Are you sure? It has a Compression Ratio of 11.2:1... and it comes from Europe without any technical changes.
Doesn't it need 93+ octane fuel?

Nope, its better but not mandatory !!
Check any of the ninja 250 forums hosted in US, threads discussing this exists there. I'd guess 87 octane should do fine. Of couse 93 octane will obviously be better.
I am not very well versed with the octane number vis-a-vis the compression ratio, but I'd guess 97 octane will be an overkill !!

considering some ppl run their R1 and hayabusas on speed petrol,I don't see any reason why this won't run...but yes,i agree,93+ octane fuel is recommended...

Guys has the bookings started for the ninja 250 in delhi, chennai, hyderabad for that matter even in pune . Also how long are the saying the waiting period is ?

@ Chetan: Is that confirmed? Then at least I can stop calling the guys at Khivraj every hour and wait till next month hits

It's here! It's here!

I was passing by the PBK showroom in Chennai, last night at around 7. I'd passed the showroom twice, earlier in the day and seen nothing. However, this time, I just HAD to stop. The babies were there, in green and black, and they looked magnificient! I went inside to take a look, and he wouldn't even allow me to sit on it!

I whipped out my cell phone and started taking some pictures, but the guy there requested me not to. I told the guy there that I was from xBhp, and I simply wanted to spread the word around. He told me that there'd be ads on the site, and he didn't want me to take pictures as the bike had still not been set up properly. I took around 4 pictures.

HERE is where I got lucky. I was going out of the showroom, and they had one of the bikes outside too. As luck would have it, they were just about to fill fuel. I asked the guy there if I could have a ride on it, and he said that they weren't giving rides to anyone just yet. Only the guys who work there were trying it out. I asked him if I could go pillion, and he agreed.

Pillion is NOT what you want to be on the Ninja 250. Trust me. I could not see the speeds that the guy riding was doing, because they had unplugged the speedo cable. But then, the RPM meter showed me he was doing around 6000 rpm max. It's redlined at 13000. Oh, btw, EVERYTHING about the bike is perfect, except for the console, which looks totally out of place, and looks even worse when lit up. The pillion seat is just an accessory and has no real use. You would be risking your neck. I was being tossed around like a guy on a rodeo horse, as he reached speeds of around 60-70, I think. The engine tone is AMAZING! You can barely hear the bike. It's like the Ninja's trying to whisper to you... menacingly!

The bike has got rear tires of width 130, and front tires of width 110. It's nice and tall, unlike the R15, and the seating posture is extremely sporty. I think it'll be relatively easier to get your knee down on this baby. The braking power is amazing. It stops when and where you want it to. As for how she looks, I need only say this - every single pair of eyes were on the bike as we crossed the main road.

The guy at the showroom told me that the bike is going to have an EX-showroom price of around 2.78 lakhs in Chennai, which means, OTR could be around 3. Way too expensive, but I'm wondering if it's worth it. They aren't giving you test rides yet, but it's worth just going all the way to the showroom to ogle at the bike.

I'm putting up 4 pics of the bike that I took at the showroom. They were taken on my phone and are of crappy quality. But what the heck.

For those who missed this link on the back pages, am posting it once again, Hi-res shots of the Ninja250 on the track and at the launch event.
Kawasaki Ninja 250R Up Close - a set on Flickr
Kawasaki Ninja 250R Presentation and Unveiling - a set on Flickr

Seconded......(the wait has never been so great). Half of november will also be not at all a bad time to buy the beauty.
By the way, I have stayed in Bangalore for 2 years (mid 2005-mid 2007) and the crowd there far exceeds that in Pune. I am sure you will require late night and/or highway rides to enjoy the bike fully.

that why its called the NINJA!


cngrts and tnx for the description man!

it's headlight is so god damn awesome!!!

In fact buddy, everything is. It looks almost flawless and the quality is absolutely uncompromised if we look at its finishing and its parts. Isnt it?

with the recent images and those of you, who had a close look at it. Is there any option to relocate the number plate from the current position ????

Exactly.... thats what I was drooling about in those flickr set of pictures. Checking my bank account ... ready cash available only for the down-paymant ...hope someone will give me some money from somewhere to get this beauty or will have to settle down to stealing, borrowing or begging .... to have this bike asap .

I've already shortlisted a number of banks to rob. I'm just doing some strategic planning. Soon as I have everything in place, I shall strike.

Seriously, this thing is WORTH looting for!

Not that I had this in mind when I looked at the bike closely, but from my limited memory, it doesnt seem to me that the number plate can be relocated.