11/5/23
Could hybrid motorcycles be the answer for increased fuel economy and electric necessity in city centers with emissions restrictions without giving up too much performance from traditional ICE motorcycles? Hybrid cars like the Toyota Pruis have been common and even popular for over 20 years, but until now, motorcycle manufacturers have jumped from gasoline to battery in their offerings with nothing in between. As electric bikes have increased range and power, they still can’t negate that ever present range anxiety and a less than adequate charging infrastructure. Kawasaki has a solution, and its first hybrid model, the Ninja 7 Hybrid, paints a picture that is less fraught with compromise and difficulty of use.
Last week, Cycle World In-Market Editor Bradley Adams, traveled to Spain to turn the first miles on the Ninja 7 Hybrid, and overall, it performed well. A 451cc parallel twin from the Eliminator and a water-cooled, synchronous permanent magnet motor can propel the hybrid Ninja independently or simultaneously in three different modes. Shifting is push-button manual in Sport mode, or you can go full auto in the Eco-hybrid and EV mode. There’s even an e-boost button for a short blast that Kawasaki claims is quicker than a ZX-10R—although it doesn’t say over what time or distance.
Of course there are still some compromises like the 500-pound wet weight (a Ninja 400 weighs 368 pounds…) and the chassis is longer to accommodate the hybrid system. But Adams says the Ninja 7 Hybrid’s ride is not too removed from an ICE motorcycle. You can read his full review here to find out if motorcycling does have a hybrid future.
As always, there’s more than we can fit into this email. Check out cycleworld.com for additional tests, reviews, and news.
Ride on,
Justin Dawes
Executive Editor
