Kawasaki presents 125cc motorcycles for Ninja and Z ranges

The Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki will unveil its new 125cc Ninja and Z motorcycles at the Intermot international motorcycle fair in Colo...

The Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki will unveil its new 125cc Ninja and Z motorcycles at the Intermot international motorcycle fair in Cologne. (AFP Relaxnews pic)

AFP Relaxnews
COLOGNE

Kawasaki is giving riders a taste of what’s to come from two new 125cc models – the Ninja 125 and the Z125 – available to holders of A1-category licenses for small motorcycles.

As well as their names, the new bikes inherit the signature looks of some of Kawasaki’s sportiest bikes.

The cycles’ most immediately striking feature is their design, with the 125cc Ninja notably referencing the Ninja ZX-10RR, and the Z125 inspired by the Z brand’s naked styling.

Both bikes have tubular trellis type frames using the same stress technology previously seen in Kawasaki’s supercharged Ninja H2. The Ninja 125 and Z125 also share a single-cylinder, water-cooled engine rated at 11kW, or 15HP.

The Kawasaki Ninja 125 and Z125 will premiere at the Intermot motorcycle fair before going on sale in 2019.

With its new 125cc models, Kawasaki is reaching out to younger riders with an entry point to the brand’s range, before they move on to more powerful models with higher capacities.

The brand’s strategy echoes the approach taken at Honda, which added 125cc models to its range of CB roadsters, such as the recent CB125R Neo Sports Café.