The Kawasaki Ninja 1000 and Versys 1000 models were discontinued earlier this year and now it seems that both will be replaced by new, larger models come EICMA (November 5-7).
- New 1,099cc motor replaces outgoing 1,043cc mill
- Makes 134hp in both; increase in horsepower for Versys, decrease in Ninja
- Torque has risen to 113Nm, shorter gearing on Ninja
Kawasaki Ninja 1100, Versys 1100 details
Both the Ninja 1000 and Versys 1000 were powered by a 1,043cc, inline-four motor rated for 140hp in the Ninja and 117hp in the Versys. The new 1,099cc four-cylinder motor is rated for 134hp in both bikes, which is a big increase for the Versys and a small drop for the Ninja. This is likely down to the motor meeting the ever-tightening Euro emissions norms, which this larger mill will have to contend with in the future.
However, Kawasaki has mitigated the decrease in power on the sporty Ninja with a small increase in torque – from 111Nm to 113Nm. This is complemented by shorter final gearing, owing to a larger rear sprocket, which should aid both acceleration and tractability.
Apart from the new motor, details about other changes to the cycle parts and features remain scarce. The Ninja 1100 may get a new face, in line with the new family look like the Ninja 500 and Ninja ZX-6R.
EICMA will be held in just over a month and these new Kawasakis will break cover there. We expect Kawasaki India to bring both these models here in due course as both the Ninja and Versys 1000 were popular offerings at the price point.
The 1,100cc engine also opens the possibility of a Z900 replacement down the line. The current Z900’s 948cc mill is a sleeved-down version of the older 1,043cc motor and with this new 1,099cc engine coming into play, we could also see a similiar bump in capacity for the midsize Z.
Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GT and HSX-S1000GX are the only inline-four competition from a Japanese marque, and currently, neither of these models are offered in our country.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
