Motorcycle specifications KawasakiNinja 125 2020 The first aspi'

When was Kawa's last 125cc sports bike? At the end of the '80s, with the 125 AR? Were there any after that? I'm not sure.

With this small-displacement Ninja, the brand has set itself a superb challenge. To return to a displacement segment abandoned since the little Eliminator, to tease the sport, and to invest in a category where the RC 125 and YZF-R 125 are firmly established... You've got to have the stomach for it.

Let's go for it. At Kawasaki, the time is ripe for daring. This 125 Ninja will be just the thing to get teenagers excited, as they whip out their smartphones with Sykes or Rea attacking their bikes in the background. And it's not afraid to say that its design is inspired by the ZX-10 RR raced in WSBK. Well... Fair enough. We're not going to tell you the story of the frog and the ox. However, the machine is a real eye-catcher for A1 license holders, and it exudes the Ninja spirit that the company cultivates in large doses.

You'll be eager to discover the angle once you've harangued the good roads. The Ninja 125 is powered by a single-cylinder engine developing 15 hp. There's no need to ask for more, it's just like the others, and it's the maximum allowed. On the technical side, the Kawa doesn't stand out much more, with one brake disc per wheel, ABS, narrow tires (better for agility), half-handlebars that aren't too brittle, and a certain sense of ego.
Where the Ninja scores points is in its inspired design, with its green-radiated coat and tubular steel trellis frame. The designers were keen to draw a parallel with the structure used for the H2. More marketing than necessary. But it will hit the bull's-eye, and provoke the KTM, the only other 125 sports bike to be fitted with this type of frame.

Something is afoot among the 125s. Although the CBR has no offspring at present, a certain GSX-R recently joined the RS, YZF-R and RC gang. Now the Kawasaki 125 Ninja is stirring up trouble. And so much the better. A little turbulence in the 1/8th liter always makes for a great little neighborhood romp.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos