Kawasaki KR-1S (1990-1992)

In many ways you could be very mean and rate the Kawasaki KR-1S’s engine as poor. The preceding KR-1 suffered from iffy reliability, and KR-1S got nickel plated cylinders which are expensive to re-bore or replace. That said, if you service the engine regularly and use quality two-stroke oil, you have the quickest 250 two-stroke out there. 

Again, the Kawasaki KR-1S is very ying-yang. On the one hand it’s very light, flickable and tiny, like riding a mini race bike. But on the flip side it’s capable of sending the bars into a mighty tank-slapper. The rear shock is on the soft side, and the suspension basic, and you were stuck with a 18inch rear wheel.  But once set up with a good steering damper the Kawasaki KR-1S was a flyer and rewarding to ride fast.

The Kawasaki KR-1S never had the mouth-watering appeal of the RGV or RS 250 from Aprilia which copied the lines of their 250GP bike relatives, so, looks-wise, the KR-1S is slightly disappointing. Nor are there any special parts, like the sculpted swing arm of the Suzuki or twin high race exhausts of the Priller. That said, the KR-1S’s brakes are not half bad. Compare and buy parts for the KR-1S in the MCN Shop.