Z7 Hybrid (MY2024)

Kawasaki built this one as a genuine hybrid rather than a badge. A 451 cc parallel twin works alongside a liquid-cooled electric motor and a 48V lithium-ion battery, and the two trade roles depending on what you ask for. It pulls out of a parking spot on electricity alone, settles into Eco-Hybrid when you care about the 52 mpg, and puts both power sources to work in Sport-Hybrid. There is an e-boost function on top of that: five seconds of extra shove that makes 69 hp and 44 lb-ft feel bigger off the line. The six-speed shifts itself, with bar buttons when you want a say.

Live with it and the picture gets honest quickly. This is a technology showcase you can genuinely use every day, not a sharp-edged sporting naked. The 31.3 in (795 mm) seat lets most riders plant a boot, and the chassis stays approachable, but 500 lb (227 kg) wet is real mass behind a 451 cc twin and you notice it. Build quality and reliability read solid, and ABS plus ride modes cover the basics. It suits the rider who commutes all week, wants back roads on the weekend, and finds the drivetrain interesting on its own terms. If you want the lightest, sharpest thing in this displacement, look elsewhere.