Kawasaki Teases Supercharged Z Model
Kawasaki Europe dropped a video teasing a new Z model – and it’s supercharged!
The brief 11-second video doesn’t offer much detail, starting with a close-up of a CGI impeller that quickly begins spinning as a green “Z” logo appears. The intention is clear, however: Kawasaki is adding a naked bike to its supercharged motorcycle lineup, joining the H2, H2R and H2 SX.
What we don’t know is whether this model will be a naked H2, with the same 998cc Inline-Four, or if it’ll have a different displacement. Back in 2015, Kawasaki presented a drawing of a supercharged naked bike concept called the Soul Charger. Kawasaki provided little other detail, except to hint at the supercharger’s potential scalability.
Kawasaki currently has several Z models spanning five different displacements: the Z1000, Z900 (plus RS and RS Cafe variants), Z650, Z400 and Z125 (not to be confused with the Z125 Pro, which arguably isn’t a “real” Z bike). Of these models, the 2020 Z1000, Z400, Z900RS and Z900RS Cafe have already been announced for the European market with only color updates and all remaining naturally aspirated. That leaves the Z650 and regular non-retro Z900 to be announced as potential candidates for forced induction.
Of course, a new Z model might have a completely new displacement, say a 750 perhaps, or having a supercharged model alongside another Z bike with a similar displacement. The H2 and the ZX-10R, for example, share the same 998cc displacement, but are otherwise quite different.
Kawasaki USA is currently teasing six new models coming to North America to be announced during the upcoming fall show season: one on Oct. 7, two on Oct. 23 at the Tokyo Motor Show, and three on Nov. 4 at EICMA (plus any additional models that will be offered in other markets). Whatever this new Z bike is, we suspect we’ll see it at EICMA.
Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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The whoosh from the supercharger, should make a fitting soundtrack as you're blown off the back of the unfaired, upright bike......
Welcome to the car culture of the eighties, now instead of a turbo sticker you will get supercharged, love it.