After announcing the motorcycle at the EICMA in Milan last year, we traveled to Barcelona last weekend for the European introduction of the world’s very first hybrid motorcycle: the Ninja 7 Hybrid. We are currently working hard on the extensive test, but for those who don’t want to wait, here are our first findings.
It was a big deal when Kawasaki was the first of the mainstream brands to unveil its plans for an emission-free future last year. Two EV models for 2023 and a Hybrid model for 2024, with which Team Green was the first of the traditional motorcycle brands to concretize its emission-free future plans. The Z e-1 and Ninja e-1 EV models were recently presented in Paris, and in Barcelona it was the turn of the Ninja 7 Hybrid, the world’s very first Strong Hybrid motorcycle.
To clarify the latter immediately: in the world of hybrid vehicles there are two different types, semi-hybrid BAHV (also called the Mild Hybrid) and fully hybrid HEV (also called the Strong Hybrid). Actually there are three, of the last one (HEV) there is also a Plug-in variant, the PHEV.
In both cases there is a combination of an electric motor and a combustion engine, where in the semi-hybrid the electric motor serves purely and solely to support the combustion engine with the aim of reducing consumption, whereas a fully hybrid vehicle runs on both an electric motor and the combustion engine can drive.
The Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid falls into the latter category, where you can choose between fully electric, hybrid and combustion engine. The electric drive is provided by a liquid-cooled compact electric motor placed behind the cylinder bank with a constant power of 7 kW and 9 kW peak power, which is powered by a 48 Volt battery placed under the seat.
Kawasaki claims a range of 12 kilometers on EV, after which it takes 50 minutes for the battery to be fully charged again. That may seem like a small distance, but it is more than enough to go shopping in an emission-free zone, for example. We drove from the center of Barcelona to a training ground outside the city on the coast, which, according to the TFT display, had cost two bars of battery status.
EV driving really didn’t disappoint us in the heart of Barcelona. The electric motor has a constant torque value of 24 Nm, which is comparable to a 125cc ICE, with the difference that with an electric motor that torque is available across the board. Now we haven’t had a chance to do any sprints, but the EV is certainly powerful enough to keep up with the smoothest traffic. We were so convinced that we would always go for EV mode in the city (or at least as long as the battery allows it).
As for the combustion engine, Kawasaki has opted for a completely new 451cc parallel twin, which also powers the new Eliminator and will be used in even more models in the future. Compared to the Eliminator block, some adjustments have of course been made for the electric motor, which is placed behind the cylinder bank and is connected directly to the crankshaft.
The 451cc parallel twin is rated for a top power of 59 HP at 10,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 44 Nm at 7,500 rpm, 69 HP @ 10,500 rpm and 62 NM @ 2,800 rpm including electric motor. These are quite high values ​​for a four and a half twin and well above the permitted 35 kW for the A2 driving license, for which the engine is not suitable. Whether there will be an A2 version in the future will be decided based on reactions from the market, but from a technical point of view it is not a problem at all.
Driving in HEV, Kawasaki gives you the choice of 2 riding modes: SPORT-HYBRID and ECO-HYBRID. In SPORT you drive continuously at full power from the combustion engine, where the electric motor can provide a 12 hp e-boost of 5 seconds. The e-boost, the switch of which is located on the right of the handlebar, can be done while driving or with a standing start and in the latter case, according to Kawa, you are faster from your spot in the first two hundred meters than a Ninja ZX-10R.
In ECO mode, the electric motor is only used when driving away, after which the combustion engine seamlessly takes over at a speed of 20 km/h, turning off when stationary as a stop/start system, after which the whole routine repeats itself. You could also see it as a refined start/stop system. This will be discussed in much more detail in the extensive test.
In ECO mode you have the choice of manual or automatic transmission, where in AT the best possible fuel consumption has been the starting point and the engine shifts up to sixth gear as quickly as possible and when you reduce speed, it maintains a high gear for as long as possible. In SPORT mode you only have the choice of manual shifting.
You do the latter not by means of a gear shift pedal, but via two paddles on the steering wheel – indeed, just like Honda’s DCT, where Kawasaki does give you the option to have the gearbox automatically downshift. This prevents you from still being in 6th gear when standing still and definitely has added value. In fact, you then have a semi-automatic.
Kawasaki emphasized during the presentation that the electrically controlled shifting should not be seen as an up/down quickshifter, but we were certainly quite enthusiastic about the upshift. Downshifting also went well, but we missed the option to ‘double down’, or downshift multiple gears at the same time.
The system may not yet be completely perfect (this will also be discussed in depth in the extensive test), but Kawasaki at least shows that you do not need a complex dual-clutch system to be able to shift electronically.
When it comes to steering, the Ninja 7 Hybrid feels no different from a normal motorcycle. Because of the high torque that the engine can deliver at low speeds, Kawasaki has provided a long swingarm and the engine has also been given a proportionately long wheelbase, but this was really not noticeable at all while driving. The only thing we noticed was that the bike tends to understeer when exiting the bend, but that was the only point of criticism.
Even though the second day of riding was canceled due to extreme rainfall and the program of the first day also had to be adjusted due to bad weather, we are convinced of this first step that Kawasaki has taken towards CO2 neutrality. The engine may not be completely perfect yet, but remember that Kawasaki has not had any references.
This is the world’s very first Strong Hybrid motorcycle and from that point of view, Kawasaki has not only shown courage, but has laid a very good foundation for hybrid drives. The extensive test will delve deeply into the matter, the pluses and minuses.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.