Our Cars: Kawasaki Z250SL

12 September 2016: Bring the noise

I knew from my very first ride on the Z250SL that it was too quiet. Many people will question the need for a particularly loud bike – they’re obnoxious and antisocial, really – but the Z250 was close to silent, which is bad news in traffic. Other motorists tend to have a tricky time spotting slim, small bikes, so being heard is essential.

Aftermarket exhausts are expensive though – and a bit hard to find for the Z250. Fortunately, they do exist, although they’re more commonly listed for the Ninja 250SL. Fitment is the same for both the Ninja and Zed though, as I discovered when I ordered a Ninja 250SL slip-on from Delkevic.

Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Delkevic produces a range of slip-on exhaust designs to suit most current bikes, many of which meet requirements to be road legal – though some are restricted to track use only. The basic stainless steel oval design I chose for the Z250SL is the cheapest option.

It certainly doesn’t feel cheap though. Construction is really sturdy, with a perfect mirror finish – plus it’s appreciably lighter than the standard silencer, although a pricier carbon fibre option is lighter still. Installation requires basic tools and takes about 15 minutes, so almost anyone can do it at home.

I've kept the original safe for when I come to sell the bike

Once fitted the Delkevic slip-on sounds much better than the standard exhaust. There’s far more bass and a decent amount of extra volume, meaning the Z250 catches people’s attention. It isn’t obnoxious, though – neighbours don’t complain, dogs don’t bark and windows don’t rattle.

Having said that, the baffle can be removed with a single hex bolt – and that makes things very loud indeed. It’s probably not a wise move though, since it’ll attract all of the wrong kind of attention and it probably pushes the level of noise over the legal limit. Nobody wants to get pulled over by a traffic officer.

There’s no obvious change to performance though, despite the slight reduction in weight. A downpipe with no catalyser is available from Arrow, which would probably yield a bit more power but it isn’t approved for road use. And besides, I’m quite happy with the way the Z250SL performs.

That said, the tyres aren’t particularly communicative so I plan to replace those in the future. And, like with the exhaust, there is a limited selection of options since the tyre fitment isn’t particularly common. Fortunately, tyre size is shared with every 17-year-old’s dream bike - the Yamaha R125 - so options are available. 

« Earlier: First service and first problem     Later: Time to get some better tyres »

Updates

17 December 2016: Winter riding

John's decided, with a very significant amount of reluctance, to ride around in the winter weather, just to see how the Z250SL copes.

17 November 2016: Two-up on the Z250SL

Can you carry passengers on the Z250SL or is it strictly a one-up machine?

17 October 2016: Time to get some better tyres

The original equipment tyres supplied with the Z250SL aren't great, so John's changed them for some Michelin Pilot Streets.

12 September 2016: Bring the noise

John has changed the standard exhaust silencer on the Z250SL to make it a bit more noticeable in traffic.

12 August 2016: First service and first problem

The Kawasaki's engine has been liberated by the run-in service - but it hasn't all been plain sailing.

27 July 2016: Say hello to our little green Kawasaki

For the next few years John will be enjoying the company of a bright green, 250cc Z250SL. This is why he chose it...