I'm starting this post off now to get my thoughts in now. The review will be started properly next week, and updated as I continue to use these tires.
A little bit of background on the 08+ Ninja 250. When the new model was first released, Kawasaki fitted them with Bridgestone BT-45 tires. These are mainly meant for sport touring, and the general consensus is that they perform well. They have a decent amount of grip with great tread wear characteristics. It is common for them to last upwards of 10,000+ km. Somewhere in that model year, Kawasaki also fitted some bikes with Dunlop GT-501s. These tires were reviewed to be comparable to the BT-45s, with the BT-45s being slightly grippier. Suffice it to say, these tires worked well for the Ninja 250 and were a great fit for the typical new rider as they instilled confidence.
For the 09 model year, Kawasaki made a cost-cutting move by switching to IRC RoadWinner tires. These tires have very poor reviews, with some saying they feel like wood and are not very grippy tires at all. Some even state they are downright dangerous, and they are not the appropriate tires for a new rider. Many recommend changing them out as soon as possible.
All of these tires are bias-ply tires (vs. radials), and the recommended size for the 3.5" rims is a 130/70 rear and 110/70 front.
My Ninja 250 is an 09 model year. I bought her at 4,300 km, and am now at 13,000 km. I have not changed the stock IRCs. These tires are just about down to their wear bars, and they are VERY squared off. They probably needed to be changed a while ago. I've been shopping for tires since July.
There are not many options available for the Ninja 250. There are other tires made by Avon, Metzeler and Michelin that are available in the stock sizes, but they are not as popular and there are few reviews. Most everyone recommends either the BT-45s, or the Pirelli Sport Demons. The Sport Demons are likely the best bias-ply tires you can find in stock sizes for the Ninja 250. Apparently, they provide the best grip and wet performance, but at the cost of increased tread wear. You will typically have to switch them out after 7,000+ km.
But what about radials? Well, without getting into construction details, they will generally allow higher levels of grip and better tread wear. There are many more options available in radial tires. However, you will be hard-pressed to find them in a 130/70 rear tire size. The smallest you'll likely find is a 140/70 or 150/60.
Generally, moving up a tire size is not recommended. Many do it because they think either a) it provides better grip and stability b) it looks bigger and better. In fact, moving up tire sizes is unlikely to provide either. It modifies the contact patch you have with the road, and if you do it incorrectly, can actually reduce the amount of rubber on the road. Moreover, it can create oddly shaped patches that reduce performance. This usually occurs when you try to pinch the rubber to fit on the smaller rim. A larger rear tire will also be harder to throw over into corners, reducing the flickability of the Ninja 250, one of its selling points. Finally, a 150 rear tire is only 2 cm wider than a 130, a difference that is imperceptible to anyone but you. All in all, you want to avoid moving up a tire size.
So why do it at all? Well, you would only do it if the tire you want is not available in the smaller size. In this case, it's the Bridgestone BT-016 tires. These are the same tires that come stock on many of the SS bikes, albeit in the 3 compound aftermarket tire vs. the 2 compound OEM tire. These are very favourably reviewed as providing high levels of grip and minimal tread wear. It is common for them to last 12,000+ km. However, the smallest available rear tire is a 150/60. We just said we shouldn't move up tire sizes.
Well, according to the Ninja 250 community, it's ok in this case. Yes, the larger rear tire will reduce the bike's flickability. However, it seems the tire's profile is very comparable to a 130/70 tire (it should be, since 70% of 130 is 91mm and 60% of 150 is 90mm). It doesn't seem to pinch badly, and it fits into the swingarm with enough clearance. These tires have been reviewed very well. They perform better than the BT-45s, and even better than the Sport Demons. The consensus is that these are the new must-have tires for the Ninja 250 if you are doing any kind of commuting or twisty riding.
On Monday, I intend to find out for myself. I ordered the front tire (110/70) from Rocky Mountain ATV for $49.99 + $7 shipping USD, and the rear tire (150/60) from Motorcycle Superstore for $119.99 USD. I had them shipped to Blue Water Shipping Depot in Port Huron, MI, and I will pick them up Saturday as I drop off my sister to school. I ordered them on Friday and Monday, and they arrived this morning.
A better deal on the rear tire is at Cycle Gear. They're selling it for $99.99, with free shipping. If you add something else to your cart to make it $100, you can use this coupon code (CG20OFF100) to make it just about $80, again with free shipping. I tried to go this route, but their fraud division had issues with my US Visa having a Canadian billing address. I could've resolved this, but not in the timeframe I needed, so I ordered elsewhere. Motorcycle Superstore were unwilling to match the price, since it was below their cost.
Suffice it to say, it is possible to get a set of well-reviewed tires for the Ninja 250 for $137 USD, plus some time and effort on your part to pick them up from a cross-border shipping depot.
I will continue this long-winded review once I've installed the tires.
A little bit of background on the 08+ Ninja 250. When the new model was first released, Kawasaki fitted them with Bridgestone BT-45 tires. These are mainly meant for sport touring, and the general consensus is that they perform well. They have a decent amount of grip with great tread wear characteristics. It is common for them to last upwards of 10,000+ km. Somewhere in that model year, Kawasaki also fitted some bikes with Dunlop GT-501s. These tires were reviewed to be comparable to the BT-45s, with the BT-45s being slightly grippier. Suffice it to say, these tires worked well for the Ninja 250 and were a great fit for the typical new rider as they instilled confidence.
For the 09 model year, Kawasaki made a cost-cutting move by switching to IRC RoadWinner tires. These tires have very poor reviews, with some saying they feel like wood and are not very grippy tires at all. Some even state they are downright dangerous, and they are not the appropriate tires for a new rider. Many recommend changing them out as soon as possible.
All of these tires are bias-ply tires (vs. radials), and the recommended size for the 3.5" rims is a 130/70 rear and 110/70 front.
My Ninja 250 is an 09 model year. I bought her at 4,300 km, and am now at 13,000 km. I have not changed the stock IRCs. These tires are just about down to their wear bars, and they are VERY squared off. They probably needed to be changed a while ago. I've been shopping for tires since July.
There are not many options available for the Ninja 250. There are other tires made by Avon, Metzeler and Michelin that are available in the stock sizes, but they are not as popular and there are few reviews. Most everyone recommends either the BT-45s, or the Pirelli Sport Demons. The Sport Demons are likely the best bias-ply tires you can find in stock sizes for the Ninja 250. Apparently, they provide the best grip and wet performance, but at the cost of increased tread wear. You will typically have to switch them out after 7,000+ km.
But what about radials? Well, without getting into construction details, they will generally allow higher levels of grip and better tread wear. There are many more options available in radial tires. However, you will be hard-pressed to find them in a 130/70 rear tire size. The smallest you'll likely find is a 140/70 or 150/60.
Generally, moving up a tire size is not recommended. Many do it because they think either a) it provides better grip and stability b) it looks bigger and better. In fact, moving up tire sizes is unlikely to provide either. It modifies the contact patch you have with the road, and if you do it incorrectly, can actually reduce the amount of rubber on the road. Moreover, it can create oddly shaped patches that reduce performance. This usually occurs when you try to pinch the rubber to fit on the smaller rim. A larger rear tire will also be harder to throw over into corners, reducing the flickability of the Ninja 250, one of its selling points. Finally, a 150 rear tire is only 2 cm wider than a 130, a difference that is imperceptible to anyone but you. All in all, you want to avoid moving up a tire size.
So why do it at all? Well, you would only do it if the tire you want is not available in the smaller size. In this case, it's the Bridgestone BT-016 tires. These are the same tires that come stock on many of the SS bikes, albeit in the 3 compound aftermarket tire vs. the 2 compound OEM tire. These are very favourably reviewed as providing high levels of grip and minimal tread wear. It is common for them to last 12,000+ km. However, the smallest available rear tire is a 150/60. We just said we shouldn't move up tire sizes.
Well, according to the Ninja 250 community, it's ok in this case. Yes, the larger rear tire will reduce the bike's flickability. However, it seems the tire's profile is very comparable to a 130/70 tire (it should be, since 70% of 130 is 91mm and 60% of 150 is 90mm). It doesn't seem to pinch badly, and it fits into the swingarm with enough clearance. These tires have been reviewed very well. They perform better than the BT-45s, and even better than the Sport Demons. The consensus is that these are the new must-have tires for the Ninja 250 if you are doing any kind of commuting or twisty riding.
On Monday, I intend to find out for myself. I ordered the front tire (110/70) from Rocky Mountain ATV for $49.99 + $7 shipping USD, and the rear tire (150/60) from Motorcycle Superstore for $119.99 USD. I had them shipped to Blue Water Shipping Depot in Port Huron, MI, and I will pick them up Saturday as I drop off my sister to school. I ordered them on Friday and Monday, and they arrived this morning.
A better deal on the rear tire is at Cycle Gear. They're selling it for $99.99, with free shipping. If you add something else to your cart to make it $100, you can use this coupon code (CG20OFF100) to make it just about $80, again with free shipping. I tried to go this route, but their fraud division had issues with my US Visa having a Canadian billing address. I could've resolved this, but not in the timeframe I needed, so I ordered elsewhere. Motorcycle Superstore were unwilling to match the price, since it was below their cost.
Suffice it to say, it is possible to get a set of well-reviewed tires for the Ninja 250 for $137 USD, plus some time and effort on your part to pick them up from a cross-border shipping depot.
I will continue this long-winded review once I've installed the tires.
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