125-400cc

Love it or hate it, electrification is happening as we speak and it’s more a matter of when, not if, as we see the big guns jump aboard the EV train.

However, Kawasaki’s ideology seems a bit different than the rest, as the Japanese bikemaker is trying to whip up some flabbergasting internal combustion engines before it electrifies its portfolio.

A prime example of this is the four-cylinder Ninja ZX-25R and now, it looks like Kawasaki will soon back it up with a 400cc iteration, the Ninja ZX-4R.

Kawasaki put together its KLX300 model with dual-sport riders in mind and a definite bias for the off-road work. Suspension stroke and ground clearance point to a capacity for fairly rugged terrain, while the mirrors and full all-around lighting make it street legal. Whether you plan on proper adventure riding, or just want to forego the trailer action every time you want to hit your favorite trails, the KLX300 has you covered.

Honda expanded its Neo-Sports Café lineup with the new-in-2019 CB300R that brings more of the same café-tastic vibe as with the CB1000R, just in an entry level-size package. This naked little pocket crotch-rocket — or “Sport Naked” as the factory has dubbed the style — looks to pull in younger riders with a user-friendly, 286 cc powerplant and lightweight design. After a race to the bottom of the usable displacement range for the sport and naked genres, Honda is refining its bottom-tier rides.

Kawasaki took the next step in the struggle to find that perfect balance between displacement, performance, and affordability with the new-from-2018 Ninja 400. This ride delivers the aggressive styling that you expect from the Ninja family with a host of improvements over the previous generation. More power, less weight, and a mature presentation should hold the new Ninja in good stead in the highly-competitive small-displacement sportbike market that serves as the main battlefield in the contest to instill some brand loyalty in the increasingly important new buyer base.

Kawasaki adds to its dual-surface capabilities with the net-new-from-2021 KLX300SM “Super Moto” model that comes set up to tackle both on- and off-road work. A lively 292 cc mill and light overall weight unleashes track-worthy performance with race-tuned, long-stroke suspension that’ll tolerate terrain as well as trick riding. Aggressive Super Moto looks and oodles of hooligan capability seal the deal to make this new model a capable competitor right off the showroom floor.

Honda rolls into the new decade with the first overhaul to its newest-generation Rebel range. It has only been a few years since the classic Rebel line was replaced by the current iteration, and the added features are largely due to feedback from the new rider base. New suspension components improve the ride along with upgrades to the lighting and clutch pack to increase overall safety and expand its buyer base.

In the motorcycling industry, it’s sort of an unsaid rule to follow up a successful faired sportbike with an equally bonkers but more versatile streetfighter, and we’ve seen all leading manufacturers do this from time to time. The latest one to do so is Aprilia, who has taken the wraps off the new GPR250S naked motorcycle, based on the fully-faired GPR250R sold in Asian markets.

BMW rolled into 2021 with what it calls a soft re-imagination of its plucky little roadster, the G 310 R. Not only did BMW tuneup the looks, but the new G 310 R sports a number of tech upgrades and safety equipment to boot. The engine is a carryover from 2020 even though it, too, hits the showroom floor with buffed engine-control electronics and mechanical features. New paint packages finish out the details that make their model debut in MY2021.

Royal Enfield have made a big business around staying true to their vintage roots. The new Classic 350 might have a new engine and chassis but it’s still chock-full of old-world charm. Just don’t expect to get anywhere quickly.

The latest in a line of celebrity collaborations with Vespa has landed and, this time, Justin Bieber is the name on the side panels.

Honda went far beyond the cursory Bold New Graphics treatment for 2021 with a newly rebuilt and rebranded PCX for riders seeking an affordable urban-mobility solution. The ground-up redesign features a new frame with an equally-new-and-improved engine, all wrapped up under newly refined bodywork. You are given a choice between a base model and an anti-lock brake version that won’t break the bank and promises to be inexpensive to operate as well.

Good news sports fans! Honda spruced up its dual-sport CRF300L base model and its Rally variant ahead of 2021 with a solid 15-percent increase in displacement, a concurrent 10-percent increase in power, reduced weight, and improved off-road performance. The Rally model brings even more off-road prowess to the table with its Ricky Brabec-inspired equipment package for riders looking to do some actual trailblazing/globetrotting work.

A 250cc motorcycle with an inline-four engine sounds insane but it was clearly not crazy enough for Japanese-based custom bikemaker Trick Star, the same company responsible for the epic, viral white and green Kawasaki Ninja H2R.

So in order to spice things up a bit, Trick Star set out a goal to top 250kmph (155mph) on Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-25R in 2021. Almost six months on and one blown engine later, the firm has finally achieved this target and their bike managed to hit a speedo-indicated 252kmph (156mph). Here’s how they did it.

KTM’s Duke range of naked bikes is massively popular but while the 1290 Super Duke gets all the headlines, the 125 Duke is an important introduction to the KTM brand for many riders. Now, the model, introduced in 2011, is getting a big redesign.

Austrian stuntman Günter Schachermayr has done some crazy things in his life and one such thing was riding his Vespa vertically down a huge chimney.

Following up on that insane stunt, the stuntman has now attempted to tow an airplane on a runway with a one-wheeled Vespa scooter. Here’s how it went.