Kawasaki At 2019 Tokyo Motor Show: Supercharged Z H2, Ninja ZX-25R And More!

While the Tokyo Motor Show is usually a significant event for the Japanese big four motorcycle manufacturers, this year’s edition has been a slightly more subdued affair, with fewer new models and concepts being showcased. Or at least that was the case for three of the big four, because Kawasaki came out with all guns blazing at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show.

Right off the bat, we had the reveal of the much-awaited supercharged Z H2, which Kawasaki had been teasing for a few weeks now. This was followed by the unveiling of another remarkable motorcycle, the 249cc inline-four-engined Ninja ZX-25R. Finally, team green showed us the 2020 W800, a classic retro-styled motorcycle. Join us as we take a look at each one of the models in detail:

Kawasaki Z H2

The correlation between Kawasaki’s Z and Ninja models lineups is usually quite simple: The Z bikes are basically naked streetfighter variants of the corresponding Ninjas with slightly more upright ergos, and that’s about it. That’s exactly what Kawasaki has done with the Z H2 as well: It is essentially a naked streetfighter version of the Ninja H2.

This means the same 998cc supercharged inline four-cylinder motor seen in the H2, putting out 200PS and 137Nm. These figures are identical to those put out by the H2 SX, though the Z H2’s peak torque arrives 1000rpm earlier. This engine sits inside an H2-signature green trellis frame but the Z H2 gets a double-sided swingarm, unlike the single-sided unit seen on the Ninja H2 range.

The bulk of the engine is evident, and most of the Z H2’s mass is concentrated around this area. Atop the low-slung LED headlight sits a fully digital colour TFT LCD instrument cluster that offers Bluetooth connectivity. To help tame the bike’s 200PS, Kawasaki has equipped the Z H2 with a comprehensive electronics suite that includes integrated riding modes. These combine the KRTC traction control system along with the various power modes available to make the engine more manageable.

With the rest of Kawasaki’s supercharged lineup already available in India, we expect the brand to bring us the Z H2 sometime around mid 2020.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R

At the opposite end of the displacement scale, Kawasaki unveiled one of its smallest, but certainly not the slowest, Ninja offerings. That’s because the Ninja ZX-25R is powered by an inline four-cylinder 249cc engine which could put out close to 60PS, if rumours are to be believed. 

The ZX-25R also gets top-shelf features and underpinnings, coming with a separate function upside-down front fork, traction control, power modes and a quickshifter. The baby Ninja also gets a radially mounted monoblock brake caliper at the front, while rear suspension duties are handled by a horizontal back-link monoshock.

While all this does sound very exciting, we need to take a step back and remember that there is almost zero chance of Kawasaki bringing the ZX-25R to India. It has been designed primarily for South East Asian markets such as Indonesia where higher displacement motorcycles are heavily taxed.

2020 Kawasaki W800

If horsepower and lap times aren’t quite your thing and you’re looking for a more old-school motorcycling experience, the 2020 Kawasaki W800 might be just up your alley. Sitting alongside the W800 Street and W800 Cafe, this new variant is called just the W800, and it is the most classic-looking of the three.

It is richly adorned with a healthy dose of chrome, and closely resembles the original Kawasaki Z1 from 1966. A 19-inch front wheel has also been added to further accentuate the retro design. Aside from this, the 2020 W800 continues to be powered by a 773cc parallel-twin motor producing 48PS and 62.9Nm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox via an assist and slipper clutch.

Having seen how successful Triumph has been with its Bonneville T100 in India, Kawasaki could well decide to bring the W800 to our shores.