Faults:

Nothing really serious has gone wrong with this bike other than replacing the battery (after a couple years) and signal light relay (2008). Otherwise, only regular service at the prescribed intervals has been done.

General Comments:

Bike has a low seat, so taller riders won't feel comfortable on it.

Great gas mileage (60-72 MPG depending on riding style and city/hwy).

Great performance for a 250. Once you get beyond 9000 the engine really lights up. Cruises comfortably between 6000 and 8000.

Reliable and cheap to insure. Maintenance intervals are reasonable and the bike is relatively easy to service on your own.

Mild vibrations are a bit annoying on trips longer than 100km, but can be managed with periodic stops, and thick gloves and boot soles.

This bike is one of the best commuters there are out there. It's been replaced by the NINJA 250, which I would expect to have similar performance characteristics. When I do buy a larger bike, I may keep this one for commuting.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this motorcycle yet.

General Comments:

Bought this bike this year for my first bike. Really fun, very quick off the line, but the top speed is an issue, but it's a 250 so you know what you're getting.

The bike is big for a 250, but still much lighter than a 500, so it's perfect for larger beginners like myself (being 6'4" and still fitting comfortably on the bike).

My one issue is it's a bit too easy to ride. I've only had it for a short while, and I already want to upgrade to a 500, 600, or 650 bike. The good part about the ZZR is when you want to upgrade, the resale value holds up, especially if you upgrade only one season later.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the motorcycle.

General Comments:

I bought the 2004 Kawasaki ZZR250 as my first bike. As such, I don't feel I can give proper acceleration/roll-on/handling marks. Here's my textual description:

It will out-accelerate most cars from stop-lights if you want it to; handling seems better/firmer than the learner bike that I rode for my "Gearing Up"/MSF course; if you are in the correct gear roll-on acceleration seems adequate for the traffic situations I've been in; the bike stops when I want it to, so braking seems fine.

Fuel economy is excellent, since new it has averaged 3.57 L/100KM, roughly 65 US MPG or 78 IMP MPG.

General maintenance is simple, there is a centre stand which eases oil changes and chain lubing.

I've commuted on the bike and it can run warmer during the stop-and-go type city traffic. You can hear the cooling fan cycling on/off, and feel a bit of warmth on your legs. Please remember that I have no other experience for comparison. It commutes wonderfully, more than quick enough to keep up with traffic and great fuel economy are excellent traits for this type of duty.

My only complaints would be that the side stand is the first object on the bike to touch the ground when cornering left, not the peg feeler on the left foot rest. The seat can be uncomfortable for riding after approximately 45-60 minutes.