When it comes to giving the masses a pretty penny to play with, almost all the major motorcycle manufacturers have come through with sportbikes and their naked alternatives.
For Yamaha, it was the sporty R-series and the more naked MT-series, with the newest addition being the grungy, track-oriented R7; for Honda, it was the CBR and CB series.Â
Now, Kawasaki’s sporty Ninja and naked Z-lineups are looking at the possibility of a new midweight motorcycle addition – the Z650RS, courtesy of Kawasaki’s current 650cc twin engine.
Used with love and loyalty in the Z650, Ninja 650, Versys 650, and Vulcan S, the liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC 8-valve parallel twin from Kawasaki sports a healthy 69 bhp, with 64 Nm torquedos.
Should this brainchild take off (as we have heard in recent rumors from Visordown), we would be looking at the potential of a middleweight, cafe-style bike, likely drawing visual inspiration from its elder sibling, the cafe-inspired Z900RS.Â
As for competition, I think I can safely agree with Visordown that the Z650RS would give the 47 bhp/52 Nm in the wildly popular Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 a run for its money.Â
The bike would also be a great addition to the European scene, where A2 riders aged 24 and over could enjoy the higher cc’s without having to worry too much about leaving onlookers with a bad case of the zoomies.Â
Stay tuned for updates. I happen to have an unhealthy obsession with the green company, so I’ll be sure to post anything I find here.Â
And hey – while you’re here, why not take a look at other midweight contenders in the middleweight category?
The Kawi twin does little for me, the one I rode was quite vibey, and no real soul.
I would take the SV650X every time
Seemed like every other rider I knew had a KZ650 in the 70’s.
I hope they do well with this.
The fact they’ve chosen the existing twin, rather than sleeving down the 4 is interesting, & hopefully keep the price affordable. (+/- 67 HP would probably be the result anyway)
More importantly is the retro styling, which is why they’ll sell heaps!
Depending on the price point, I’d seriously trade the Benelli 502c for the Kawasaki.
i would totally sell my royal enfield gt650 for this.