Excuse the awkward pun, but we have been absolutely buzzing since the cover got pulled off the 2020 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R back in October. We’ve known that with a 250cc inline-four that revs to 17,000 rpm, the thing has no choice but to scream. Now, Kawasaki has blessed us with an introductory video and, man. Suspicions confirmed.
You can glean a lot from a short YouTube clip, and in this case that includes that the little bike will do every bit of 100 mph in fifth gear. That kind of speed out of something this little has been unheard of since the early 1990s, when hairy-chested two- and four-stroke 250s were a dime a dozen overseas. Those little rippers have become highly sought-after gray market darlings for a reason.
In the hands of Kawasaki’s World Superbike riders Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes, the mini Ninja looks more than capable of scaring the hell out of bigger machinery. We’re still waiting for word on whether this thing will see American shores, since it was built with tiered licensing in mind. After seeing this clip, we’re knocking on wood, crossing our fingers, and rubbing a lucky rabbit’s foot.
As capable as the Kawasaki Ninja 400 has proven, the ZX-25R looks to have it beat from every angle. From killer cosmetics to USD fork, radial brakes, and that screaming inline mill, the ZX-25R is truly lustworthy.
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