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Small to medium sports dimensions, Superbike performance: this is what the Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid promises, the first mass-produced hybrid motorcycle in history, but soon a concrete reality, because it will be available in a few months. After presenting the new electric motorbikes, which can be driven with an A1 licence, a few days ago in Paris, Kawasaki is now introducing into the world of motorbikes a technology that is already well established in the world of cars: hybrid propulsion.
Kawasaki Ninja 7, the first hybrid motorcycle in Styria
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As in the four wheels, also in the Ninja 7 Hybrid two propulsion units work together, one thermal and one electric: the first is made up of the brand new 451 cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled parallel twin, while the second consists of a 9 kW electric motor powered by a 48V lithium ion battery, positioned under the saddle to optimize weight distribution; the combined power is 59 hp, which rises to 69.5 thanks to the e-boost. While the dimensions and performance of the motorbike make it similar to a sports car in the 700 cc engine range, acceleration from a standing start is comparable to that of a supersport with a 1,000 cc engine thanks to the e-boost function. Kawasaki.
Fuel consumption, according to what the Japanese manufacturer declares, is instead equal to that of a 250 cc. There are three driving modes available: Sport-Hybrid, Eco-Hibrid and Ev2, each designed for a specific use of the motorbike (sporty, fuel-saving and electric only). The Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid also features start-and-stop (when the bike is stationary it stops the combustion engine to save fuel and reduce emissions), and the Automatic launch position finder (ALPF) which – when selected – automatically chooses the first gear when the bike is stationary, as well as a “walk” mode in both forward and reverse gear to facilitate low-speed maneuvering and parking. The two engines are integrated into a classic trellis frame to form a compact unit. As for the gearbox, it is of the “clutchless” type (without clutch) and can be set to manual or automatic. Finally, the instrumentation consists of a color TFT display which includes connectivity with the smartphone, through a dedicated version of the Rideology App