2013 Kawasaki Z800 Announced but US Availability Unlikely

Kawasaki announced it will produce a new mid-sized naked streetfigther: the Z800. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look likely the Z800 will be imported to the U.S., but we’ll have to wait for an official word from Kawasaki.

The 2013 Kawasaki Z800 is powered by an 806cc inline-four engine with styling inspired by its larger sibling, the Z1000. Kawasaki did not offer any additional details however, so we will have to wait until the Z800 is presented at the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany, on Oct. 2.

In Europe, the Z800 will replace the Z750, a model that has gone relatively unchanged since 2007. That 748cc model was never brought to the U.S. however. Kawasaki last offered a Z750 in 2006, though it was equipped with a fairing to make it a Z750S.

At 806cc, the new Z800 may be too close in size to the Z1000 for Kawasaki to decide it’s worth importing to the U.S. That doesn’t mean Kawasaki USA won’t choose otherwise however. A similar difference didn’t stop Yamaha from offering both its 998cc FZ1 and a 779cc FZ8.

[Source: Kawasaki Europe]

By Dennis Chung