Kawasaki has announced one new and two updated models for 2025. The new 2025 Kawasaki W230 is a small retro bike inspired by the 1965 650-W1, and it joins the W800 in the W series. The Ninja 1100SX ABS sport-tourer and Versys 1100 SE LT ABS adventure crossover get several shared updates, including a larger engine, an upgraded quickshifter, smartphone connectivity functions, and more.
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2025 Kawasaki W230 ABS
The 2025 Kawasaki W230 ABS is a new retro-inspired motorcycle and the second addition to what Kawasaki is calling its W series, which before now has included only the W800. The W230 is a small-displacement bike inspired by the 1965 650-W1.
The W230 includes several design features that give it its retro appearance. The engine’s cylinder head features rounded and large cooling fins with machined tips. The bike also includes a chrome fuel-injector cover and a teardrop fuel tank. Its peashooter muffler design is decidedly retro and is crafted from stainless steel with a buffed finish. The bike also includes a chrome-plated handlebar and a 3D “W” emblem on the tank.
It’s powered by an air-cooled 233cc single-cylinder engine with SOHC. It has a bore and stroke of 67.0 x 66.0mm, and Kawasaki says it is tuned to prioritize torque in the low- to mid-range. It has a 6-speed transmission and is fuel-injected.
The W230 has a semi-double-cradle frame with a 27-degree rake and 3.7 inches of trail. Suspension is provided by a 37mm nonadjustable telescopic fork and twin shocks with 5-step preload adjustment. The wheels are spoked, with an 18-incher in the front and a 17-inch wheel in the rear. A single 265mm disc in the front is pinched by a dual-piston caliper, and a 220mm disc with a single-piston caliper slows things down out back.
Kawasaki designed the W230’s ergonomics to be relaxed and upright. It features a seat height of 29.3 inches and a slim seat design for easy reach to the ground. Additional features to enhance comfort are the sculpted fuel tank with knee cut-outs, rubber pads and weights in the footpegs, and bar-end weights to manage vibration. The bike has a low claimed wet weight of 315.3 lb.
A welcome safety feature on the W230 is standard ABS. Instrumentation includes separate speedometer and tachometer gauges paired with an integrated LCD that shows odometer, tripmeter, and a clock. It also features a round LED headlight with separate chambers for low and high beams.
The 2025 Kawasaki W230 ABS will be available in Metallic Ocean Blue / Ebony with an MSRP of $5,599.
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2025 Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX ABS and Versys 1100 SE LT ABS Updates
Kawasaki’s Ninja 1100SX ABS sport-tourer and Versys 1100 SE LET ABS adventure crossover both receive updates for 2025, and the Ninja 1100SX SE ABS gets additional suspension and brake updates.
The inline-Four that powers these models gets a bump in displacement to 1,099cc, up from 1,043. It has a bore and stroke of 77.0 x 59.0mm, with an additional 3mm of stroke than before. Additionally, 5th and 6th gears have been lengthened on both bikes.
They also benefit from an update to the Kawasaki Quick Shifter, an up/down quickshifter that now functions at lower revs than previously. Other changes include a new USB-C outlet and a 10mm-larger rear brake disc. The bikes pair to a smartphone via Kawasaki’s Rideology app, which now supports voice commands for using the app without needing to take hands off the bars.
The Ninja 1100SX SE ABS now sports Brembo M4.32 front brake calipers, a Brembo master cylinder, and Brembo discs. It’s also equipped with an Öhlins S46 rear shock with a remote preload adjuster. It’s visually distinguishable from the non-SE with its gold-colored front and rear wheels and gold-alumite finish on the front fork outer tubes. The SE also gets heated grips.
The 2025 Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX ABS will be available in Metallic Carbon Gray / Mettalic Diablo Black with an MSRP of $13,699. The SE version will be available in Emerald Blazed Green / Metallic Diablo Black with an MSRP of $15,399. The 2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE LT ABS will be available in Metallic Graphite Gray / Metallic Diablo Black with an MSRP of $19,499.
Visit the Kawasaki website for more information.
Check out more new bikes in Rider’s 2025 Motocycle Buyers Guide
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Source: RiderMagazine.com