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Kibo K250 review – based on 8,000km ownership

67,000kms, shut up and listen
21 December 2019
Bajaj Dominar 400, 2019
7 February 2020
 

By Abdi Zeila

pro: Stability

This has to be one of the most stable small bikes on the Kenyan market. On the road, it is very stable, even against headwinds and even when trucks pass you in the opposite lane. I have done off-roading with this bike, and it performs very well, aided by its light weight and good off-road tyres (Kenha 270).

pro: Seat height and posture

The seat height (800 mm) is okay for me, although I would have preferred a slightly higher seating position (say, 830 mm at least). You sit very upright in traffic, which is a plus. I usually find myself sitting at eyeball level with big SUV drivers.


pro: Fuel consumption

I am consistently getting on average FC of between 32 and 35 kilometers per litre (or up to 85 miles per gallon). The fuel tank (capacity of 10.8 L) takes me 370 km roughly (meaning I can ride between Nairobi and Garissa without stopping for fuel midway). I did some basic research on this particular element, and in its class (250cc dual sports), this is probably class-leading fuel efficiency.

pro: Traffic maneuverability

It is very easy to filter through traffic in most of the roads in the city (especially the multi-laned roads such as Mbagathi Way and Waiyaki Way). This is one of the reasons why I bought the bike, and its performance in city traffic is stellar. The handlebars are not that far apart as to cause problems when lane splitting.

pro: Gaining speed from traffic stops

The bike quickly accelerates from stop (or starting point) very quickly. I have no complaints in this as it is usually critical to gain speed from traffic stops. 0-100 KPH takes about 10 seconds or so. The top-speed I have managed on this bike was 116 KPH, with bone-jarring vibrations, however. The best cruising speed for this bike lies between 85 and 95 KPH.

 

pro: Climbing power on fairly steep grade

I usually use Langata Road as my main commuting route. The outbound carriageway has a fairly steep grade from Uhuru Gardens all the way to KWS main entrance for Nairobi National Park, and I have no problem riding all the way in gear 5 without the need for downshifting. I recently rode between Nakuru and Nairobi, and did not downshift on the steep ascents past Naivasha.

pro: Payload

I have been impressed with the payload capacity of the bike. On a recent trip to Garissa, I had no trouble carrying stuff from my farm all the way to Nairobi.

pro: No overheating problems

The cooling system works perfectly, even in heavy traffic. It is air-cooled, with an external oil cooler.

con: Starting up in the morning

This is my biggest grouse. It simply doesn’t start on the first start. You have to keep cranking three or four or five times before the engines gets up.

con: Blinkers

The blinkers have been my second source of problems. From day 1 I have had issues, and twice have involved Kibo staff in this. Right now they are working well, after a trip four weeks ago to Kibo’s plant for repairs.

con: Tyres

Tyres have poor grip when cornering in pavement: This I have noted severally. You have to be really slow when cornering, as the Kenda K270 knobbies have poor grip. I am using the bike for 90% city commuting, and the tyres are not very appropriate for this kind of commuting (too noisy, etc.)


 

con: Very hard suspension

You have to take a break every one hour. The suspension is amazingly hard!

con: Braking

The brakes in this bike do not inspire much confidence. They do not have much bite, and if you ride carefree, you will likely meet some trouble.

1 Comment

  1. Kipkurui Josphat says:

    I desperately need that old bike at the corner of your garage that you rarely and is ashamed of riding, am a nature photography enthusiast and would welcome a logistical enabler.
    I can’t even afford a100cc ride.

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