#Kawasaki

There are a variety of options to choose from when you think of beginner bikes, many of them centered around sport-type models or standards. This is often because manufacturers spend more of their marketing dollars hyping their beginner sportbikes or standards. But fear not, cruiser rider – there are great entry-level models for those craving the feet-forward stance. Here, we’ve gathered eight of those great choices for your viewing pleasure.

The end is nigh for the venerable Kawasaki KLR650, as the long-running dual-sport is reportedly being discontinued, ending a production run that traces back to 1987.

We’re back from AIMExpo 2018 and have had time to noodle over what we saw at the annual event. The good news is that, by having the show a few weeks later than 2017, more 2019 motorcycles were announced, and some that were previously unveiled at Intermot were on display in Las Vegas. The tone for the show was upbeat with the aftermarket on hand to display their new wares. Naturally, you may be curious to see what caught our eye as we wandered the show floor. So, without further ado, here are the Top 10 shiny objects sighted at AIMExpo 2018.

For the past decade we’ve all been witness to the steady decline of the 600 supersport category. It’s amazing to think about, especially considering that, before the economic recession, the four Japanese players in this very same class were pumping out brand new contenders every other year! Since then, however, 600s have become more than stagnant – the class has been teetering on life support. Suzuki and Honda have soldiered on with the same GSX-R600 and CBR600RR for years – the latter even halting sales in Europe due to increasing emissions standards and declining sales. Meanwhile, Yamaha introduced an “update” to its venerable YZF-R6 which amounted to new bodywork, electronics, and a series of relatively minor improvements. Compound that with rising costs rivaling prices for liter-class machines and many questioned the reason to buy a 600.

Only a company like Red Bull could pull together the resources to rent the largest airport in the world to stage the world’s ultimate drag race. Seeing as how this yet-to-open airport is in Istanbul, Red Bull called up seven of the fastest vehicles and pilots – including fighter pilots – Turkey has to offer to go head-to-head in this exhibition of speed.

Did you hear it? That sound was the U.S. motorcycle industry show season clicking into first gear. Today, in Las Vegas, the season starts off with the with the AIMExpo in its debut visit to Sin City. While mostly an industry show, motorcyclists in the Vegas area will have the opportunity to take a look at what the show has to offer on Saturday and Sunday. Today and tomorrow, however, are industry days where manufacturers of all stripes try to catch the eye of the individual dealerships. So, in the same venue as many of the major motor manufacturers, you’ll also find the booths for people with a good idea (and a shoestring budget) who are just waiting for their big break.

Unveiled today at the AIMExpo in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kawasaki has taken the wraps off the new 2019 Ninja ZX-6R. While the 600 supersport category may be far from the glory days of the past, we’re thankful companies like Kawasaki have kept it in their lineups – even if the updates are less than ground-up redesigns.

We’ve waxed poetic about the Kawasaki Ninja 400 more times than I care to count here at MO. Just check the Best Lightweight/Entry Level category posted a few days earlier to see what we like about the bike. Aside from being a polished, handsome, and fun motorcycle for both new riders and experienced veterans alike, what we didn’t mention in the Lightweight/Entry Level piece was just how affordable the little Ninja is. Ranging in price from $4,999 to $5,499, depending on color choice and ABS, the 400 is easily accessible for students on a budget – we’ve even had readers report dealer markdowns in their area on the Ninja 400.

Our love affair with Triumph’s three-cylinder engines is no secret. The Speed Triple has long been a favorite of ours, as has the smaller-displacing 675cc Street Triple. Last year saw the first major revamp of the Street Triple since 2013, with the biggest change being the dyslexia-inducing increase in engine size to 765cc. It’s always a worry when a manufacturer changes a model we love, but our worries were swept away the moment we rode the new 765 S-T – it takes everything we adore about the outgoing model and amplifies it some more. It’s so good, in fact, that Brent damn near cried man tears when he finally had to part with it.

This was a pretty easy pick. The newly domesticated version of the mighty supercharged Kawasaki makes enough power in stock form – 171 on our dyno – to provide even the sickest speedfreak a full dose, but it does so in a sneaky, gentlemanly way: That air-cooled supercharger means the 998 cc Four only needs 10,000 rpm to produce all that power, and it’s making 89 lb-ft. of torque at only 8600 rpm. Suddenly the world is flying into your faceshield at an alarming rate, with no vibratory or auditory warning. Holy Kawasaki! That’s what we call efficiency, of which another byproduct is the SE’s ability to squeeze 40+ mpg from a gallon of gas, which gives it 200-mile range.

Kawasaki revealed two small-displacement models for Europe’s A1 entry-level licensing tier. The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja 125 and Z125 share a 125cc engine, a full-size chassis with 17-inch wheels and similar styling to the larger Ninja and Z models. Unfortunately, neither model is likely to come to North America where there’s no equivalent to the A1 class to create enough of a market. It’s a shame, though, as these two look like they could be a lot of fun.

Okay, the days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are staying lower. Perhaps even the leaves have started to turn in your neighborhood. That’s great news! Why? Because the Model Year 2019 show season is kicking off today in Cologne, Germany, at the bi-annual Intermot convention. That’s right, in even-numbered years, we don’t have to wait until the EICMA show in November to begin seeing what all the international motorcycle manufacturers have up their collective sleeves. While your actual riding season may be drawing to a close, we hope to keep you daydreaming about motorcycles with a list of new temptations.

The Lightweight category of motorcycling is growing like a wildfire, with tons of cool bikes that offer style and performance that’s readily accessible for a new or inexperienced rider. But to us, the motorcycle topping the list of all those competent performers is the Kawasaki Ninja 400. Some May claim that the “small-displacement” moniker no longer applies, but to get hung up on 100cc is a waste of time for what’s otherwise an excellent motorcycle. The increase in size from the previous Ninja 300 brings with it a modest bump in power suitable for newbies, but also entertaining for experienced riders. Combine that with styling inspired by its bigger Ninja siblings, and new riders no longer have to feel self conscious about their beginner bike looking dated and ugly. This, in turn, helps keep riders from graduating to bigger, sexier machinery they may not be ready for.

Kawasaki provided the first look at two new entry-level bikes for the European market, a new Ninja 125 sportbike and a naked Z125. Kawasaki initially announced the two small-displacement models at EICMA last November, but now we have initial details ahead of the full announcement which will come next month at Intermot.

Kawasaki Europe has announced some updates to the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R’s engine, pushing its claimed power output up to 200 hp from the previous 197 hp with improved power and torque across the rev range. Also receiving updates for 2019 are the more track-focused ZX-10RR and the electronic suspension-equipped ZX-10R SE. As of this writing, these updates have not been announced for the U.S. market, but we expect to hear official news from Kawasaki USA shortly.