TG MY Top 5: Bikes from the Tokyo Motor Show 2019
As you could probably guess, the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show isn’t just about cars. Japan is home to several two-wheeled powerhouse names and, whilst there were many, the bikes from the likes of Honda and Kawasaki in particular caught our eyes this year.
Here’s our pick of the five coolest bikes we caught a glimpse of in the halls of the Tokyo Big Sight last week…
1. Honda CT 125 Concept
Honda seems to know hot to hit the nostalgia strings. Just look at both the Super Cub 125 and Monkey. With that, it was only natural for Honda to bring back its legendary CT nameplate and, despite declaring it as a concept; it looked production-ready in the flesh.
Essentially, this is the answer to the question of how the Super Cub 125 would become if it were spun off as a rugged, dirt-busting scrambler, complete with knobbly off-road rubber shod on spoked wheels, single-seat, as well as a high-mounted exhaust too.
The chassis, by the way, is all-new from the ground up, and it’s built around the engine, which is the same four-stroke 125cc single-cylinder mill primed with fuel injection as seen in the Super Cub 125, Monkey and MSX 125 (Grom).
Honda remains coy as to when it will release a production version of this concept, but given how well received its Super Cub and Money cousins are, we reckon it wouldn’t be long now.
Honda CT 125 Concept @ Tokyo Motor Show 2019
2. 2020 Honda Goldwing
Alright, the Goldwing isn’t exactly new, and this current sixth-gen model has been with us since 2018. However, featured here is the model in its updated 2020 model year guise, and it sports plenty of tasty updates all around, enhancing its touring credentials further.
Changes in the 2020 model include a revamped fuel injection suite, as well as its revolutionary DCT transmission – yes, this is a bike that packs car-like a dual-clutch automatic box – for improved low-speed maneuverability.
Revised too is the Goldwing’s suspension settings, whilst improved rider and pillion comfort were achieved through several small ergonomic changes such as gaining a pair of new and larger pillion grab handles.
In short, Honda have chosen to make its ultimate touring bike offering better through plenty of small and clever changes all around. This should see the Goldwing stack up a little bit better against the rivaling BMW K1600 GT.
3. Kawasaki Z H2
Team Green isn’t one to back down from showing off its latest metal on home ground and, fortunately, they didn’t disappoint. For this year’s edition of the Tokyo Motor Show, Kawasaki unveiled its latest supercharged offering, the new Z H2 streetfighter.
Joining alongside Kawasaki Ninja H2 and Ninja H2 flagships now, the Z H2 adds Kawasaki’s signature predator or ‘Sugomi’ style streetfighter flavour into the line up. It also benefits with a host of neat features like a digital dash display, top-shelf Showa suspension and Brembo anchors too.
Like its two siblings, it harnesses perhaps the two-wheeled world’s most exciting engine yet, by which we mean Kawasaki’s mad and supercharged 998cc four-banger that’s good for a claimed 200bhp.
Though it’s no lightweight machine with its claimed 239kg kerb weight, we know the supercharged heart it packs will easily offset this and see it easily slay plenty of supercars on the trot. You can read about this new supercharged predator, as well as its arch nemesis from Italy by clicking these words…
Kawasaki Z H2 @ Tokyo Motor Show 2019
4. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R
We’re still sticking with Team Green here and, by comparison, this bike might just eclipse the supercharged Z H2 its debuted alongside with in terms of tech. That’s because the Ninja ZX-25R packs a rather wild four-stroke 250cc four-cylinder engine format.
The last time bikemakers fielded such as engine was back in the late 1980s to the early 1990s, all boasting stratospheric red lines. This trait looks set to make a comeback via the Ninja ZX-25R that Kawasaki had on display in Tokyo last week.
But unlike the Z H2, Kawasaki were coy about figures and details surrounding the Ninja ZX-25R apart from confirming its engine configuration. If does make it to production in the near future, rumours suggest it could stand as the most powerful quarter-litre production motorcyle engine to date.
Fuelling said rumour further is the fact that the Ninja ZX-25R display came brimmed with top-flight chassis hardware such as Showa race-derived suspension, radial brakes, a complete electronic rider aids suite, selectable ride modes and even a quickshifter – things more commonly found in larger displacement supersports.
Rumours also suggests Kawasaki will produce the Ninja ZX-25R out of its Indonesia-based production facility, but this remains to be seen for now. Still, the prospect of a stratospheric-revving quarter-litre four-banger sports bike sounds exciting for many.
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R
5. 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650
Lastly, we’d though of ending on a rather modest and obtainable note with a bike that’s certain to be a hit when it goes on sale next year. Meet the updated 2020 model year Ninja 650 middleweight sport.
Seasoned readers would know by now we’ve already ridden this – as well as its Z650 naked twin – bike in its current form not long ago. Light, nimble, well-endowed with decent performance from its 650cc parallel-twin heart and sharp styling, the 650 series twins aren’t hard to love and appreciate.
The sport-bodied Ninja 650 version featured here has undergone a mild update for its 2020 model year guise, gaining a new digital TFT instrument display, full LED lighting, as well as a lightly redesigned fairing plus small changes to its riding ergonomics too.
If you thought the Ninja 650 looked great before, this revised-for-2020 version takes things up a few notches, and we’re sure plenty of newbies and those keen on upgrading will be eagerly awaiting this machine’s arrival in Kawasaki showrooms next year.