Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Will Rev to 17,000 RPM

One of the bikes we are looking forward to the most in 2020 is the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R. This mysterious small-displacement machine makes some big promises for a motorcycle of its size, namely because of its four-cylinder 250cc engine, which we now know will spin to 17,000 rpm.

Complete with traction control, riding modes, and a quickshifter, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R is packing some serious tech for a motorcycle that is typically found in the “budget” section at the local dealership.

But, this is all part of Kawasaki flipping the game on its head, and making a motorcycle that is truly unique and special.

With the 17,000 rpm redline, rumors about the ZX-25R making serious power are likely correct, and we have heard up to 50hp being banded about in the Southeast Asian news sites.

Whether or not that power figure is correct remains to be seen, but it certainly passes the smell test.

As we have explained before for our A&R Pro readers, the purpose of the ZX-25R is to fill a role that the Ninja 400 holds, except for in the Asian markets, where the 400cc displacement puts it out of reach on tiered licenses and the insurance is prohibitively expensive.

With that reasoning in mind, the 45hp Kawasaki Ninja 400 would have to be replaced in-kind, which means a 45hp (or more) Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R.

We are still not clear on when we will see the ZX-25R officially launch as a production machine, but our expectations is for it to hit Asia first, and fingers crossed that it will come to Europe at some future point.

So far, Kawasaki USA has toed the line that we won’t be seeing the Ninja ZX-25R on American soil. Of course, if there is enough demand for such a motorcycle – and the price tag that comes with it – that could change.