Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1537960
2025 KAWASAKI ELEKTRODE 20 ($2199) MOTOR TYPE Air-cooled, brushless, in-wheel BATTERY RATED OUTPUT 750 W POWER MODES High, Medium, Low TOP SPEED 24 mph FINAL DRIVE Direct hub motor, chainless CHARGE TIME Four hours approx. BATTERY RUNNING TIME Low power: 180 minutes/High power: 60 minutes FRAME Aluminum FRONT SUSPENSION 28mm telescopic fork, 1.96 in. wheel travel REAR SUSPENSION Hardtail FRONT BRAKE Single piston caliper, 160mm disc REAR BRAKE Single-piston caliper, 160mm disc FRONT TIRE 20 x 2.125 REAR TIRE 20 x 2.125 RAKE 24° WHEELBASE 38.93 in. SEAT HEIGHT 21.6-27.3 in. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED) 46.1 lbs. motorcycle as you can get. There's no chain to lube or adjust thanks to the hub- mounted rear motor; however, this means it can be a pain to fix flats, as removing the rear wheel requires some effort. The brakes, while basic, teach the principles of front brake/dual brake use, and the bike is light enough that a 7-year-old can easily handle it if it tips over. Kawasaki has given you a 12-month warranty for the frame, fork, handlebar, front wheel/axle/ nuts, number plate, brake lever, seat post, seat clamp and frame under cover. Meanwhile, impor - tant components like the bat- tery, rear wheel motor, charger and controller are covered for 90 days. Other bits like the seat, footrests and brake calipers (and more) only get 30 days. At $2199, it's on the pricier side for a kid's bike, but the fact it's made by someone like Kawasaki gives me a bit of confidence in the Elektrode's Kawasaki says the Elektrode 20 is for kids 8 and up, although I put Harvey on it a few months after he turned 7 and he was fine. Granted, he's got a lot of ex - perience on bikes for his age, so if your youngster is just starting out, at least wait until the recom - mended 8 years old or stick with the slowest mode because the high/full power mode is seri- ously quick for a kid's bike. I've ripped on about Su- per73s and Surrons of late, with kids riding them in a manner that seriously damages the public perception of powered two-wheel vehicles, but I feel kids riding bikes like Stacycs and Elektrodes in parks and on trails (under supervision, of course) is a little different. These bikes teach kids how to ride. They are motorcycles, not pedal-assisted electric bikes where the riders have next to zero intention of ever becoming real motorcyclists. The Elektrode 20 is about as close to a zero-maintenance Dad! Stop taking pictures! Let's go ride. P114 RIDE REVIEW I 2025 KAWASAKI ELEKTRODE 20 longevity. Harvey can ride it most places without annoying anyone. He thus gets way more riding time than I did as a kid, and motorcycling as a whole has a new rider it can count on in the future. CN