When you mention the Kawasaki Ninja, motorcycle enthusiasts typically conjure images of extraordinary performance, World Superbike Championship victories, and heart-pounding laps at the Isle of Man TT circuit. The Ninja, first introduced in the 1980s, has been synonymous with cutting-edge sports bike performance, with modern variants, particularly the H2R, generating a mind-boggling 310hp and revving to 14,000rpm from a supercharged engine. These are machines for the bold.
However, it may come as a surprise that Kawasaki is expanding the Ninja family with its first range of electric motorcycles. But before you get too excited, these two models are 125cc-equivalent bikes designed for entry-level riders and boasting a top speed of 51mph.
So, what’s the story here? Kawasaki has equipped these electric city-slickers with 5kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motors, which can be boosted to 9kW using a special e-boost function activated by a button on the handlebars.