New Kawasaki Ninja and Z125s
Kawasaki’s sporty new 125s mark a bold return to the small-bike sales race
The tiny switchback roads in southern Spain just north of Malaga are the ideal playground for Kawasaki’s Ninja 125. There’s virtually no traffic, just dry roads, with never-ending corners; it’s perfect for this new four-stroke 125. The allnew Ninja is making light work of endless hairpins. The sporty chassis is allowing me to flow between corners with ease. And while I may have less than 15bhp on tap, it’s more than enough to have fun with on these challenging roads. The last time I had this much fun on a 125 was when Nirvana were in the charts.
Power to move you
The Ninja is powered by a watercooled, four-stroke 14.7bhp single-cylinder engine which is very loosely based on the old Ninja 250/300 engine. Peak power comes in at 10,000rpm, just 500rpm short of the redline and max torque of 8.7ftlb arrives at 7700rpm. To get the most out of the engine you have to thrash the poor thing at all times. Flat-out the digital display indicated 74mph. However, it was more than happy to buzz along at an indicated 60mph.
Overtakes have to be planned with precision, there’s not much left after 55mph. But below that the Ninja is more than capable of embarrassing dawdling traffic.
The bouncy bits
Both versions share the same trellis chassis and basic suspension (with preload on the rear being the only adjustment). It’s basic, but it works. Kawasaki don’t appear to have cut costs on what they’ve given owners, with both ends being on the sporty/ firm side, but with progressive damping and excellent control, which isn’t always the case on 125s. The sporty set-up still works around town, taking speed humps and large potholes with relative ease. Stability is excellent, even when pushed hard. Kawasaki haven’t scrimped on the tyres either; decent Dunlops give more than enough feel. Even the basic ABS brakes aren’t bad.
Good and bad
In this category looks and image sell. If that’s the case the Ninja 125 is sure to be a success. It’s obviously part of the Kawasaki family and to the untrained eye it could be mistaken for the 250 or 300. The level of finish is high, the frame projects a quality feel, but it’s a shame the clocks are a little dull. No mode button, no mpg or tank range, and no connectivity. It’s also missing a gear indicator which I would have expected on an entry-level A1 bike. While I’m having a grumble, the mirrors aren’t the best and the brake and clutch levers aren’t span adjustable.