Kawasaki Ninja 150 India and Z150 India Launch Could Happen in 2023
When we talk of 125cc bikes, we often think of something like the Honda Shine 125, the Discover 125 and even the Splendor i3s. If not this, then it is mopeds that we think of. Internationally though things are a bit different. This engine capacity has bikes which are out and out Supersports some naked streetfighters and some hybrids like the Honda Grom 125.
Oh did we mention that this segment also offers the ‘fun’ factor in spades while still being very sensible and practical? This variety and want are what makes manufacturers consider this segment. Kawasaki’s secret sauce in the 125 segments was the Z125 naked. It was fun, practical and easy on the wallet. The fact that it was not intimidating meant that it was the most sought after bike for newbies. In the 2017 EICMA show, Kawasaki said that they will be revealing the new 125 models in the latter half of 2018. Lucky for you, we already have most of the details on the new 125cc machines.
What we have to look at for inspiration is at the new 125’s that Kawasaki is planning to expand its international lineup and hence is launching a product in almost every segment. For 2019 the Japanese firm is offering two models in the 125 range – the Ninja 125 and the Z125. One glance and you cannot ignore their resemblance to their bigger 250cc counterparts. Same could be translated into 150cc easily. Interestingly both the bikes, the Z125 and the Ninja 125 share the length and width with their 250cc siblings. They will be replicated and bored into 150cc engines once decided by the company.
The wheelbase at 1330mm is also identical to the 250cc variants. The Z125 and the Ninja 125 tip the scales at 146 kg and 148 ks respectively which is just 4 kgs shy of their respective 250cc counterparts. All this hints at the fact that the 250cc and the 125cc singles get similar underpinnings, much like that of the KTM Duke twins setup. THe same will be applied for the 150cc counterparts.
Where things separate is in the engine department. The 125cc motor which does duty in both the bikes churns out around 15 PS of power and maxes out at 10,000 rpm. Kawasaki Ninja 150 India version could make 20 PS easily. These bikes won’t make it to our shores considering just how much limited our market is for these machines. When it comes to the Indian market, a bored up 150cc to rival the CBR 150R, R15 and upcoming Aprilia RS150.
