Source: Bike Bound
[[{“value”:”Kawasaki 250 Café Racer by Batakastem Workshop…
The Kawasaki Z250 (twin) was basically a lightweight naked version of the Ninja 250R, packing a 31-bhp version of the fuel-injected liquid-cooled twin that powered its fairing-clad sibling. This 250cc modern streetfighter earned high marks from reviewers.
“The Kawasaki Z250 is the best out there. It looks big, works in a refined manner, gives you the pleasure of a twin-cylinder motor and that Kawasaki halo of reliability. Build quality and paint finish is also top notch.” –Shifting Gears
(Note: The Z250 twin is not to be confused with the less powerful single-cylinder Z250SL — a popular learner’s bike in some markets.)
Though the Z250 is a capable mount, we can’t say we’re ever been overly enamored with the styling and the early models are now more than a decade old — long in the tooth in the looks department, but with many of miles left on the clock. Of course, that makes them great candidates for a custom transformation.
This Z250 café racer comes from our friend Abraham Simatupang and his team at Indonesia’s Batakastem Workshop, builders of the Ninja 150R “Smoky Sprinter” and Yamaha MT-25 “Blue Camel” we featured last year.
In this case, the customer wanted a reliable modern café racers with classic lines and a livery to match his Shoei Ex-Zero helmet, but with more relaxed ergonomics than many such builds we see.
“The unique aspect of the overall build is that we couldn’t make the riding position as sloped as the classic café racer, as the owner is not as young as the typical cafe racer enthusiast.”
Though the design brief was fairly straightforward, the build would be complicated by the Z250’s original architecture. The frame doesn’t lend itself to the flat lines of a cafe racer, which necessitated significant work on both the midsection and rear subframe.
Abraham and his team fabricated all of the bodywork in-house — fuel tank, fenders, side panels, belly pan, tail section, and more. Here again, the frame and fuel injection system proved challenging to accommodate.
“Every build has its own story, but on this particular one, the most challenging part was crafting the fuel tank, primarily due to the original frame’s hybrid shape, combining elements of both modern and classic designs, and the additional complexity of accommodating a fuel injection system.”
Bravo for making such complicated work look seamless. Toro MotoDesign handled the livery, perfectly matching the paint scheme of the owner’s Shoei Ex-Zero — one of our favorite retro-style helmets on the market. Other highlights include a new wheelset and various custom accessories: lights, indicators, gauges, handlebar, grips, and more.
All in all, the Batakastem team has transformed an aging, fairly plain-Jane naked bike into a great-looking cafe racer. Well done! Below, we talk to headman Abraham for more details on the build.
Kawasaki Z250 Café Racer: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
Kawasaki Z250, 250cc, Twin Cylinder, 2012.
• Why was this bike built?
It’s a customer project, but the bike owner informed us that this build would be displayed at his office.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The design concept, as seen from the pictures, is Café Racer, strongly influenced by the classic Café Racer concept. Clean and tidy, with a touch of our own character in the build, such as the air scoops and accents.
However, it turned out to be more like a modern classic café racer, as we also incorporated many modern parts. Nonetheless, the unique aspect of the overall build is that we couldn’t make the riding position as sloped as the classic café racer, as the owner is not as young as the typical café racer enthusiast.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
For the frameworks, mid to rear section (subframe) because the frame wasn’t already balanced.
Bodyworks (fuel tank, front fender, mudguard, side panels, seat, belly pan, hornet, shroud), wheel set, accessories (headlight, tail light, turn signals, speedometer, handlebar, handlebar grips), and more.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
It was named ‘Glamst’ because the owner requested the livery to match the design of a new helmet he had just purchased.
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
The bike still adheres to the manufacturer’s specifications, 31.5 hp.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It actually feels more aerodynamic since the riding position is closer to the bike, making it easier to split lanes between traffic, and definitely cooler than riding the standard donor bike.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
Every build has its own story, but on this particular one, the most challenging part was crafting the fuel tank, primarily due to the original frame’s hybrid shape, combining elements of both modern and classic designs, and the additional complexity of accommodating a fuel injection system.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
Everyone who was involved in the making of this build. The owner, our internal team, our always-supportive friends on social media, the designer @toropriant.
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @batakastem_workshop | @abrahamsimatupang
Facebook: @batakastem
Youtube: @batakastemworkshop
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@batakastem
More Batakastem Builds
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