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2015 Kawasaki Z250SL Spells Naked Fun, but Not the NSFW Way

Kawasaki carries on the naked bike heritage with a model dedicated to first-time riders, the 2015 iteration of the Z250SL model. Basically, this bike solves two of the main problems new riders are usually facing when they start thinking about their first bike: looks and performance. These two may sound like common problems which are easy to solve, but for a beginner who has not seen too much of the two-wheeled world, making a choice and the “right” compromise is definitely a hard task.
2015 Kawasaki Z250SL 31 photos
Photo: Kawasaki
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The 2015 Kawasaki Z250SL introduces modern, cool aesthetics which are literally brought over from the bigger bikes, with almost zero compromises dictated by the dimensions of the bike. Akashi managed to draw a bike which looks much like a scaled-down version of a liter-class Z, and this will definitely be a major selling point.

Pointy corners, sharp cutting edges, and an overall aggressive design emphasize the mean attitude of the bike. Maybe a tad intimidating for some, the Kawasaki Z250SL is definitely not a bike for riders who are afraid to tell the world how they feel.

A Ninja-based machine with optional ABS

If anything, the 2015 Kawasaki Z250SL can be referred to as a naked quarter-liter Ninja. At the heart of the machine beats a new 249cc liquid-cooled single which can deploy as much as 28 hp at 9,700 revs and 22.6 Nm (16.6 lb-ft) at 8,200 rpm. The manual 6-speed transmission should account for effortless city rides and highway hauls alike, while the single disc 290mm front brake and the similar 220mm rear one are likely to provide good stopping power.

Kawasaki is offering ABS as an option for the 2015 MY Z250SL, while the cast wheels have a trick, racey design and are shod with 100mm and 130mm-wide 17” tires in the front and rear, respectively. The seat height is 785mm (30.9”).

The aggressive Z styling is complemented by an all-digital dash with amber backlighting which looks just like that of the bigger naked machines. No price is yet announced, but for some reason, Kawasaki’s entry-point sporty bikes are not the first thing which comes to mind when the word “cheap” comes in discussion.
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