Kawasaki

The new 2020MY Kawasaki Vulcan S BS6 is costlier by Rs 30,000 and comes in a new colour (Metallic Flat Raw Greystone)
India Kawasaki Motors has launched the BS6-compliant 2020MY (2021MY internationally) Vulcan S middleweight cruiser, at a starting price of Rs 5.79 lakh ex-showroom. Compared to its phased-out BS4 counterpart, the new Kawasaki Vulcan S does not sport any major mechanical or cosmetic enhancement. However, it is now offered only in a new colour called Metallic Flat Raw Graystone.

The previous 2019MY version, which came in either Black or Pearl Lava Orange shade, was available from Rs 5.49 lakh or Rs 30,000 less. Pearl Lava Orange was added at a later stage and hence, one can expect the Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer to widen the palette to more options in the near future.
Kawasaki claims that the Vulcan S, with its ERGO-FIT option (meant to make the motorcycle more accessible to riders under 5’8” inches), is a “fun-to-ride cruiser that stands apart” from the usuals. Across the globe, it rivals the Harley-Davidson Street 750.

The American motorcycle maker plans to wind up local production in India to concentrate more on key markets such as North America. At the moment, the BS6 2020MY Street 750 carries a starting price tag of Rs 4.67 lakh ex-showroom thanks to a major discount. To an extent, Triumph Motorcycles India’s Bonneville Street Twin (now in BS6 format) and Royal Enfield 650 Twins can also be considered as alternatives to Kawasaki’s latest BS6 middleweight.
Key features and equipment
The Kawasaki Vulcan (and Vulcan S) is essentially a cruiser model in the brand’s popular ‘650’ range which also comprises of the Z650 naked sports, Ninja 650 sports tourer and Versys 650 adventure tourer. It boasts of features or characteristics such as a 14-litre fuel tank, adjustable ERGO-FIT adjustable riding position, offset rear monoshock suspension, 1575mm wheelbase, underbelly exhaust, semi-digital instrument console, etc.

The motorcycle rides on 120/70R18 (F) and 160/60R17 (R) tyres. Braking duties are carried out by 300mm dual-piston and 250mm single-piston disc brakes at the front and rear, respectively. In standard format, the rider sits 705mm up from the ground. Unladen, ground clearance stands at 705mm while wet weight hits 235kg.
Engine & specs
As mentioned before, the cruiser shares its power plant with a few other models within the brand. The 2020MY Kawasaki Vulcan S is powered by a BS6-compliant 649cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin engine making 59.94bhp @ 7,500rpm and 62.4Nm @ 6,600rpm. This is mated to a 6-speed transmission. More

Kawasaki India has announced the launch of BS6 Versys 650 today
Japanese bike manufacturer has expanded its India portfolio by launching the BS6 compliant Versys 650. The popular adventure tourer is now offered at a price of Rs 6.79 lakh (ex-showroom) which makes it dearer by just Rs 10,000 to its BS4 predecessor.

The Versys 650 is the third motorcycle from Kawasaki in the 650cc category to adhere to the stricter BS6 emission norms after the Ninja 650 and the Z650. While almost all the other motorcycles in their portfolio had already received the BS6 update, the Versys 650 was due for the BS6 treatment.
The 2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 is also now the most affordable adventure tourer offering in the Japanese brand’s portfolio since the Versys-X 300 has been discontinued. Apart from the updated engine, there isn’t much change to the latest iteration of the middleweight ADV tourer.
Design wise, the Versys 650 remains identical as it sports the same wide handlebar and twin headlamp setup common to the Kawasaki range. It comes with only one colour option- candy lime green. It still makes do with a semi-digital instrument cluster which was offered in the BS4 version.

BS6 Kawasaki Versys 650 Specs
It’s the same story when it comes to underpinnings. The diamond frame rests on an adjustable and long-travel 41 mm dia upside-down front fork with stiff springs which is the key to active control of the bike’s front-rear weight transfer. The rear suspension unit is a remote adjustable monoshock whose preload can be adjusted via a knob.
Specs
Kawasaki says this long travel suspension helps deal with broken roads in a mature fashion. The bike stands on 17-inch alloy wheels on both front and rear and braking duties are carried out by petal disc brakes with dual-channel ABS. The Versys 650 still enjoys an impressive ground clearance of 170mm.
The only noticeable change is the 649cc parallel twin engine which is now compliant to the stricter emission norms. As is the case with many other high-end powerful bikes, the Kawasaki Versys 650 too has lost power in the transition from BS4 to BS6, although quite minimal. The 649cc unit now generates 66 PS of power at 8500rpm as opposed to 69 PS of power offered in the BS4 version. The torque figure remains the same at 61 Nm at 7000rpm. It continues to be mated to the smooth shifting 6-speed gearbox.
Bookings of the Kawasaki Versys 650 have started both at the showroom level as well as on the website. Customers can just drop in an enquiry at the website and they will be contacted. At present, there are no direct rivals of the Versys 650 in India, however, the competition in this segment is said to intensify with the launch of the Suzuki V-Strom 650, and the Benelli TRK 502 BS6 models sometime later this year. More

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Carbon was ridden on the track by professional racer Andi Muhammad Fadly
Launched in Indonesia earlier this month in July, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R has generated significant buzz among biking enthusiasts. While the looks are definitely something to rave about, Ninja ZX-25R’s primary attraction is its 4 cylinder 250cc engine. In a video uploaded by ‘Kawasaki Indonesia’, we see the true potential of Ninja ZX-25R unleashed on the race track.

This is a carbon custom unit designed to further improve the bike’s performance. As seen in the video, the custom bike is able to achieve top speed of 190 kmph. The body comprises carbon composite materials and it has been created by A-Tech Japan. Other customizations include Yoshimura Hepta-Force TSS exhaust, TK chain & sprocket, Sunstar disc brake and Dunlop tyres. Some parts have also been provided by Sniper Japan.
Performance
Although it’s a quarter litre motorcycle, Ninja ZX-25R generates 50 hp of max power at a staggering 15,500 rpm. Its max rev rate is even higher at 17,000 rpm. That’s some serious power coming from a 249cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four engine. By increasing the ram air intake, the power output can be further boosted to 51 hp. Ninja ZX-25R power output is not only above its quarter litre rivals, but also beats some higher capacity motorcycles. For example, KTM RC 390 makes 43.5 hp whereas Yamaha R3 churns out 42 hp. Watch Andi take the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Carbon around the Sentul Circuit in video below.

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Even one of its bigger siblings, the twin-cylinder Ninja 400 generates 49 hp. However, torque output of Ninja ZX-25R is comparable to other bikes in its class. Peak torque output is rated at 22.9 Nm at 14,500 rpm.
With a kerb weight of 182 kg (ABS model), the bike is also heavier than several same class and some above class motorcycles. For example, twin-cylinder Honda CBR250RR weighs only 168 kg. Ninja 400 is also lighter than Ninja ZX-25R. Suspension duties are performed by 37mm Showa front forks and Kawasaki’s back-link rear suspension. Braking system comprises 310 mm and 220 mm disc at front and rear respectively.

Kawasaki ZX25R achieves 190 kmph
In Indonesia, the bike has been launched in two variants, a Standard Edition and a Special Edition. The latter is offered with features such as riding modes, traction control, dual-channel ABS and bi-directional quickshifter. While the standard variant is offered in only metallic spark black, special edition colour options include Spark Black/Pearl White, Candy Plasma Blue/Metallic Spark Blue and Lime Green/Ebony Metallic.
India launch
Bike enthusiasts in India would certainly like to ride Ninja ZX-25R, but its launch in the country is still uncertain. With its range of equipment, the Ninja ZX-25R may come with a high price tag. While it costs approximately Rs 5 – 5.88 lakh in Indonesia, Ninja ZX-25R price in India could be in the range of Rs 6.5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. More

The new Kawasaki Ninja 400 with glossy blue colour theme has an unique appeal
As a part of usual model year update, Kawasaki has introduced four new colour options for the 2021 Ninja 400 fully faired motorcycle in Thailand. The Ninja 400 is relatively new and hence there are no mechanical changes this time around.

The new colour options for the 2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400 include glossy blue, glossy black, grey and an updated KRT livery. All the four liveries adopt multi-colour scheme with one primary hue. For example, the KRT edition is a combination of quintessential Kawasaki green, black, red and white.
The glossy black option features subtle white decals at strategic places while the grey motorcycle sports neon green accents all around. The glossy blue shade looks unique and features white decals. In all, there are 15 colour options (single tone and dual tone) to chose from.

2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400
We expect the new colour options to be introduced in international markets in due course. The medium displacement sportsbike is yet to receive its BS6 updated in India and we expect the updated model to come with revised colour options.
2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400 specifications at a glance
The fully faired medium displacement motorcycle is powered by a 398 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine which outputs 47.5 hp and 36 Nm of torque. The motor is mated to a 6-speed transmission via a slipper clutch.

2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400
Underpinning the 2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400 is the familiar steel trellis frame which is equipped with 41 mm telescopic front forks and Uni-Track rear monoshock. The motorcycle sits on 17-inch alloy wheels that come wrapped in 110/70R-17 front and 150/60-R17 rear tyres. Braking system comprises a 310 mm front disc, largest in this displacement class, and 220 mm rear disc. The Nissin ABS module is claimed to be one of the smallest devices of its kind. Salient features include LED headlamps and digi-analog instrument cluster.
A new baby Ninja is in town
Kawasaki recently debuted the new ZX-25R supersports motorcycle bringing back the four-cylinder 250 cc configuration which was popular in the 80s. The 249 cc liquid-cooled engine has its redline at a heady 17,000 rpm and screams on its way there. Power and torque figures stand at 51 hp and 22.9 Nm of torque.
Yes, it is more powerful than the larger engined 2021 Kawasaki Ninja 400. With high-end features like traction control, riding modes, quick shifter, etc., the ZX-25R would be pricier than the Ninja 400 when it goes on sale in several international markets. It remains to be seen if the Japanese two wheeler maker will bring its pocket rocket to India or not. More

Kawasaki ZX-25R. 5th Gear, 155 kmph, 16k+ rpm. Shifting to 6th gear.

The motorcycle manages to hit a speed of 185+ kmph towards the end of start-finish line
The Kawasaki ZX-25R is not a regular quarter liter motorcycle because it has at least two cylinders more than any of the existing products in its displacement class. The in-line 4-cylinder setup may seem a bit over-the-top to us, the current generation of riders, but it was quite a rage in the 80s. So, Kawasaki knows exactly what it is doing with the reincarnation of its four-cylinder pocket rocket.
Kawasaki ZX-25R devouring Circuit de Jerez

Kawasaki recently released a video of its newest supersports motorcycle being put through its paces by the brand’s WSBK rider Jonathan Rea at the Jerez circuit. As you can see, the little neon green monster screams away to glory as it zooms from corner to corner. The four-cylinder configuration allows the engine to quickly rev all the way up to its 17k rpm redline, outputting a glorious sound track in the process.
As evident from this 360 degree video, the Kawasaki ZX-25R feels absolutely at home on the race track, ridden hard by a world class rider. The motorcycle reaches an impressive speed of 185+ kmph towards the end of main straight. Given a long enough straight, it looks like the baby Ninja could breach the 190 kmph mark, or even the 200!

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Specifications
The high-performance compact displacement sportsbike is not just about a nice engine note. The liquid-cooled 249 cc motor produces a stellar 51 hp at 15,500 rpm and 22.9 Nm of torque at 14,500 rpm. Mated to a 6-speed gearbox through a slipper and assist clutch, the engine is more than capable of putting most of the medium displacement motorcycles to shame.
The video also shows how nimble the motorcycle is. Based on a chassis derived from Kawasaki’s massively successful WSBK contender, the ZX-25R is suspended by a 37 mm inverted telescopic front fork and horizontal back-link rear shock. The 17-inch alloy wheels are shod with sticky 110/70-R17 front and 150/60-R17 rear tyres. Braking is taken care of by a 310 mm front disc and a 220 mm rear unit.
Feature highlights include ABS, traction control, riding modes and quick shifter. The Kawsaki Ninja ZX-25R is a thoroughbred track equipment which is capable of effortlessly outperforming other quarter liter motorcycles.
How much does it cost?

Indonesia is the first country to receive the compact displacement sportsbike. The ABS-equipped version is price at IDR 112,900,000 (around INR 5.76 lakh). The ZX-25R will reach many international markets in due course and it could be pricier than the bigger ZX-6R in some markets. We hope we will get to see this screamer in India someday. More

Kawasaki ZX25R made its debut at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show in October last year – First country where the bike is launched, is Indonesia
A 250 cc, in-line 4 cylinder motorcycle, which delivers a mind-boggling 51 PS power at 15,500 rpm and 22.9 Nm torque at 14,500 rpm – meet the new Kawasaki ZX-25R. Now officially launched and can be purchased at a Kawasaki dealership in Indonesia. Unfortunately, it is only on sale in Indonesia. But the good news is that, the ZX25R will soon be launched in many more countries.

The two wheeler world took notice when Kawasaki first announced this motorcycle, and has been waiting with bated breath for its launch. Not that this is something the world has not seen before. Ofcourse there have been 250cc i4 motorcycles in the past, like the Yamaha FZR250, Suzuki GSX-R250, Kawasaki ZXR250 and more recently, the Honda CBR250RR.
Design inspired from the elder sibling Ninja 400, ZX25R is made in the same Kawasaki plant, where they manufacture their flagship Ninja H2 and H2R. Prices start from IDR 96,000,000 (Rs 5 lakhs) for the base variant, which does not get ABS. Top variant with ABS is priced from IDR 112,900,000 (Rs 5.9 lakhs). Apart from ABS, the more expensive ZX25R variant also gets the dual tone livery. A total of four colour options are on offer – lime green, black, blue/black and white/black. Mono tone colours are for the base variant.

Some of the top features on offer with ZX25R are assist & slipper clutch, economical riding indicator, electronic throttle valves, quick shifter, traction control, power modes, ABS, USD forks in front, horizontal backlink rear suspension with spring reload adjustability, etc. Braking is via single 310 mm disc in the front and single 220 mm disc at the rear. Dual ABS is on offer, but only with top trim.
Speaking about dimensions, new Kawasaki ZX25R is 1980 mm long, 750 mm wide and 1,110 mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 1,380 mm and a kerb weight of 182 kgs. Ground clearance stands at 125mm while fuel tank capacity is 15 liters. Front tyre is 110/70R17M/C (54H) while rear tyre is 150/60R17M/C (66H).
Though the max power is delivered at 15,500 rpm, Kawasaki has revealed that this engine can be revved all the way to 17,000 rpm and above. The same they had shown in their official video, which also revealed the exhaust note of this machine.

Speaking about India launch of Kawasaki ZX-25R, until now there has been no official word about its launch. Kawasaki India is currently focusing more on introducing motorcycles with higher localization content. But at the same time, they have also launched CBU motorcycles from time to time. Will the ZX25R be launched in India, only time will tell. More

It is still not clear as to where this future engine will be used by Kawasaki – on a motorcycle, on a watercraft?

Two-stroke engines are largely considered a thing of the past in the automobile world. But can an old technology be used to achieve better results with new innovation? Kawasaki certainly believes so and has already filed a patent with the Japanese Patent Office. What Kawasaki is essentially working on is a series hybrid powertrain that comprises a combustion engine functioning as an electricity generator. The connected electric motor then power the wheels.
As of now, we are more familiar with the parallel hybrid system. Typically, a low power combustion engine is used to recharge the batteries, which helps extend the range of the vehicle. Kawasaki’s idea is different, as the engine will be a high-performance unit. When running at its optimal speed, the engine can achieve significant efficiency as well as low emissions.
In its design, Kawasaki has introduced some innovations to the standard two-stroke engine. These engines are usually considered to be fuel hungry and bad for the environment with their high carbon emission rate. Kawasaki’s design is different as poppet valves have been used, similar to that of a four-stroke engine. In a standard two-stroke engine, there are ports in the cylinder walls. Kawasaki’s upgraded two-stroke engine also comes with double overhead camshafts.

Another key change is that Kawasaki has used cross-plane crankshaft instead of a flat-plane crankshaft. Without this, the two cylinders would be firing simultaneously, generating too much vibration and creating additional stress on the engine. At each end of the crankshaft, there are electric generators instead of the conventional clutch and gearbox. Power will be stored in a small battery or even some super capacitors could be used. Power will be supplied to an electric motor that runs the rear wheels.
Some ships have series hybrid system, which allows them to achieve efficiency of around 50%. According to experts, efficiency of even 60% to 70% is achievable. This is exactly what Kawasaki may have in mind. If it becomes a possibility, Kawasaki’s new two-stroke engine may be rated at par with fully electric powertrains.

Electric motors can have efficiency of up to 95%, but we also need to consider energy losses arising from power generation & distribution and battery charging. When these factors are accounted for, efficiency of Kawasaki’s two-stroke engine will be close to that of electric motors.
In the patent application, it has been mentioned that the new engine can be used for buggies, trikes and watercraft. It’s debatable if Kawasaki will introduce this engine for any of its existing or new two-wheeler products. However, the engine does have potential. It can act as a bridge, as we transition from combustion engines to a fully electric ecosystem. More