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/1534836
P116 RIDE REVIEW I 2025 KAWASAKI NINJA 1100SX SE ABS Back to the performance. The SE ABS gains Brembo M4.32 radially mounted four-piston front brake calipers and steel-braided brake lines, which offer plenty of good stopping power, although feel is a little diluted thanks to the master cylinder and the fact that the power needs to go through an ABS unit before it reaches the caliper. That's the same for pretty much everyone who sells a bike in 2025, but the Kawasaki's feel at the lever still leaves a bit to be desired. One notable change is the increase from 250mm to 260mm for the rear brake. The 2024 rear brake disc was already bigger than most oth - er bikes on the market, which usually stay around the 240mm mark, but Kawasaki decided to up it a little further. It works. The old one worked. I can't tell the difference, to be totally honest with you. Unfortunately, the 1100SX doesn't come standard with my test bike's 28-liter hard cases, which is a bummer considering the sticker price of the base bike. You'd be mad not to pick these up at purchase, as they hold enough for a weekend away and will fit a full-face helmet, no worries, unless you've got one of those helmets with a bunch of useless wings on the back. And you'd also want to pick up the heated handgrips from the accessory catalog, which is a shame because they should come as standard fitment for, again, the price of the bike. Kawasaki's been pushing its Rideology The App (to give it its full and proper name) smart - phone app for years and if you were to pick up a 1100, I'd suggest taking the time to learn the system. Mission control is still the 4.3-inch TFT display and allows you to use turn-by-turn naviga- tion, calls and various ride logs like distance, fuel consumption, and plenty of other techy bits. The Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX SE ABS may come with less horsepower than the old 1100, but don't let that fool you. It's a very good sport touring steed with more performance in the areas that matter, and if you option up so you've got some luggage, this is a bike you'll be able to cover many, many miles on and never tire of. The longer I had it, the more I liked it, even if its personality is a little vanilla at first glance. Looks can indeed be deceiving. CN 2025 KAWASAKI NINJA 1100SX SE ABS ($13,699) ENGINE Inline 4-cylinder, 4-stroke VALVETRAIN DOHC, 16-valve COOLING SYSTEM Liquid DISPLACEMENT 1099cc BORE X STROKE 77 x 59mm COMPRESSION RATIO 11.8:1 TRANSMISSION 6-speed MAX HORSEPOWER (CLAIMED) 134 hp at 9000 rpm MAX TORQUE (CLAIMED) 83 lb-ft at 7600 rpm FUEL SYSTEM EFI, 38mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire CLUTCH Wet, slip and assist; cable actuation FRAME Twin-spar aluminum FRONT SUSPENSION 41mm inverted telescopic Showa fork with compression and rebound damping, adjustable spring preload REAR SUSPENSION Horizontal back-link Öhlins S46 gas-charged rear shock with rebound damping, remotely adjustable spring preload FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 4.7 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 5.6 in. FRONT BRAKE Dual 300mm discs, 4-piston monobloc Brembo M4.32 calipers, Kawasaki Intelligent Anti-Lock Brake System (KIBS) REAR BRAKE Single 260mm disc with 1-piston caliper, Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS) FRONT TIRE 120/70-17 in. REAR TIRE 190/50-17 in. RAKE 24° TRAIL 3.9 in. WHEELBASE 56.7 in. GROUND CLEARANCE 5.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT 32.3 in. FUEL CAPACITY 5.0 gal. WEIGHT (CLAIMED, CURB) 516 lbs. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S