<div id="readability-page-1"><div><ul><li>Kawasaki makes a hybrid motorcycle, the Ninja Z7 hybrid.</li><li>It has a 451-cc upright parallel-twin and a 12-hp, 30-lb-ft electric motor powered by a 1.37-kWh, 48-volt lithium-ion battery.</li><li>Sticker price is $12,499, but you can probably offer a lot less. </li></ul><hr/>Kawasaki has made a hybrid motorcycle, and that’s a big deal. No on else offers a hybrid.Sure, there are more than a few pure electric motorcycles on the market, most notably from Zero and Livewire, but there aren’t any hybrids out there except this Kawasaki Z7 Hybrid. (The Honda PCX Hybrid is just a scooter, and it’s not sold here.)So, kudos to Kawasaki for making this bold move into uncharted territory.(Kawasaki also sells an all-electric motorcycle, the Ninja e-1, which has a city commuter electric range of 41 miles, weighs only 309 pounds, and costs just $7,899. That’s in addition to a full line of sport bikes, cruisers, jet skis, and SxSs. So Kawasaki is an innovative manufacturer.)The Ninja Z7 Hyrbid uses the 451-cc upright parallel-twin from the Ninja 500 sport bike and Eliminator cruiser and stretches the high-tensile steel trellis six and a half inches to accommodate a 12-hp, 30-lb-ft electric motor powered by a 1.37-kWh 48-volt lithium-ion battery.The result, Kawasaki says, is a hybrid drivetrain that offers “the instant acceleration of a 1,000-cc supersport” and “fuel economy on par with a 2,50cc-class” motorcycle. So is it the perfect bike? Let’s see.The 451-cc twin is a stroked version of the 399-cc engine, which gets an 11.7:1 compression ratio and electronic fuel injection. So it’s an efficient setup aimed at achieving low-end torque for off-the-line launches.<figure><div><div><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/xbfLfOgl07ScwL6eyRGKIQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/autos.autoweek.com/e6c20fbd2b99bfdbfd433536510af095?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="960" height="640" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/xbfLfOgl07ScwL6eyRGKIQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/autos.autoweek.com/e6c20fbd2b99bfdbfd433536510af095"/></div></div><figcaption>With a wheelbase six and a half inches longer than a “standard” bike, the Hybrid handles a little slower. Kawasaki</figcaption></figure>Combine that with the liquid-cooled interior permanent magnet-synchronous electric motor which, even though it makes only 12 hp, unloads all its torque just above zero rpm, and you should get good launches at the green lights when both power sources are in play. But the reality is a little more complicated. The bike weighs 503 pounds, so it’s heavier than you might expect. That long wheelbase feels decidedly different underneath you, with a slightly slower response to cornering despite the front fork’s sporty 25-degree rake and 4.1-inch trail, and accessing all that power means mastering the more complex ride modes.There are three ride modes: EV, ECO-Hybrid, and Sport-Hybrid.EV mode uses the battery alone to power the electric motor to make the bike go. It offers an ell-electric range of 8-10 miles depending on how you ride, more than enough for sneaking in and out of your apartment complex without waking the neighbors. In EV mode torque still routes through the six-speed automated manual transmission, which operates only in automatic when the bike’s in EV mode, doing the shifting for you. Top speed in EV mode is about 40 mph. ECO-Hybrid mode comes up with a tap on the HEV/EV rocker switch on the left handlebar and adds the gas engine for maximum efficiency. In this mode you can change gears yourself via two buttons on the left-hand grip, or just leave it in automatic and let it shift for you. At stop lights the gas engine shuts off and then comes back on automatically at 15 mph.Hit Sport mode and the gas engine is on all the time, while a tap on the e-boost button adds extra boost from the electric motor for maximum acceleration.All these modes are controlled by a couple of buttons and switches placed all over the handlebars. Memorizing them is not as complicated as, say, launching a Trident nuclear missile or programming in HTML. But while motorcycles offer the simple joy of familiar clutch and throttle, with the Ninja Z7 hybrid you find yourself having to remember the entire instruction manual every time you do anything.<figure><div><div><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wOcMv3CMgvYsdCoMf93vRA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/autos.autoweek.com/ccc73575506a288490987c12d88fa896?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="960" height="640" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wOcMv3CMgvYsdCoMf93vRA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/autos.autoweek.com/ccc73575506a288490987c12d88fa896"/></div></div><figcaption>All-electric range is only about 10 miles or so. Kawasaki</figcaption></figure>The EV mode, for instance, tops out at only 40 mph, and you have to slow to 16 mph to switch to ECO-Hybrid or Sport Hybrid, which isn’t the smoothest transition in motordom.In ECO-Hybrid mode you can shift yourself using the buttons on the left handgrip. In auto shift mode the upshifts come almost laughably quick and at very low rpms, making it good only for those seeking maximum conservation of energy. In manual mode you have more control, but I often hit the wrong buttons, either high-beams or horn. And unless you hit the ALFP button, the transmission doesn’t automatically return to first gear at a stop. The transmission off the line seems to require waiting for the clutch to engage just a beat before progress begins.Sport Hybrid mode is definitely the best, especially with liberal use of the eboost button over there on the right hand grip. In Sport and with eboost you can get a 0-60 mph time of 4.2 seconds, Kawasaki says.Drawbacks? There’s no plug-in feature to charge the battery; that’s done by the engine. Obviously, there’s no toe-operated shifter and no clutch handle here, which will also require a bit of a reset in your moto-mind if you’ve been riding bikes for years with both of those. There is a Walk Mode that moves the bike slowly forward or backward for parking help, a feature usually found on larger bikes. So that’s helpful.Overall, this is a good first effort by the first major motorcycle maker to try a hybrid. Is it too complicated for its own good? It might be, at this stage of development.Sales aren’t exactly brisk, either. Sticker price is listed at $12,499, but dealers are making deals. Kawasaki’s own website has $4,000 off, and dealers may be topping that, bringing the bike down to comparable ICE-powered alternatives.<hr/><figure><div><div><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/pO0p0eFH46MXJNXnkzYbnA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTI1OA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/autos.autoweek.com/7f941c1c27878da4c723f8b828c6d197?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="768" height="206" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/pO0p0eFH46MXJNXnkzYbnA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTI1OA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/autos.autoweek.com/7f941c1c27878da4c723f8b828c6d197"/></div></div><figcaption>Hearst Owned</figcaption></figure><hr/>The fact that you can cruise around for a short distance on electric power could be appealing to some buyers, while the added range extension of the upright parallel twin eliminates range anxiety often associated with electric powered motorcycles—and cars.Overall, good for Kawasaki for offering not just this hybrid bike option, but a full electric, too. More alternatives on the market are always good for buyers. What else might Kawasaki have up its sleeve?</div></div>

Kawasaki introduces the Ninja Z7 Hybrid, the first hybrid motorcycle, combining a 451-cc engine with a 12-hp electric motor. It offers EV, ECO-Hybrid, and Sport-Hybrid modes, but its complexity may challenge riders. Priced at $12,499, it marks a bold move in motorcycle innovation.

Kawasaki Goes Dual-Mode with the Ninja Z7 Hybrid Motorcycle