 | |
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Production | 2017–present |
| Predecessor | Kawasaki Ninja 650R |
| Class | Naked bike |
The Kawasaki Z650 is a naked motorcycle produced by Kawasaki Motors. It was introduced in 2016 as part of its Z series and entered production the following year, succeeding the Kawasaki Ninja 650R.
History
The Z650 was presented in November 2016 at EICMA together with the Kawasaki Z900. It is named in reference to the four-cylinder motorcycle of the same name also built by Kawasaki in 1976 and was then introduced on the market in Europe at the beginning of 2017. The Z650 was created as a cheaper model than the larger Z900, from which it takes the design and some aesthetic elements.
A renewed version was introduced at EICMA in November 2019, characterized by a new saddle, instruments and lights now fully LED instead of the previous halogen headlights. In October 2020, it underwent a further engine update, to meet the Euro 5 emissions standard, which would be fulfilled two years later. In 2022, the Z650 received new traction control, a new LED lighting system, a new ignition lock and new colors.
Z650 RS
After Kawasaki had already offered the original Z650 (with a four-cylinder in-line engine with 49 kW (66 hp) and a mass of 220 kg) in 1976, the machine, externally similar to the 1976 model, has also been available as a Z650 RS retro version since the summer of 2022 as a parallel twin. The top speed is 191 km/h (119 mph). The RS also has analogue instruments.
References
- Möller-Töllner, Jens (22 December 2016). "Niedriges Einsteiger-Motorrad" [Low entry-level motorcycle] (in German). Motorrad. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023.
- Müller, Johannes (18 August 2018). "Wie gut ist das Einsteiger-Bike?" [How good is the entry-level bike?] (in German). Motorrad. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023.
- Niewrzol, Slawomir (5 November 2019). "Updates für das Mittelklasse-Naked-Bike" [Updates for the mid-range naked bike] (in German). Motorrad. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023.
- Praveen M (5 November 2019). "The 2020 Kawasaki Z650 Gets A Sharper Face And Is Geek-friendly Too!". ZigWheels.
- Glück, Stefan (21 January 2018). "Der quirlige Charakter bleibt unverändert" [The lively character remains unchanged] (in German). Motorrad. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023.
- Thilo Kozik/SP-X (2022-10-06). "Kawasaki Z650: Quirliger Allrounder". adac.de. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- Kratschmar, Jens (9 September 2022). "Mit serienmäßiger Traktionskontrolle" [With traction control as standard] (in German). Motorrad. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023.
- ^ Gach, Ingo (19 May 2022). "Fahrbericht Kawasaki Z 650 RS: Leicht nostalgisch". heise.de (in German). Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- "Kawasaki Z650RS (2022) im Motorrad-Test: Preis, PS, Verbrauch". handelsblatt.com. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.