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.”
Find this KR250 for sale in Johannesburg, South Africa with bidding up to $3,500 and the reserve not yet met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.
Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbike Auctions.