Kawasaki’s pocket-sized motorcycle, the Kawasaki Z125 Pro, is getting a recall for a faulty shock absorber, which according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), may leak oil and lose functionality.
Since the loss of oil from the shock absorber can change the handling characteristics of the motorcycle, which in turn could lead to a crash, Kawasaki is recalling 1,282 units of the Kawasaki Z125 Pro.
Behold the 2017 Kawasaki Z125 Pro, Team Green’s answer to the Honda Grom. This four-stroke, 125cc, 225 lbs “monkey bike” from Kawasaki hopes to tap into the same unassuming, approachable, and fun vein that the Honda Grom exposed three years ago.
Like the Grom, the Kawasaki Z125 Pro appeals to two very different demographics. One the one hand, it is the perfect learner bike for young and green (no pun intended) riders – you can see as much in the photos at the end of this post that clearly target the millennial skateboarding young male.
On the other hand though, the 2017 Kawasaki Z125 Pro is just as much of a machine for older and more experienced riders, who are looking for a cheap and fun machine to add to their already comprehensive stable – perhaps as a grocery-getter or pit bike at the track.
If we can continue to the comparison to the Honda Grom, this dual approach appears to play out well in the market, with the unassuming motorcycle gaining attention from a surprising wide and large demographic. As such, Kawasaki is smart to jump on the trend.