Rider Review: 2002 Kawasaki KL250 Super Sherpa

Submitted by: Road Warrior64

I have owned my SS for several weeks now and would like to share my experience for those considering this bike. First and foremost, I bought this bike for it simplicity, ruggedness, and dependability. It is one of the only air-cooled, single cylinder, street legal motorcycles made today. This, in turn, yields a lightweight, super low maintenance bike. It has 22 h.p. at the engine and a dry weight of 249 lbs. The great thing about the engine is the double overhead cam, four valve head. It is what allows this little 250 to have adequate performance. The six speed transmission gives the bike a low first, second, and third gear. The fifth gear is perfectly fine at 55 mph but sixth is really high allowing for low rpms at 65 mph and above. My bike will top out in the high 80's but wind resisitance limits anything faster. It is the first dual sport bike I have owned and it is, by far, the funnest bike I have ever ridden. More than my Ninja 250, GS500, Vulcan 500, GL500, or Rebel 250. I have never been an aggressive rider and I love how the suspension lets you roll over road defects that could cause havoc for a street bike. Other facts about the bike: 65 mpg, 9:1 compression, 32" seat height, digital instruments. For a simple, rugged, do everything bike, try the SS.