First Ride Review: 2017 Kawasaki Z125 Pro

The ability to attract new riders is one of the reasons I get really excited when I see a bike like Kawasaki’s new Z125 Pro. Another reason I get excited is because I know that riding small bikes is a blast, and brings you right back to being a kid when the simple joy of twisting the throttle was enough to put butterflies in your stomach. (See idiotic grin, above.)

The Z125 Pro delivers fun in spades. The bike is light and super easy to handle, sports sharp styling and awesome features, and has a high-revving single-cylinder engine that just begs to be flogged.

After spending a day on the new Kawasaki Z125 Pro exploring San Francisco and then ripping around the urban playground that is Treasure Island, I’m here to tell you that The Z125 is not only an ideal beginner’s bike, but that it’s also got enough performance and capability to keep experienced riders thoroughly entertained. The day I just spent on the Z was one of the most fun days I’ve had in recent memory!

The heart of the bike is a 125cc four-speed engine with a redline right around 9,500 rpm. The motor is smooth and tractable, with linear power that picks up ever so slightly in the upper revs. How it compares to the Honda Grom's engine (which has identical displacement but different bore and stroke) is hard to gauge given the overall modest performance, but a 30-second sprint at wide-open throttle put 61 mph on the dash, which is faster than I've ever gotten a Grom to go. And the Z is happy to cruise along at 45 or 50 mph, sipping gas at what Kawasaki says is around 100 miles per gallon.

You’d expect a little budget bike like this to have components that show the cost-cutting efforts, but that’s not the case. The front brake lever is firm and there’s ample stopping power backed up by good grip from the IRC tires. And the suspension is surprisingly good. Even when provoked with potholes, aggressive cornering, and wheelies and jumps (what can I say, I’m hooligan), the little 30mm inverted fork and offset shock never allowed the Z to feel loose or bottom jarringly, which is more than I can say for the Grom’s suspenders. That composure means a comfortable ride on the crummiest of surfaces, as well as the ability to enjoy aggressive cornering and some more advanced maneuvers, if you’re so inclined.

After bopping around San Fran and cruising down the chicane that is Lombard Street’s summit, taking in the sites from Twin Peaks, and cruising by the Golden Gate Bridge in the Presidio, we loaded up and headed east to Treasure Island, the seemingly abandoned man-made island situated in the San Francisco Bay halfway between the peninsula and Oakland.

There, we had time to romp around and release our inner hooligans, which the Z125 seems designed to do. Kawasaki had a tight and fun “track” chalked out on a beat-up parking lot, and we got the chance to test the small Z’s sporting chops. It didn’t disappoint. In fact, it impressed! The Z’s ZX-6R-style knurled footpegs felt high when I first hopped on the bike in SF, but at the track that meant ample cornering clearance. And the suspension, brakes, and tires once again performed better than expected. This bike is ready to attack apexes at your local kart track, right out of the box.

Few people who buy a Z125 Pro are going to take it to a kart track (though honestly, they should) or stunt it like I did, but the fact that the bike is capable of spirited riding says a lot about the effort and thought that Kawasaki put into the small Z. From the fit and finish to the handling and brakes, this bike delivers tons of fun, style, and performance. And for just $2,999, it’s totally affordable. Honda’s $3,199 Grom now has some stiff competition in the “mini street” segment, and I for one think that’s a great thing. The more the merrier in this category.

With the addition of the Z125 Pro to the motorcycling world, I have high hopes for the next generation of riders. The Z125 is an excellent way to get your feet wet in the world of motorcycling. One ride and you'll be ready to dive right in.