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EICMA 2015: Kawasaki J125 Maxi-Scooter Offers More Flexibility

The maxi-scooters are mainly popular in Europe, which would explain why a Japanese brand such as Kawasaki wasn’t all that interested in this segment before.
Kawasaki J125 13 photos
Photo: Kawasaki
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It’s not extremely into it right now either, as its maxi-scooters are actually restyled and rebranded models made by KYMCO, the Taiwanese company, but it does show a little commitment.

Maybe the Japanese are just trying to feel the pulse of the market first without investing too many resources until they decide to actually develop their own model. Or maybe the KYMCO partnership will go on so well that Kawasaki will continue in the same vein going forward. We’ll see.

What we do know at the moment is that the Kawasaki J300 is a rebranded KYMCO Downtown 300i, and the new J125 is quasi-identical, only with a smaller displacement engine. The engine is actually quite tiny, which might affect the maxi-scooter’s ability as a cruiser, the main feature that sets them apart from regular scooters besides more comfort and storage space.

The new J125 comes with a 125 cc liquid-cooled SOHC four-valve single-cylinder engine, developing a not very impressive even for the world of scooters 13.8 hp. The torque figure might also be one of the smallest you’ve ever heard, unless you spend a lot of time reading lawnmower specs: 8.5 lb-ft (11.5 Nm). You must also bear in mind that the J125 is still pretty heavy at 182 kg (400 lbs).

Power will be delivered to the 13-inch rear wheel (14” at the front) via a CVT transmission while the two rear shocks are preload adjustable with five different settings. Stopping power is offered by a 260 mm disc brake up front and a 240 mm one at the back, with ABS being optional.

Since it’s a maxi-scooter, the J125 comes with a large enough under-seat storage to fit a full-face helmet and an A4 sized briefcase, but there’s also a glove box with a 12V socket and a cargo hook for grocery bags and the likes.

The exterior design is tailored to mimic the Kawasaki sportbikes, which makes it a lot more appealing than the KYMCO models it’s based on. It has a two-tone silver seat, LED taillight and will be available in three colors - two shades of black (yup, you read that right) and a white one.

We don’t know how much it will cost, but it will obviously be less than its bigger sibling. And given this new market Kawasaki is entering is a pretty competitive one, it should also be reflected in J125’s price.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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