2014 ET ZigWheels Awards Premium Bike of the year below 500cc: Kawasaki Z250

The premium segment of motorcycles below 500cc saw a mixed fleet of motorcycles contending for the title. From a cruiser to a streetfighter to track ready full-faired motorcycles, there wasn’t any dearth of options. The finale though was between the KTM RC 390 and the Kawasaki Z250. In this scuffle, the Kawasaki Z250 emerged victorious in what was among the toughest decisions the jury had to take in the 2014 ZigWheels Awards. The main reason for the KTM RC 390 losing out was the fact that it didn’t bring anything of much significance when compared to the KTM 390 Duke. With its swashbuckling styling, premium engineering and build quality, the Kawasaki Z250 was definitely the standout bike in the segment. This coupled with the relaxed riding posture; engaging handling dynamics further strengthened its case. The powerplant doesn’t deliver the punch as what the specifications suggest but keep the motor on boil and the nature of the engine transforms drastically. The twin-cylinder mill is an old-school high-revving motor and one need to feed in the revvs to extract the best possible performance from the Kawasaki Z250 and its great fun seeing the revv needled hit the 13k limiter mark.

The Kawasaki Z250 is among those rare breed of motorcycles that will be not only happy burning rubber on the circuit but also gobble up miles on the highway with equal ease. The fact that it is the cheapest motorcycle offering from Kawasaki India in our two-wheeler market also works in its favour.