We’d already seen hints of their arrival, but the new Kawasaki Z125 and Ninja 125 broke cover at Intermot this week, showing Team Green hasn’t forgotten the beginner bike market.
Both machines are powered by a liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that puts out roughly 15 hp. Hardly the stuff of tire-shredding hooligan riding, but more than enough to put the first-time rider down the street with a big smile. Torque output is a very modest 8.6 lb-ft. The engine has a six-speed gearbox.
The frame on both bikes is a trellis arrangement, which adds a bit more of a quality look, not that many newbies know any better. There’s a simple 37 mm telescopic fork up front, and a preload-adjustable monoshock in rear.
Showing just how far the entry-level market has come, both bikes have ABS to go with the 290 mm disc up front and the 220 mm disc in back.
The only real difference between both machines is the Ninja 125’s fairing, which adds a couple of kg to the weight (148 kg, vs 146 kg for the Z125).
It’s highly unlikely the Ninja 125 will ever come to Canada. As for the Z125, well, we already have the Z125 Pro minibike. Would the bigger Z125 fit into Team Green’s Canadian lineup? Hard to say, but we’ve been surprised before.
GALLERY
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