The Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race is a prestigious affair in Japan, especially for Japanese bike companies. So it’s only fair to use this stage to showcase future products, and that’s exactly what Kawasaki did.

Making full use of the stage, the Japanese giant brought out not one but two electric motorcycles to the Suzuka circuit for a parade lap of sorts. Let’s take a closer look.

Kawasaki Hybrid Sportbike & Electric Naked Motorcycle Details

The first prototype on the track was a full-faired sportbike with a hybrid setup rather than a full-electric powertrain. While Kawasaki stayed tight-lipped, the motorcycle clearly features a twin-cylinder engine with a Ninja 250-like exhaust. Couple this with the bold ‘HEV’ (Hybrid electric vehicle) stickers on the bodywork, and there's no doubt about the bike's hybrid heart.

Speaking of bodywork, this is where things get really interesting. The hybrid Kawasaki sportbike boasts a unique design language with radical body panels from head to toe. Sure, the headlight is a bit like the ZX-25R, but the surrounding panels are much sharper and nothing like any existing Ninja. Also, the motorcycle has truckloads of air intakes up top, possibly to keep the battery and motor cool.

The design may be exquisite, but the motorcycle is quite conventional elsewhere, evident from the conventional telescopic forks, monoshock, and swingarm. The brakes, meanwhile, comprise twin discs up front, which is impressive and will help counter the extra heft of the hybrid system.

Contrary to the sportbike, the naked Kawasaki is an all-electric motorcycle. There are no exhaust pipes here and you can clearly spot a battery-motor combo in the engine’s place. The design is impressive here too and features brawny tank shrouds and a chunky tail section. To top this, the fascia and underpinnings are reminiscent of the Z400, which keeps things in line with the existing Kawasaki naked lineup.

Kawasaki Hybrid Sportbike & Electric Naked Motorcycle - Expected Launch

Details about the power output, range, battery capacity, and charging time are scarce at the moment. However, leaked documents suggest Kawasaki will introduce two entry-level motorcycles in America soon. Whether they will be the same as the aforementioned motorcycles is unclear for now.

Regardless, there’s no denying that Kawasaki is all set to introduce its EVs and you can expect to see them in the next couple of months, most likely at the EICMA where the company first showcased its EV plans in 2019. }

Credits: Young Machine