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Team Green

Kawasaki recently showcased a couple of their electric motorcycle prototype during Suzuka 8 Hours.

  • Kawasaki’s EV prototype makes an appearance at Intermot.
  • The electric and hybrid prototype will form the basis of Kawasaki’s upcoming EVs. 

That was the first time we laid our eyes on Kawasaki’s electric and hybrid project, with both bearing Team Green’s current two-wheel range.

That said, since both motorcycles were prototypes, no further details were revealed to the public at the time. 

However, Kawasaki took the opportunity to allow the public to take a closer look at their prototypes at the Intermot motorcycle show in Cologne, Germany.

While Kawasaki remained tight-lipped on its upcoming project, Kawasaki Motors Europe managing director, Masaya Tsurono, revealed that the prototype “will form the basis of an actual future production machine.”

 Despite the push for electrification, Tsurono said that Kawasaki would continue developing cleaner internal combustion motorcycles as well as further research on e-fuel and biofuel.

Kawasaki arguably among the major motorcycle manufacturers pushing for electrification.

  • Kawasaki to launch two new electric bikes in November.
  • The E2 and E2-R will be Team Green first electric range. 

The Japanese firm  also went on to showcased its electric and hybrid two-wheelers at Suzuka 8 Hours. The hybrid looks somewhat like the Ninja while the electric looks much smaller and looks like the firm’s Z250.

At the time, there’s no words regarding the launch date but according to British Motorcyclist Federation (BMF), Team Green plans to launch its first electric range in November.

Also, BMF claimed Kawasaki’s upcoming motorcycle will be called the E2 and could produce a peak power of around 30hp. That puts the E2 around 14hp less than the Ninja Z400.

Interestingly, BMF also reports that there will be a fully faired version of the E2 and potentially will be called the E2-R albeit sharing the same peak power.

While Kawasaki is yet to release any further info on its upcoming E2 and E2-R electric motorcycle, the latest report looks encouraging from the marquee.

It’s official, Jonathan Rea will remain with Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) after agreeing on a two-year deal, putting him at Team Green for the 2023 and 2024 WorldSBK Championship season.

  • Rea agreed a two-year deal to remain with KRT.
  • Rea currently sits second in the championship, just 17 pts behind Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista.

Despite some rumours suggesting that Rea might consider a WorldSBK future without Kawasaki, Rea – who previously confirmed that he might consider retiring – expressed his delight to continue his successful partnership with KRT.

“I am really happy and excited to renew my contract with Kawasaki, to roll on for two more years. It has been an incredible partnership; we have enjoyed so much success together that it is almost a natural progression.

“There was not much negotiation needed to continue together from both sides. It was more a case of how much more motivation I had to keep racing at the highest level in the WorldSBK Championship.

“It has been an incredible few seasons; more competitive than ever. I have realised how motivated I am to continue and to continue fighting to win. Kawasaki gave me the opportunity back in 2015 to realise a childhood dream when I won the WorldSBK championship in the first year together.

“As a partnership we are so solid, and I am looking forward to continuing to make memories and representing an incredible manufacturer and brand,” said the six-time WorldSBK champion.

Kawasaki dominated the WorldSBK after winning its first title in two decades with the success of Tom Sykes in 2013; however, Rea’s dominance took the team to a new level of greatness, winning six straight titles comfortably.

Although coming up against a younger foe with Toprak Razgatlioglu claiming the 2021 title, Rea has come out swinging in 2022, taking five wins which put him in a title fight with Razgatlioglu and Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista.

Kawasaki is set to roll out the new generation Ninja 1000SX sports tourer motorcycle on July 15, 2022.

  • to feature a similar design language as the ZX-10R.
  • engine revised for improved power delivery and comfort. 

According to reports in Japan, the 2023 model will feature a sportier design with the engine and ergo’s updated for better performance and comfort.

Other notable upgrades include a new 4.3-inch TFT display and seats optimised for touring.

Moreover, the visual aspect of the 2023 Ninja 1000SX will be revised for a sportier stance with a visual comparison that could be made to an older variant of the ZX-10R sports bike.

Kawasaki already got rid of the bike’s two tailpipes configuration to just one, further mimicking the ZX-10R sports bike looks.

Powering the Ninja 1000SX will be a 1,043cc inline-four cylinder engine that packs a decent punch but is revised for better power delivery at the low and mid rev range.

Meanwhile, a Japanese publication, Bike News, reports that the new generation Ninja 1000SX will cost around JPY1,595,000 (RM51.7k).

Team Green has just updated its Versys-X 250 range with an exciting new adventure colourway for 2022 in Japan.

The baby adventure-tourer with off-road-ready spoke-wheels now comes in two colour schemes, Candy Lime Green X Metallic Flat Spark Black and Metallic Ocean Blue x Pearl Robotic White.

The Japanese firm’s revised Versys-X 250 will be available beginning February.

Apart from the new colours, the Versys-X 250 now comes fitted with a pannier case as standard with 17 litres of storage on both sides. The updated bike also comes equipped with an engine guard, centre stand and power socket.

However, the fog lamp that appears in the photos is an added option.

Running on the same 250cc parallel-twin engine taken from the Ninja 250, the baby Versys makes 33hp but with a more low-end torque compared to the Ninja’s mid-to-top-end performance.

Other features include a 130mm telescopic front fork, link-type rear mono-shock with 147mm suspension travel, and a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel.

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