Kawasakis’ New State of the Art Development is a leader – an innovator – my friend is a street bike loon – crazy, he says the ZX-10 is a beast. Same for the KX 450 – a beast. What could the future possibly hold? In the era of the 70’s H2 Triple or the 80’s GPZ, who could ever envision the ZX-14 or the H2R?
The weak frames are gone, the bad tires and brakes are history, and a 70-hp unreliable motor has been replaced by a 170-hp bulletproof motor. Or a 340 hp engine.
What happens now? Can you predict the future by looking at the past?
No.
Why bother with motorcycles or cars at all? Why not find a way to transport us? Beam me up, Scotty.
What about those of us that bikes are part of our identity? Part of our dark side.
What path the new bikes are on, Kawasaki motorcycles are part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries which builds ships, submarines, robotics, and turbines to name a few. So the idea or the vision for the next year or decade – its technical challenge is diminished somewhat.
There are three ways forward – Electric, Hybrid, and Hydrogen.
Electric:
Joining the battery electric Z family machine destined to fulfill the needs of commuters in cities across Europe, Kawasaki unveils a Ninja-style machine with the same dual battery motive power and a maximum capacity of 3.0 kWh. Both machines have been created to comply with the European A1 vehicle license regulations and will be on sale in 2023.
Hybrid:
The world’s first strong hybrid motorcycle offers riders a number of new riding experiences: a mid-size package with the instant acceleration of a 1,000cc-class supersport model from a standing start (with e-boost), fuel economy on par with the 250cc-class, and button-shift sport riding. With three different drive modes, each offering a distinct riding character the Ninja 7 Hybrid truly changes the game.
Hydrogen:
Kawasaki recently revealed their new Hydrogen Project’s name as “HySE”. The bike of the future? Or just another failed attempt to get away from fossil fuels? Only time will tell! Check out Kawasaki’s unique approach to tackling those dreaded emissions.
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