Kawasaki Ninja 650

Overview

The Kawasaki Ninja 650 has never waned in popularity ever since its launch way back in 2006. As an entry level middleweight, it has made a name for itself for being a user friendly and stylish. Since its launch it has gone through numerous updates. Some of these were triggered by changing emission norms while others due to change in style trends. Throughout this time, Kawasaki has made their bike better in every possible way. The current version comes in a body inspired from the Kawasaki ZX-10R and performance worthy of the track. It costs around Php 390000 and competes against the Honda CBR500R.  

Design

Kawasaki’s Ninja bikes have a distinct appearance that has become their identity. Kawasaki has made sure that the Ninja 650 looks like what a ninja is supposed to. The obvious thing to do here is to take inspiration from one of their own bigger bikes which happens to be the Ninja ZX 10R. The front is almost identical. The front fascia with twin multi reflector headlights and the chin spoiler gives it a permanently angry expression.

The transparent windshield is now adjustable and even more aerodynamic than before. Moving to the sides, the indicators are placed low and are very much visible from the sides. This view shows a very front heavy design with a small tail section. Everything on this bike is swept back and up giving it a very racy appeal.  The bodywork does a good job of channeling hot air away from the rider’s legs. The exhaust itself stays almost hidden under the bodywork which gives further indication of what this bike is all about. The exhaust is down low to keep the center of gravity of the bike low. The seat, handlebars and the tank have also been moved lower. The bike is 2110 mm long, 770 mm wide and 1180 mm tall with a wheelbase of 1410 mm. Both ends get 17” lightweight 5 spoke alloy wheels and wide 120/70 and 160/60 tires for the front and the rear respectively.

Dashboard gets an analog tachometer with a three-stage adjustable color sequence shift indicator sharing space with a digital speedometer. Additionally there is a gear indicator along with readouts for coolant temperature, clock and fuel consumption. Kawasaki also provides a wide range of accessories to increase it sporty potential.

Ride & Handling

The Ninja 650 comes with 41 mm front fork and a gas charged rear shock absorber that comes with adjustability for preload. The lightweight trellis frame uses the engine as a stressed member to shed even more weight. The swing arm has undergone a redesign. Apart from the nonadjustable right way up front suspension, everything else is pretty great. The bike is very nimble. The low 805 mm scoop seat with low foot pegs and narrow handlebars make for agile handling. The seating position is front forward yet comfortable. Steering is light. This bike can be a lot of fun on the track and will keep up with its rider even when pushed hard.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Powering the Ninja is a 649 cc parallel twin that makes 68.3 hp at 8000 rpm and 65.7 Nm of torque at 6500 rpm. The bike is fuel injected using 36 mm Keihin dual throttle bodies for optimum fuel air mixture. The radiator uses Kawasaki Air Management System to vent the air away from the rider’s legs and also all components that come in touch with the rider. The engine is provided with a pair of balance shafts that cancel a lot of vibrations. The slipper clutch avoids wheel hopping when the power is transmitted from the engine to the 6 sped transmission. The bike weighs just 172 kg which means that all that power can be used for some serious riding. The throttle response is smooth and sharp. Torque is available across a broad range making corner exits powerful. The engine and its performance make it very track friendly. It can reach a top speed of 212 km/h and return 18 km/L from its 16 L fuel tank.

Braking & Safety

Kawasaki has provided the bike with top notch braking to keep up with the blistering performance. The front gets a 300 mm petal disc while the rear gets a 220 mm petal disc with Nissin twin pot calipers for the front and single for the rear. The bike also comes with a Bosch ABS unit as standard.  

Verdict

At its price point, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 is a very capable bike. It is a no nonsense purpose built bike that truly comes to its own on the race track. For the enthusiast this bike will make a lot of sense. Others might consider it too much of a handful.