ago (was built in 03) and i gotta say its alot of fun. feels very smooth and sure has a swt tone at 14k rpm. my bro just got is 250 cbrr today and i have to say that the fairing on the cbrr are better looking than the ninja. i dunno how it goes yet coz its not my bike."

"you bought a new zxr ?? "

"You should hear it at 19500 revs!

"I think the CBRs look much skinnier that the ZXR. The cbr looks a little anorexic when I look at them now"

"the cbr are smaller bikes but when comparing the ninja and cbr side by side, the ninja looks more better. it has more updated parts and looks like a newer bike too. the ninjas engine is also more lumpy than the cbr and the sound that comes from the ninja kicks ass. the cbr does not sound as powerful in the rev ranges and it is abit heavier.
overall i am very happy with my zx2r and imo i reckon the ninja is better than the cbr and i would rate it the best 250cc 4stroker."

"Top speed I've found is around an indicated 205km/h, front upside down forks have adjustable preload and damper, rear shock is single adjustment 7 stiffness settings, somethings I believe the ZXR has over the CBR"

"I read that ZXR250's with a build date of after '97 were manufactured in Malaysia, not Japan. Maybe thats what you're thinking of.
Many sellers will advertise the compliance year, which tricks people into thinking the bike is alot younger than it actually is.
My ZXR250 was manufactured in 2000"

"I think the last ones have a 2004 build date? I could be mistaken though, they go for around the same price as CBR250RR's, sometimes a little higher as they're younger bikes."

"Bought it new from a dealer in April 2005, $8000 on road."

So it sounds like they are talking about the real 4 cylinder 19krpm screamer that we all know as the ZXR250. Otherwise, why compare a CBR250RR to a ZZR or GPX250?

Some theories that I have heard:

1. Some new models were built in Malaysia using spare genuine left over parts.

2. New bikes are being built in Malaysia in regular production.

3. Old bikes but new compliance date fooling people into thinking it is a new bike. I don't think that is possible because a bike that was built in 1992 would not be able to fool anybody into thinking it was built brand new in 2003 and sold for such.

The most concrete info I have says the ZXR's were last produced in 1995 or 1996 so even the 1999 model seen in the first post has me thinking and drooling over the possibility of a newer bike.

[Coyote]

Most CBRs that are supposedly newer than 1994-1995 or so are really just bikes that some companies in Australia have given a new coat of paint and said they're new bikes and doubled the price. They're ripoffs

They do have cool fireball paintjobs though