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2019 Kawasaki Z250 ABS First Ride Review

The 2019 Kawasaki Z250 ABS is a lightweight naked sportbike.
It demonstrates the fun in lightweight bikes.
Launched earlier this year, it’s priced from RM 21,998.

Ah, lightweight bikes. Forget about power, about techno wizardry… it’s all about fun. Fun from the rider’s skills. Fun from the rider’s right hand which pins the throttle to the very last moment. Lightweight and fun, like from the 2019 Kawasaki Z250 ABS?

Launched together with the Z400 SE ABS just earlier this year, the new 2019 Kawasaki Z250 ABS is the naked variant of the lightweight Ninja 250 lightweight sportbike.

They are mechanically similar, if not alike but the naked version ought to be a little lighter.

Highlights:

Following the Sugomi design concept, the bike has multiple slated panels.
The fuel tank is now more muscular.
New steel trellis frame that’s 4kg lighter, and inspired by the Ninja H2.
Wider handlebar for better leverage.
Raised tail section.
New LED taillight.
New LED headlight.
Semi-digital instrument panel (meter) inspired by the Z650.
Single front petal brake disc and petal rear brake.
Dual-channel ABS.
The engine is a 249cc, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve, parallel-Twin.
It produces 37.7 hp (38.2 PS) and 23.5 Nm of torque
The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with assist and slipper clutch.
Offered in Green colour scheme.

Okay, Kawasaki says its styling is heavily inspired by the Z650, sharing the Sugomi DNA that’s prevalent in the manufacturer’s line-up. While the Z250 looks distinctive, the design may not be everyone’s cup of tea. However, that’s just our personal observations and owners will sure not to mind.

Straddling the bike after getting off a heavyweight adventure tourer was a bit of a shock. The Z250 is slim, narrow and short from front to back. The seat is low so even this writer could stand over the bike and rock it from side to side.

Sticking the right thumb into the starter button and the bike comes alive to the signature sounds of the Kawasaki parallel-Twin. It needed more throttle twist to sweep the tach needle.

Riding

Out on the streets, the engine had an appetite for revs. Just as the Ninja 250, it needed at least 6,000 RPM to make it accelerate harder. But everything started happening quickly once the needle went past 8,500 RPM.

Having the slip and assist clutch was great because you don’t lose too much speed when slowing down. The assist function kept the lever soft with just one pull of the index finger. The transmission shifted with authority, letting you know you’ve got the next cog in.

But what truly impressed us was the suspension.

It seemed that Kawasaki had chosen the test ride route with the purpose of highlighting the suspension’s performance.

The bike was so easy to flick over into a lean. From there, it’s about pinning the throttle as much as you dare through the turn. Remember, this is a small engine which thrives on revs so slowing down too much mean you have to row through the gearbox to find the right gear, so forget it. Just pin it.

Anyhow, the test road has so many potholes and those patched over, and the majority of these were in the middle of corners. With nowhere to go, I just gassed the bike over hard over the bumps with the bike on its side, fully expecting the bike to buckle like a wild mare or go wide.

Except that it didn’t. It held the chosen line and trajectory.

I tried again on another bump and the same thing happened. It got almost so unbelievable that I actually sought out bumps and ran over them on purpose. The bike shook off the insults.

Lightweight bikes would usually get kicked around when hitting bumps but not this one.

Conclusion

The 2019 Kawasaki Z250 ABS is a simple, lightweight and fun bike to have around. It’s no slouch for the daily commute while still being a nice bike to chuck into corners during the weekend.

PICTURE GALLERY

Brake Calipers Stolen Off Thai Bikes in Malaysia

A group of Thai riders visiting Malaysia had the brake calipers stolen off one of their bikes.
The bikes were in a 5-star hotels’ parking lot.
The theft of brake calipers is a scourge in our country now.

What is this country coming to? We hear about brake caliper thefts almost every single day now, but when it especially stinks when it involves motorcycles from other countries, like to these unfortunate Thai riders.

Information is scant but according to the original poster, the Thais had stopped at the Gurney Hotel in Penang for the night. The woke up to missing brake calipers on their bikes the next morning.

The first bike in the video is a Ducati Multistrada 1200. The Brembo calipers are missing, disconnected at the anchor points and hose’s banjo bolt. Brake fluids has leaked out everywhere.

The next bike is a BMW R 1200 GS Adventure. The calipers were thankfully in place, but the hose was already disconnected. The scum probably didn’t have time to finish his dastardly deed.

We couldn’t for the lives of us describe just how embarrassed we are about this. This wasn’t the first case. A Frenchman who was travelling around the world also lost the brake calipers on his motorcycle.

Are thieves in Malaysia so brazen now that they could steal from 5-star hotel parking lots? And do we have to remind the police that not one single thief has been caught since we posted the tips on securing brake calipers a year ago? Or should street justice prevail but sentencing the thieves to impalement with a KLX250 fork?

2020 Yamaha YZF-R1 and 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1M Launched

The 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1 and 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1M were launched at the American World Superbike round.
The new bike has plenty of updates including the bodywork.
The new engine is Euro5-compliant with a number of updates.

We knew the 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1 and 2020 Yamaha YZF-R1M were bound to be introduced this year (probably at Intermot of EICMA). However, the manufacturer sprung a surprise and unveiled both at the Laguna Seca racetrack during the World Superbike round.

Its predecessor and variants were mostly-unchanged since 2015, while rival manufacturers had gone ahead and updated their existing or introduced completely new models.

Anyhow, the wait is over.

The new R1 and R1M looks even more “GP-inspired” and is packed with a number of important new tech.

Highlights:

New more aerodynamic bodywork with is 5.3% more efficient in flowing air. The screen and fairing combine with the fuel tank.
Aluminium air duct behind the large central intake provides more rigidity to the fairing.
A titanium lower panel strengthens the lower fairing.
New LED headlights for the new fairings.
New Euro5-compliant engine.
The 998cc crossplane inline-Four engine produces 197hp.
Updated finger follower rocker arms and new cam lobes.
43mm fully-adjustable Kayaba forks.
Six-axis IMU-based Cornering ABS.
Brake pads with new materials for higher friction.
Three-mode Engine Braking Management (EBM).
The EBM monitors gear position, engine RPM, throttle position, throttle valve position. The ECU alters throttle position, ignition timing and fuel injection.
Updated launch control system which activates at 9,000 RPM.

The YZF-R1M, gets more goodies since it’s Yamaha’s alpha bike. It’s made in limited numbers, by the way.

Highlights:

Lighter bike due to carbon fibre fairings, mudguard and tail section, besides magnesium wheels and subframe.
Öhlins electronic NPX anti-cavitator gas forks.
Updated Öhlins electronic rear shock.
YRC Settings app.
New Y-TRAC app accesses bike’s Communication Control Unit (CCU) to download ride data.
The data can be viewed in Google Maps, displaying information such as acceleration and G-forces.
Engraved badge with production number.

Will we ever get to see the Yamaha YZF-R1 and Yamaha YZF-R1M officially imported in Malaysia? Your guess is as good as ours.

A Honda X-Adv Won in the 2019 Gibraltar Race Rally

A Honda X-Adv had won in the 2019 Gibraltar Race ahead of other dual-purpose bikes.
It took the middleweight category and placed seventh overall.
A competitor will ride an X-Adv in the upcoming GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019.

A Honda X-Adv had won in the 2019 Gibraltar Race ahead of other dual-purpose bikes.

Renato Zocchi steered the X-Adv to the Class 2 victory in the especially tough 7,000-km rally through Europe. His class win also puts him as seventh overall in the event, beating our scores of purpose-built dirtbikes and adventure-tourers.

Class 2 is designated to motorcycles between 601 to 950cc, hence includes some menacing middleweight adventure bikes such as the KTM 790 Adventure R, KTM 690 Enduro, KTM 950 Super Enduro, Husqvarna 701 Enduro, BMW F 800 GS Adventure and many more.

While the X-Adv was specially prepared for the race, the bike was reliable. Competitors faced various terrains including dirt roads, rocky mule tracks, river crossings, mud and grass. Zocchi kept the DCT (dual clutch transmission) and G (gravel) mode. The suspension was modified to provide extra wheel travel and ground clearance. The footboards remained in place.

The route covered several countries, taking the riders from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean coast. It began in Gdansk, Poland, passed through the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, France and finally ending at the Cape Finiterre Lighthouse in Spain.

The results were surprising, of course but wait, you’ll get to witness a Honda X-Adv taking part in the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019 from 27^th to 28^th July!

Ducati Panigale V4 25th Anniversario 916 Celebrates the Ducati 916

Ducati will launch the Ducati Panigale V4 25th Anniversario 916 to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the legendary Ducati 916.
The 916 and its later variants are the most successful bikes in World Superbike racing.
Only 500 will be built.

Ducati is launching the Ducati Panigale V4 25th Anniversario 916 to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the legendary Ducati 916.

While it was the 851 which kickstarted the Italian manufacturer’s subsequent domination in the World Superbike series, it was the 916 which took Ducati into the modern-day spotlight. The man first responsible for it was none other than Carl “Foggy” Fogarty who won his first title when the bike made its debut. He would win another three championships on the 916’s later variants.

The success of the 916 wasn’t only limited to the racetracks but its legacy can be seen in virtually a modern sportbikes. It was due to the 916 that bikes now feature aggressive raptor headlamps (a change from the double round ones on Japanese bikes) and smaller cross sections. Oh, don’t forget about the single-sided swingarm, too.

So it’s only apt that Ducati launch the Ducati Panigale V4 25th Anniversario 916 together with Fogarty. The official unveiling will happen at the US round of the WorldSBK championship, at the famous Laguna Seca track. Current factory riders Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies will join the party.

There isn’t much details about the bike, yet, except that only 500 will be built.

GIVI Big Trail Clinic by Jeremais Israel and Acoi Pangkolo Coming Up!

Ex-works HRC Dakar Rally rider Jeremais Israel and Malaysia trails rider Acoi Pangkolo will hold the GIVI Big Trail Clinic.
It will be held on 20^th July 2019 at Ukay Perdana.
Jeremais is also here for the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019.

Get ready for the best trail riding clinic of your lifetime as GIVI presents the GIVI Big Trail Clinic by Jeremais Israel and Acoi Pangkolo.

The clinic is specially set up in view of the Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019 at the Rimba Valley Motorcamp on 27^th and 28^th July. This is a great opportunity for the competitors to learn the finer points of motorcycle control in rough and tough environments. The classes are open to non-Rimba Raid participants, also.

It will take place on 20^th July 2019, at Ukay Perdana, Kuala Lumpur. Registration begins at 8am. Breakfast will be served.

The classes include:

Throttle and clutch control.
Turning (advanced).
Braking point and position (advanced).
Technical uphill and downhill.
Challenging terrain (sand, stones, mud).

The event is part of the epic GIVI Explorer Malaysian Adventure set to begin in a fortnight, and also the GIVI Rimba Raid 2019 at Rimba Valley Motorcamp. It’s also part of GIVI’s doctrine in inculcating the correct and safe handling of motorcycles in every ride.

The clinic will be conducted by Jeremais Israel and Acoi Pangkolo. The former hails from Chile and formerly competed in the Dakar Rally for the Honda HRC team. Acoi, on the other hand, is a well-known trails, enduro and stunt rider among the Malaysian off-road riding community. Acoi has taken part in the FIM Asia Trails Championship in Chiang Mai, Thailand a number of years ago and is still an active participant in many local races.

GIVI specially flew Jeremais Israel into Malaysia to compete in the GIVI Rimba Raid. He will be riding the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC. British stunt rider rode the XE version of the bike to an impressive fifth-placed finish in the Mexican 1000 Rally recently, among purpose-built 450cc dirtbikes!

To register, please Whatsapp your details below to Acoi Pangkolo at 018-3770635. You may also call him at 016-7250434.