Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. Car News

Kawasaki's lineup at the International Motorcycle Show was huge

By

2016 was a big year for Kawasaki, as evidenced by its vast display at the 2016 Progressive International Motorcycle Show at the Javits Center in New York City. “Kawasaki added 10 new models and updated five more,” Kawasaki’s public relations and events professional Kevin Allen told Digital Trends. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Japanese brand’s arrival in the U.S. and it’s safe to say that its goal is to offer motorcycles than ever, suited to any taste or level.

The little Versys that could

A presentation by Allen and media relations supervisor Brad Puetz highlighted new models and changes to the existing model line. The 2017 Versys-X 300 joins the lineup of small adventure bikes from the likes of Suzuki and BMW. While it maintains longer suspension travel than the Ninja 300, Allen remarked that the Versys-X 300 still has that “Ninja power” that keeps Kawasaki sportbike fans happy. With its 296cc engine, the Versys-X 300 is the smallest displacement model adventure-tourer in the lineup. Its low seat height, light weight, and upright seating position make it ideal for new riders. The front fairing, chin spoiler, and windshield give protection from the elements as well as from the debris you may encounter in your off-highway adventures.

Recommended Videos

The baby Versys also sports a 4.5-gallon fuel tank, luggage racks, and a 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear wheel (both having aluminium rims with steel spokes), showing that this bike could take you off the beaten path. A six-speed sequential transmission and slipper clutch round out the package, and the Versys-300 is available with or without Anti-lock Brake System (ABS). The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is to be announced.

Catch more Zs

The Z lineup has seen some new additions to the family, with the introduction of the diminutive but hysterically fun Z125 Pro (check out our full review here), which adds Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) paint and graphics for the coming year. The Z650 takes the streetfighter concept and adds everyday usability and performance. And its sharp styling is not just for looks, as Puetz clarified: “Everything you see is quite functional.” Minimal bodywork lowers the weight while also reining in the price.

The new 650cc engine is tuned for the street with a steady torque curve. The steel trellis frame uses the engine as a stress member, tightening the package and reducing weight. Upright handlebars are placed forward for an aggressive riding position, while the grips are designed for a more natural hold. A low seat narrows toward the front to make it easier to place your feet on the ground.

The Z650 comes in at $6,999 and you can add ABS for another $400. If you want more power, you can bump up to the all-new 2017 Z900 with its “supernaked styling” for $8,399 or $8,799 with ABS.

More Ninjas

The Ninja 650 has long been hailed as an excellent all-around motorcycle that is as comfortable on city streets as it is on the track or sweeping canyon roads. For 2017, the mid-sized sportbike has been updated to improve upon its versatile nature. Kawasaki took what it learned from designing its monstrous H2 and applied it to the 650’s steel-trellis frame, adding strength while shedding a whopping 40 lbs. A new swingarm and rear suspension also cut down weight while improving the feel between rider and road.

Seat height has been lowered and the newly designed adjustable windscreen adds more protection. A new assist and slipper clutch will be appreciated by veteran riders, and will also help bring new riders into a segment that might previously have appeared intimidating. Nissin brake calipers offer better bite and feel, and even the wheels have lost some weight.

The Ninja 650 starts at $7,399 for base models and $7,799 if you want ABS, and $7,999 if you want the ABS KRT edition. The bigger Ninja 1000 ABS, featuring Bosch electronics and LED headlamps among other enhancements, comes in at $12,199.

Topics
Albert Khoury
Albert Khoury
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Al started his career at a downtown Manhattan publisher, and has since worked with digital and print publications. He's…
Audi halts vehicle deliveries to the U.S. as it mulls impact of tariffs
2021 Audi Q5

If you’d been thinking of buying an Audi, now might be the time.  The German brand, owned by the Volkswagen Group, has announced it would halt shipments to the U.S. in the wake of President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on all imported vehicles.
Audi is currently holding cars that arrived after the tariffs took effect, on April 3, in U.S. ports. But it still has around 37,000 vehicles in its U.S. inventory, which should be able to meet demand for about two months, according to Reuters.
Automakers on average hold enough cars to meet U.S. demand for about three months, according to Cox Automotive.
Audi should be particularly affected by the tariffs: The Q5, its best-selling model in the U.S., is produced in Mexico, while other models, such as the A3, A4, and A6 are produced in Germany.
Holding shipments is obviously a temporary measure to buy time for Audi and parent company Volkswagen. If tariffs stay in place, vehicle prices would likely have to go up accordingly, unless some production is shifted to the U.S. Volkswagen already has a plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is planning a new plant in South Carolina. That latter plant, however, isn’t expected to be operational until 2027 and is currently dedicated to building electric vehicles for VW’s Scout Motors brand.
Other global automakers have also taken drastic measures in response to Trump’s tariffs. Jaguar Land Rover on April 5 said it is pausing shipments of its its UK-made cars to the United States this month. The British sports-luxury vehicle maker noted that the U.S. market accounts for nearly a quarter of its global sales, led by the likes of Range Rover Sports, Defenders, and Jaguar F-PACE.
And on April 3, Nissan, the biggest Japanese vehicle exporter to the United States, announced it will stop taking new U.S. orders for two Mexican-built Infiniti SUVs, the QX50 and QX55.

Read more
Waymo faces questions about its use of onboard cameras for AI training, ads targeting
Two people exit a Waymo taxi.

In an iconic scene from the 2002 sci-fi film Minority Report, on-the-run Agent John Anderton, played by Tom Cruise, struggles to walk through a mall as he’s targeted by a multitude of personalized ads from the likes of Lexus, Guinness and American Express, everytime hidden detectors identify his eyes.
It was clearly meant as a warning about a not-so-desirable dystopian future.
Yet, 23 years later that future is at least partlially here in the online world and threatens to spread to other areas of daily life which are increasingly ‘connected’, such as the inside of cars. And the new testing grounds, according to online security researcher Jane Manchun Wong, might very well be automated-driving vehicles, such as Waymo’s robotaxis.
On X, Wong unveiled an unreleased version of Waymo’s privacy policy that suggests the California-based company is preparing to use data from its robotaxis, including interior cameras, to train generative AI models and to offer targetted ads.
“Waymo may share data to improve and analyze its functionality and to tailor products, services, ads, and offers to your interests,” the Waymo’s unreleased privacy statement reads. “You can opt out of sharing your information with third parties, unless it’s necessary to the functioning of the service.”
Asked for comments about the unreleased app update, Waymo told The Verge that it contained “placeholder text that doesn’t accurately reflect the feature’s purpose”.
Waymo’s AI-models “are not designed to use this data to identify individual people, and there are no plans to use this data for targeted ads,” spokesperson Julia Ilina said.
Waymo’s robotaxis, which are operating on the streets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, do contain onboard cameras that monitor riders. But Ilina says these are mainly used to train AI models for safety, finding lost items, check that in-car rules are followed, and to improve the service.
The new feature is still under development and offers riders an opportunity to opt out of data collection, Ilina says.
But as we all get used to ads targeting based on everything that’s somehow connected to the web, it seems a once-distant vision of the future may be just around the corner.

Read more
Waymo’s driverless cars are about to begin an overseas adventure
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous cars are about to appear on streets outside of the U.S. for the first time.

The company on Wednesday announced on social media that its autonomous cars will be driving onto the streets of Tokyo, Japan, “soon,” with some reports suggesting the rollout will begin as early as next week.

Read more