Many bike riders and enthusiasts have forgotten just how much fun little sports bikes can be, and anything displacing less than 600cc is largely ignored by mainstream motorcyclists in the Western world in general, and our country in particular. In an older South Africa awash with 16- year- olds riding 50cc buzz-bikes the bloke who owned a 125cc was envied, and a 250cc twin was – like, WOW! In later years the importers gave up on the marvellous 250cc and 400cc sports machines that were so popular elsewhere because the prices were considered to be prohibitive, so grey importers made a killing bringing in 250cc two-stroke twin and 400cc four-cylinder race replicas, and those who rode them loved them.
Well, the pendulum has swung a little the other way again with new bikes, and Kawasaki’s 250 and 300cc parallel-twin four-strokes are leading the – well, not quite a wave, but a significant ripple of lightweight motorcycles that are reasonably affordable, cheap to run, and lots of fun. In Australia there’s a very competitive race series for the Kawasaki Ninja 300 machinery, and although it’s intended to bring affordable racing within the reach of youngsters, there are a fair number of grey-haired old superbike racers in the field, simply because of the fun factor. See HERE
The race-replicas have been around for a while, but the factory in 2014 brought out a naked Z300 that’s possibly the best looking and most fun of the lot. As they come out of the factory they’re all great little sports machines, but in the USA particularly, there’s a whole new industry being formed around custom kits for the 250 and 300cc range of bikes. For a look at what’s available in custom kits, get some popcorn and a Coke, and settle back to watch – and listen to the gorgeous exhaust notes of – the bikes on Blue Collar Bobbers promotional video HERE
Still not convinced? For an even wider range of styling conjoured up by various bike builders, take a look HERE
And finally, for Part One of Motorcycle USA’s take on turning an insurance write-off Ninja 300 into something better-than-new visit their site HERE
They haven’t really got going yet, but Part One explains their logic in choosing the bike, as well as carrying out a couple of minor mods to make the littlest Ninjas even more fun on the road – or track.
by Gavin Foster