Ninja 250 R

1997 Kawasaki Ninja 250 R Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

Positioned in Kawasaki's sport motorcycle lineup, the 1997 Kawasaki Ninja 250 R relies on a 248 cc (15.1 cu in) liquid-cooled twin, four-stroke powerplant. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 45 HP (32.8 kW) at 11,000 rpm while maximum torque reaches 24 Nm (17.7 lb-ft) at 10,000 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 6-speed gearbox and chain final drive. With a specific output of 181.5 HP per liter and a 1,000 rpm working window between peak torque (10,000 rpm) and peak power (11,000 rpm), the engine character is placing it firmly in high-revving supersport territory where top-end breathing dominates.

On the scales, the Ninja 250 R measures 138.3 kg (305 lbs) dry, translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.33 HP/kg (3.07 kg per horsepower). Rider ergonomics and chassis geometry center around a 740 mm (29.1 in) seat height — giving shorter riders and urban commuters confident flat-foot reach at traffic stops, combined with a 1,400 mm (55.1 in) wheelbase engineered for quick, flickable steering geometry. The 18.16-liter (4.8 US gal) fuel tank supports practical everyday commuting and weekend road stints, while factory top speed is listed at 153 km/h (95 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's Kawasaki archive, this model family spans 3 indexed model years from 1997 to 2006, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.