Kawasaki KR250 Gallery

Kawasaki designer Nagato Sato started work on the first KR twin during 1974 adopting an inline layout in order to minimise the width and thus the frontal area of the machine whilst still being able to utilise disc valves. The liquid cooled engine was housed in a conventional twin loop steel frame with twin rear shock absorbers. The machine first appeared in competition during 1975, often with Mick Grant in the saddle continuing into 1976. These years brought little in terms of success, but provided a wealth of information and the opportunity to develop the fledgling racer. 1977 marked a turning point for the twin and Kawasaki when Mick Grant secured the firms first Grand Prix win in the 250cc class at the Dutch TT at Assen and followed that success with a win at the Swedish Grand Prix later the same year.

That racer heritage shines through in the street KR250. The engine pulls cleanly everyplace, but it's happiest between 8000 and 10,500 rpm. When the engine hits eight grand at full throttle in first gear, the front wheel claws for the sky while the KR leaps forward almost as quickly as a catalyst-equipped RZ350 Yamaha. And the Kawasaki cruises smoothly and effortlessly at speeds unheard of for a 250: 80, 90, 100 mph. Top speed is well over 110 mph. The penalty is that, much like a racing 250, the KR only makes good power in one gear at any given speed. Come out of a corner a gear too high, the engine will drone ineffectively.

Bike	Image	Description
1981 Kawasaki Kr250		The machine offered was purchased from Jean Francois Balde, who campaigned it during the 1981 Grand Prix season, securing second place in the championship and a Grand Prix win at the first Grand Prix of the season in Argentina. The KR twins had benefited from revised porting, redesigned expansion chambers, the adoption of separate cylinder's and heads and an increase in carburettor size to 34mm by the 1981 season, which as the results demonstrated, enabled the Kawasaki's to maintain their dominance of the 250cc Grand Prix class. Image provided by www.classic-auctions.com.
Kawasaki KR250		More Kawasaki KR250 history
1984 Kawasaki KR250		Liquid cooled, two stroke, parallel twin cylinder 45bhp @ 10,000rpm 6 speed 133kg 112mph
1984 Kawasaki KR250		45bhp. Kawasaki KR250 specification
1986 Kawasaki KR 250		Handling-wise, the KR is quick-steering yet stable, and the suspension is supple over small bumps, rather harsh over large ones. The only real handling defect, however, comes from the slightly rearward weight bias: The front end lightens so much under power that the steering can be vague and imprecise when charging out of slow turns.

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