1980 Kawasaki KL250
I had been away from motorcycles for a while. A friend gave me this one, and in 2012, after nine years, I was a returning rider. The first rides were genuinely fun. The old feeling came back.
It did not run properly when I got it. The shop I have used for years went through it and made it rideable. It still sometimes needed a violent kick, and I did not like the idea of that happening on a forest road. I sold it in 2019.
Go, turn, and stop were fine, thanks to the maintenance. It was also the oldest bike I had owned, and the suspension and brakes felt poor next to anything newer. The feeling, though, is of a machine actually working. It is a bit like time travel.
Drivers coming the other way do a double take. About 99 percent of them are older. Of course they are. The bike is nearly forty years old. Anyone who knew it when it was new would recognize the silhouette.
Specifications
| Grade | Kawasaki KL250 |
|---|---|
| Overall length | 2155mm |
| Overall height | 1160mm |
| Overall width | 855mm |
| Seat height | 800mm |
| Curb weight | 125 kg (equipped) |
| Seating capacity | 2 |
| Engine type | Four-stroke |
| Cylinders | 1 |
| Cylinder layout | Single |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Displacement | 246cc |
| Valve gear | OHC, 2 valves |
| Peak power | 21PS |
| Power rpm | 8500rpm |
| Peak torque | 2.0kgf-m |
| Torque rpm | 6500rpm |
| Fuel system | Carburetor |
| Fuel tank | 8.6L |
| Starting | Kickstart |
| Gearbox | 5-speed constant mesh, return |
| Shift | Foot shift |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front brake | Drum |
| Rear brake | Drum |
| Front suspension | Telescopic fork |
| Rear suspension | Swingarm |
| Front tire | 3.00-21-4PR |
| Rear tire | 4.60-17-4PR |