kawasaki

Whatever Happened to the Kawasaki J Shape-Shifting Electric Motorcycle?

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com In the very near future, electric motorcycles will become just as common as electric cars. There are countless startups working on such projects, and even giant Harley-Davidson has joined the party with the launch of the LiveWire. But there is one company that saw the potential of electric motorcycles years before all others. Back in 2013, at a time when electric cars were just beginning their ascension, Kawasaki introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show the J concept, a bike the likes of which the world had never seen before. Half a decade before Yamaha introduced the strangely shaped Niken, Kawasaki envisioned a motorcycle with two front wheels and also the ability to shorten and rise itself to suit a particular riding style. Moreover, the motorcycle was designed to be powered by an electric powertrain, something few thought about back then. The main trait of the motorcycle was that it could provide either a low riding position for high-speed motoring, or a more upright one just for cruising. It could do that by modifying the length and height of the wheelbase at a moment’s notice. The bike lacked handlebars in the traditional sense, and they were replaced by two controllers, governing each of the two front wheels. The concept looked fantastic, as you can see in the gallery above. It was of course too far fetched to actually spawn a production motorcycle anytime soon, but we would have expected at least some of the technologies previewed on it to actually make it into production. The two front wheel layout did, not at Kawasaki but over at Yamaha. The electric powertrain never made it into production at Kawasaki either – there is an electric version loosely based on the Ninja that was shown at EICMA 2019, but […]

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Kawasaki’s Open-Road Ready 2020 Ninja 1000SX Ups The Comfort, Tech And Power

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by Bill Roberson from https://www.forbes.com It’s raining and I’m sheltering in place with my family, which sadly means no motorcycle riding as spring weather imminently arrives in the Northwest. Thankfully, Kawasaki just broke the boredom by holding a model reveal online, as is the sudden new norm, and the new bike is the 2020 Ninja 1000SX. It looks to be another fine machine from the always capable Kawasaki. But after the presentation, I found myself wandering down memory lane (and through digitized photos) to the first and only Ninja I personally owned. In the early 1990’s, I happened across a pristine first-gen Top Gun era 1986 GPz 900 Ninja in bone-stock, unblemished like-new condition (below). Resplendent in original red, white and blue livery, it was by that time somewhat of a performance relic, but I bought it anyway because, well, I had always wanted one and the price was right. Compared to the back-road-strafing Suzuki GSX-R 750 I was riding at the time, it was heavy, a bit wobbly when pressed in the curves, and big. But still, it was just so cool. It still is. One weekend, a riding buddy and I saddled up our respective bikes with some soft bags and headed out to parts unknown in the wide-open (and very lightly patrolled) reaches of eastern Oregon. Midway into a long leg of the trip, my cohort was complaining about the uncomfortable riding position of his mount and tried everything from using the rear pegs to sitting on towels to soothe the pain. But I had made an unexpected discovery: That big, heavy GPz Ninja was a near-perfect sport-touring machine, with a supple yet sporty suspension, a comfortable seat, a near-perfect bar-seat-peg triangle (for myself at least), and a willing, powerful engine. That was the first of many

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Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Racer Custom unveiled – A 250cc track machine

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by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com/ Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-25R Racer Custom is a track-only version of the brand’s new 249cc four-cylinder sportsbike Kawasaki has unveiled the all-new Ninja ZX-25R Racer Custom ahead of its official debut event which had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. The pandemic has caused a lot of confusion among global automotive industries with back-to-back plant shutdowns, event cancellations and rising losses. However, manufacturers have taken social media as an effective platform to introduce their latest products. Coming back to Kawasaki’s latest product, the Racer Custom variant is essentially a track-focused, track-bred and track-only version of the Ninja ZX-25R that was unveiled last year. The sportsbike’s main highlight is its power plant — a 249cc DOHC liquid-cooled ‘inline-4’ engine that can rev up to a cool 17,500rpm! So far, Kawasaki has not shared the exact engine specifications of the ZX-25R or its track-only avatar. Various reports state that it could generate around 45bhp and a lot of acoustic drama (way more for the Racer Custom variant). In fact, Kawasaki had shared the exhaust note of its new light-capacity four-banger. To many, it wouldn’t make any sense to split a displacement of roughly 250cc into four cylinders, but for the very few who likes to ride a motorcycle at its absolute limit (in a safe environment) will find a fun machine in Kawasaki’s new ZX-25R. Kawasaki also plans to introduce a new one-make championship next year with the ZX-25R (and NOT the track-only Racer Custom variant). The race will be open to anyone regardless of their track hours. Meanwhile, Kawasaki has introduced a host of performance and cosmetic upgrades for potential ‘25R’ buyers. This includes racing cowls, tank pad, track tyres (Dunlop Sportmax ?-13SP), Showa suspension, new chainset, performance exhaust, carbon bits and many more. Sources suggest that

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Eli Tomac Charges to Fourth in Atlanta

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Foothill Ranch, Calif. (March 1, 2020) – Round 9 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship made its way to Atlanta, Georgia, where Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac overcame a difficult main event, putting together a strong ride to come from behind to finish fourth and hold onto the red-plate. Eli Tomac scored his first pole position of the season by setting a blistering time of 50.294 seconds marking the eighth time in nine races a Kawasaki rider has earned the pole position in the 450SX class. As the gate dropped on the second heat race of the night it was the No. 3 KX™450 rocketing out the gate, grabbing the holeshot and checking out from the competition. Tomac crossed the finish line with an impressive nine-second lead to take the heat race win. In the 450SX Main Event Tomac found himself buried off the start with his work cut out for him. As he began charging forward making his way up to seventh place, his progress was quickly halted when he and another rider came together, sending Tomac back to 15th place. Tomac began his charge forward, but a small mistake caused his bike to stall, a quick press of the electric start button on the handlebar minimized the damage and from there Tomac put together an amazing performance, riding from behind to narrowly miss the podium with a fourth-place finish. Tomac heads to Daytona tied in the lead for the 450SX championship point standings with Ken Roczen. This weekend’s race in Atlanta marked the first time in Monster Energy Supercross history that a race would be held on leap day. “The main event didn’t go as planned, but the good news is we live to fight another day and line back up next weekend at

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Monster Energy Kawasaki: Atlanta SX Preview

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Eddie Warren Won on a Kawasaki KX125 The first 125cc (now the 250SX class) supercross race held in Atlanta was on February 23, 1985. Eddie Warren won on a Kawasaki for his first career win, en route to the class’ inaugural Eastern Regional Supercross title. 250SX All-Time Wins by Brand in Atlanta Kawasaki: 11 Honda: 8 Yamaha: 8 Suzuki: 4 Husqvarna: 2 KTM: 1 One Last Ride In his last year of racing before retiring at the age of 26, Mark Barnett won the Atlanta round of supercross aboard his Kawasaki SR125 in 1985. Record Attendance The previous Atlanta venue (Georgia Dome) holds the record for the largest recorded attendance in supercross history at 71,009 fans in 2012.

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Eli Tomac Lasso’s the Competition in Texas to win his Fourth Monster Energy Supercross Race of the Season

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Monster Energy® Kawasaki Rider Eli Tomac Lasso’s the Competition in Texas to win his Fourth Monster Energy Supercross Race of the Season February 22, 2020 | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, TX. Foothill Ranch, Calif. (February 23, 2020) – Round 8 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship made its way to the Lone Star state, where Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac captured his fourth 450SX win of the season, further extending his championship points lead. Rookie Adam Cianciarulo and his teammate Eli Tomac looked to once again top the charts of qualifying for the eighth week in a row, however, his day would be cut short after crashing during the first practice. Cianciarulo suffered a broken collarbone from the incident and was forced to sit out for the night. As the gate dropped on the first race of the three-race Triple Crown format, Tomac found himself buried outside of the top-10 at the end of lap one. Tomac, using the power of his KX™450 motorcycle put his head down and spent the next 12 minutes charging past his competitors and worked his way into fifth place. This championship-caliber push would ultimately pay dividends later in the evening. 450SX Main Event 2 saw the No. 3 of Tomac sneak inside the competition at the end of the first corner and he went on to lead every lap of the second race. His 5-1 finishes going into the third and final moto put Tomac just one point back of the overall lead. Similarly, to the second Main Event race, Tomac snuck inside once again, however, he was not able to capitalize in the opening corners and would cross the line in sixth on the first lap. With the Olympic style scoring to the Triple Crown format, every position ahead

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Monster Energy Kawasaki: Tampa SX Preview

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The First of Many In 2018, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Austin Forkner earned his first career 250SX win at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Brand Sweep After a 19 year hiatus of racing in Tampa, Florida racing resumed in 2018 at Raymond James Stadium where Kawasaki riders swept both classes with Eli Tomac winning the 450SX class and Austin Forkner won the 250SX class. It is also the only time that any manufacturer brand has swept the Tampa Supercross race. Jeff Ward – 1987 In 1987, Jeff Ward won the inaugural supercross race in Tampa, Florida in the 250cc class with fellow Kawasaki rider, Ron Lechien, finishing in second place. Jordon Smith – #54 “I am really excited to get back behind the gate this weekend. It has been a long time since I’ve lined up, but I absolutely love my new Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki KX250. I feel like I am gelling really well with the team and we’ve been putting in a lot of work this offseason. I am ready to let it show!” Garrett Marchbanks – #36 “We learned a lot last year and it was great to earn the Rookie of the Year title, but we are looking for a lot more this year. I am excited to show all of the hard work I have been putting in.”  

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Monster Energy® Kawasaki Rider Adam Cianciarulo Captures Second 450SX Podium of the Season

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Foothill Ranch, Calif. (February 9, 2020) – Round 6 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship presented perfect weather conditions in sunny San Diego, California where Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo captured his second 450SX podium of the season with a second-place finish with Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Austin Forkner also bringing home a second-place finish in the 250SX class. Cianciarulo kicked the day off by qualifying with the fastest lap time (49.024) for the sixth week in a row with his teammate Eli Tomac once more following closely in second. As the gate dropped on 450SX Heat 1, Tomac was banging bars at the start which would leave him buried in the pack. Making quick work in the short race, Tomac was able to pass six other contenders in the nine-lap race before crossing the finish line in third. 450SX Heat 2 saw the No. 9 of Cianciarulo grab the holeshot aboard his KX™450 and lead every lap to take the checkered flag. His second heat race of the season. Similarly to the heat race, Cianciarulo shot out front in the 450SX Main Event leading the 22-rider field. Cianciarulo led 20 of the 25 laps before getting passed, crossing the finish line in second. The runner-up result is the rookie’s second runner-up finish of the season and jumped him up to fifth in the 450SX Point Standings. On the other hand, Tomac found himself buried mid-pack in the main creating a daunting task on the tight track, where it was difficult to make a pass. Tomac went straight to work and began maneuvering his way around competitors one-by-one, but not without a few wild battles along the way. Before the end of the 20-minute main event, Tomac was able to push forward and cross the finish

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Kawasaki Announces New Agreement with Roadrunner Financial to Offer Financing for Credit Builders and First-Time Buyers

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Foothill Ranch, Calif. – Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. is pleased to announce a new financing agreement with Roadrunner Financial to offer competitive near-prime loans to Credit Builders with 550-660+ FICO scores. Roadrunner delivers a revolutionary lender experience through digital applications with instant decisions, comprehensive credit coverage, and unbeatable dealer and customer support. Kawasaki joins a group of Powersports and Outdoor Power Equipment partners that utilize Roadrunner Financial to bring great finance offers to their customers. The relationship with Kawasaki allows Roadrunner to offer an enhanced program with improved near-prime rates with no fees for dealers. “Roadrunner Financial is a key addition for Kawasaki and our dealers” said Kawasaki Senior Vice President, Sales and Operations Bill Jenkins. “The focus on a near-prime credit program will offer dealers new opportunities for financing customers on Kawasaki powersports products.” “Roadrunner will give Kawasaki dealers a new tool to close deals that would usually walk out the door.” When asked about the new financing agreement, Jon Vestal, VP of Sales at Roadrunner Financial said, “We’re very excited to strengthen our relationship with Kawasaki. By targeting near-prime, we plan to deliver significant incremental sales for Kawasaki in 2020 and beyond.” This new Kawasaki program from Roadrunner Financial will be available to Kawasaki dealers starting March 1st, 2020. About Roadrunner Financial: Roadrunner Financial offers financing for customers across the entire credit spectrum. Roadrunner’s credit program suite includes ‘Roadrunner Prime’, ‘Roadrunner Credit Builder’ for customers down to 550 FICO, a first-time buyer program, ‘Roadrunner Lease’, and a pre-owned vehicle program. Founded in 2016 and based in New York, Roadrunner helps dealers finance more customers by taking the traditional hassles of lending and replacing them with one seamless process that can take as little as a few minutes. Roadrunner’s unique financing experience offers instant decisions, electronic contracting, and financing for more than

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Monster Energy® Kawasaki Rider Eli Tomac Dominates the Competition in Oakland

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Foothill Ranch, Calif. (February 2, 2020) – Round 5 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship returned to Oakland, California where Team Green found success all day long. Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac put on an impressive show as he returned to the top step of the 450SX class podium for his second win of the season, while Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Austin Forkner battled hard, earning second overall in the 250SX class and placing his KX™250 on the podium once again. Adam Cianciarulo and Tomac continued to show the way in qualifying/practice with the dynamic duo once again qualifying one-two respectively for the fifth straight week. Tomac lined up for the first 450SX heat race of the night where he crossed the finish line in second place and was able to find fast lines that would pay dividends later in the Main Event. Teammate Cianciarulo lined up for 450SX heat race number two and found himself buried mid-pack off the start. As Cianciarulo began picking off his competitors one by one he ran into the back wheel of his former Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Martin Davalos. Cianciarulo got shuffled to the back and had to charge all the way back up to sixth place to qualify into the Main Event. As the gate dropped on 450SX Main Event, it was Cianciarulo and Tomac getting off the line in great shape. Rounding the first turn side by side amongst the leaders, they ran second and third place respectively. After dicing it out in the first few turns the teammates settled into place. Near the halfway mark the No. 3 Kawasaki machine of Tomac saw an opportunity and began to charge towards the front. After passing his teammate, he was able to make quick work of the leader

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