Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where can I get a workshop manual from ?
Q. Where's the KR chatroom/forum ?
Q. What model have I got ?
A. I'm assuming it's a watercooled two-stroke Kawasaki at this point. If it's got two cylinders, one behind the
other then it's a KR250 A1/A2 (barely any difference
between them). If it's got the powervalve system (see below) then it's a KR250S. Congratulations - this is the site for you ! However, if the two cylinders
are side-by-side, you've got a KR250B (KR-1), KR250C (KR-1S) or - if you're really lucky
- KR250D (KR-1R). And if it's only
got one cylinder, you've got a KR150 or possibly even an AR125. All these other bikes are great, but I don't know much about them and there's very little
on this site that'll help you I'm afraid. Anything else is either a race bike (we need to talk), a motocrosser (check
for mud) or a jetski (are your feet wet ?). Or maybe it's a weird bastardised one-off product of a disturbed mind -
I've seen an inline-3 based on a KR1 motor and there's a fuel-injected watercooled H1 out there somewhere...
Q. Have I got an 'S' ?
A. The KR250S is basically an ordinary KR with a powervalve top-end. This set-up is known as KVSS - Kawasaki
exhaust Valve Synchronisation System. It comprises a large external pipe on the left of the cylinder head, connecting
the front and rear exhaust ports and containing butterfly valves worked by a mechanical linkage from a servo, controlled
by what looks like another CDI unit. The head and barrels are completely different from the standard model, but - as
far as I know - you could upgrade a normal motor to 'S' spec in the unlikely event that you could find all the parts, as
the bottom-ends are the same, as are the pistons and rings.
A. I'll send you a copy of one, if you ask nicely. The Parts Book
too. See Adverts page. But you can read both for free on my Servicing page. There are no aftermarket manuals (Haynes, Clymer etc.) for the KR that I'm aware of.
Q. Where can I get spare parts ?
A. Good question. These bikes are 20 years old now and most stuff is no longer available. If you're in
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Japan, start by asking your local Kawasaki dealer. In the UK, your Kawasaki
dealer will look at you like you're daft - however, supply the Part Numbers and
they might still appear on his parts computer. Z-Power know
what a KR250A is though and have a computer link to Kawasaki Parts Warehouses in Japan and Holland so they're definitely
recommended. There are plenty of good used (expensive) parts on Yahoo Auctions
Japan but try your local brakers yard too. Or do what most KR owners do and track down a second bike for
spares...
Q. What goes wrong with them ?
A. There are two common faults, probably related to each other. Firstly, they can be a bit temperamental when it
comes to starting. Road tests have mentioned it but without giving a cause or cure. Airlock in the fuel lines
? Badly sealing disc valve ? Dodgy low-speed ignition pickup ? Loss of compression caused by heat
expansion ? Well, the Japanese KR community say it's down to setting the primary gear dampers up correctly, as per
the workshop manual. My bike's fine when it's cold but very difficult when
warm - this is typical, although some owners complain of the reverse. It'll tick over badly on one pot, but won't
take any throttle or choke. I usually have to kill it and push-start it instead. This works fine - it's almost
as though the kickstart won't turn the engine over fast enough. Which brings me to the other common problem : the
kickstart shafts are fragile and often snap. The metal they're made of is almost impossible to weld so a
repair is tricky - but it can and has been done. Don't let either of these problems put you off ownership, just
remember to park at the top of a hill so you can always push-start it easily if necessary...
Q. I want a KR for myself - where can I find one ?
A. Start here. Look at the adverts on the For Sale page or email me and I'll see if I can find you
one. Or ask around the grey-import specialists and see if they can source one direct from Japan for
you. Everyone seems to want the green/white ones, which is lucky as they're the most common.
Q. How much should I pay for one ?
A. Depends how badly you want one. They're difficult to price 'cos there's not many around. An average one
that's running and usable should be £700-£1000, a really mint original one will be £1500-£2000. Add on a few hundred
quid for an 'S' (if you can find one). A parts bike or major restoration project should only be a couple of hundred
quid. If you really want a mint standard one though, save up and buy the best you can find - don't start with a cheap
one and expect to be able to replace the tatty or missing parts.
Q. I can't find the engine number - where is it ?
A. Good question, it's not where you'd expect. It's on the left-hand side of the engine, stamped on the
crankcases alongside the rear cylinder. It's hidden behind the preload adjuster and the fuel pipes so you'll probably
have to take the tank off to read it. The frame number is in the usual place stamped on the headstock.
A. There isn't one on here - sorry ! But there's a great site for the KR-1/S/R parallel twins with a forum that
includes a tandem-twin section. I use it regularly - please register and join in at
KR-1S.CO.UK. If you can read Japanese, I highly
recommend Tono's KR bulletin board.
For online discussion with other two-stroke nuts, I recommend the
Yamaha RD,
RGV250,
NS400R and
TZR250 forums, all of which I
subscribe to. And I've recently helped launch a site that covers all oddball two-strokes, including the KR of course
- see Diff'rent Strokers.
Q. That KR Meeting you went to in Japan sounded fantastic - when are you going to arrange one in the UK
?
A. Hmm, we talked about this when I was there. I'd love to do it but I can't imagine generating the same huge
enthusiasm among the locals. Would you all chip in to cover Kork's airfare like the Japanese did ?
Q. By the way, who made you the expert ?
A. I'm not. I set this site up in June 2003 'cos I couldn't find any information anywhere about the KR and
thought other people might benefit from my ramblings. There are undoubtedly lots of people out there with more KR
knowledge, experience, mechanical and riding skills than me, but none of them bothered to tell anyone !