Watch the Kawasaki ZX-25R scream on track

Friday, 20 March 2020

Kawasaki has released a video showcasing its upcoming 250cc screamer on the track with WSBK champion Jonathan Rea and teammate Alex Lowes at the helm.

The ZX-25R first bowed last year and features an engine familiar to some learner riders. It's a 250cc inline-four that makes up for its lack of displacement with a sky-high redline of 17,000rpm.

If this sort of engine is new to you, have a look at the video above. Then jump on Trademe because it's not a new development. The Big Four Japanese manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha) all built 250cc four-bangers in the 1990s and they all revved this high. You can find them for sale for a few grand and ex-owners will swear by them as fantastic learner/initiate track bikes.

This is the ZX-25R, a triumphant return of the small-capacity screamers of the 1990s.

Kawa's latest effort will be in a class of one though, as the others have all moved to cost-effective single and parallel-twin engine configurations. Team Green has one too, in the form of the rather good Ninja 400 but it is bringing the '90s back in one of the coolest ways possible.

**READ MORE:

That's not a Photoshopped image, the ZX-25R really does rev to 17,000rpm. We'd expect peak power to hit at about 16,800rpm.

* Suzuki working on range of electric two-wheelers

* Middleweight motorcycles get meaner as they get cleaner

* Kawasaki product blitz about to reach Kiwi showrooms

* Track-ready Kawasaki Ninja a cleaner, sharper ride**

According to the brand's website, the ZX-25R will not meet LAMS requirements. That means the power-to-weight will exceed 150kW per tonne, with early rumours putting output at around 45kW.

Other premium parts include: Showa SFF Big Piston upside-down forks, Brembo Monobloc calipers with dual piston front brakes, traction control, electronic ride-by-wire throttle with ride modes, a quickshifter and ABS.

The bike will be styled like the other sports bikes in Kawasaki's range, meaning a Trellis frame and plenty of angular, green highlights.

Want one? Same. But we'll have to make some noise to Kawasaki in order for them to bring them here. There's a petition you can sign here that will let the local arm know how much interest there is.