Starting in 1978, Kawasaki won 4 consecutive 250cc World Championships with their KR250 racer – its most notable feature was the “tandem twin” engine which had one cylinder behind the other and two cranks!
This helped keep the bike narrow as the engine was slimmer and both headers could exit on the same side, but it required liquid cooling to ensure that the rear cylinder did not overheat.
The 45hp engine was paired with a six-speed transmission, aluminum frame, triple disc brakes, anti-dive front end, and one of the most distinctive taillights of the 1980s.
The seller of this example (VIN: KR250A-007779) acquired it two years ago from a collector “who found it stored under a blanket.”
The odometer shows 5,581 kilometers (3,467 miles).
Per the seller, this KR “only gets ridden around the block every now and then to keep it in running condition, because of that it starts easily by hand and runs beautifully.”
Cosmetically, the seller says that this “looks like a nearly new 36 year old bike” and adds that there are no mechanical issues.
The sale includes the original tool kit.
The seller sums this up by calling it “a total time warp bike. So original like you just don’t see them anymore.” Currently located in Johannesburg, South Africa, this Kawasaki is offered on a Bill of Sale only. Have any KR250 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the comments!
Iconic’s White Glove process for an auction winner that requires shipping out of South Africa:
This seller is a long time client who has sold quite a few bikes with Iconic Motorbikes – Adam says “it does take a little time but typically but it’s worth the wait as the examples we’ve seen so far from this particular seller are all quite excellent!”
We release money to the seller once it’s dropped off at the transport company. From there we can assist with obtaining necessary clearances. Our container leaving South Africa has filled up – we have another container loading but it won’t ship until it’s full. If you’re patient and can wait for that, shipping will be roughly $1,000-$1,3000 depending on the bike and customs duties. For an LCL shipment, it would cost roughly $2,000 and take 10-12 weeks to get this bike to your door in the US depending on where you live. We can also assist with obtaining a US title, depending on the state.
Continental US: Haul Bikes will ship anything sold through Iconic for $750 (this went up on 5/12 due to increases in gas costs) in the Continental US, and Iconic will handle the paperwork on your behalf. You do not need to crate your bike or drain the gas/disconnect the battery if you go with Haul Bikes. We are glad to work with the shipper of your choice as well, but you will have to arrange it.
Please note:
spares/extras will have to be shipped separately via FedEx or similar.
the fee includes $15,000 of insurance with a $500 deductible. Additional insurance can be purchased at a cost of $50 per additional $5,000 of value.
