Kawasaki Ninja 650

Detailed Review by Maxabout Team

Overview

India Kawasaki Motors is a subsidiary of Kawasaki Motors Limited Japan and they started their Indian journey with the launch of Ninja 250 and Ninja 650 in 2009. But their modern bikes for the Indian market didn’t come around until 2011 as the Ninja 650R. The R suffix was dropped with time and the ergonomics have gone from all out sports tourers to more comfort oriented bikes with mechanical advancements as well. With the latest addition to the Kawasaki brand, they are not just focusing on the performance but also paying heed to the efficiency and the economy the machines could provide without losing their essence.

Kawasaki Ninja 650 Design and Style

The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 has followed the same style language, but there are some minor changes and additions to make the bike more attractive to the buyers. The new LED headlights, each featuring a low and high beams and a position lamp, provide increased brightness. Improved and redesigned windshield adding to the sportier appearance is lower and flush-fit with the cowl set at a more upright angle to provide better wind protection. It has got a prominent Ninja 650 logo inked all across the fairing with honeycomb graphics. The latest Ninja appears even sharper and sportier than all the existing members of the Ninja family. New Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres contribute to its better handling character and stronger appearance. In line with the new BS6 emission norms, they made various changes to the intake and exhaust system and offered an increase in the mid-range torque while maintaining the power similar to its predecessor.

Kawasaki Ninja 650 Engine and Gearbox

The Ninja comes equipped with a BS6-compliant 649cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin, DOHC, 8-valves engine with a compression ratio of 10:8:1 and bore diameter of 83mm and stroke distance of 60mm. It generates a maximum power of 68 HP @ 8000 rpm and a maximum torque of 64 Nm @ 6700 rpm. The 650cc engine is coupled with a 6-speed return transmission with forced semi-dry sump lubrication.

Kawasaki Ninja 650 Suspension, Brakes and Tyres

The frame used for the new Ninja 650 is a Trellis high-tensile steel chassis and the front suspension is 41mm telescopic forks and the rear suspension is handled by a horizontal back-link with adjustable preload mono-shock with 125mm front and 130mm rear wheel travel. The braking duties are handled by the 300mm dual semi-floating petal discs with dual piston calliper in the front and 220mm single petal disc single piston calliper in the rear and are aided by the dual-channel ABS. As for the tires, it comes with Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2, tubeless tires with 17-inch alloy wheels of 120/70-ZR17 M/C (58W) front tire section and 160/60-ZR17 M/C (69W) rear tire section.

Instrument Console of Kawasaki Ninja 650

2023 Ninja 650 gets an all digital 4.3-inch TFT colour instrument console for the first time in their 650cc class, that displays Speedometer, Tachometer, Tripmeter, Odometer, Clock, Fuel gauge, LED light and gear indicator. The new instrument console gives it a high-tech premium appearance and also provides additional features that were unavailable in the previous versions. New Ninja 650 also is installed with bluetooth and can connect to smartphones, but not much has been offered in terms of functions. The Rideology app can connect to the bike using an Android or iOS and it makes a handful of functions accessible.

Key Features of Kawasaki Ninja 650

2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 key features include an all-digital console, LED headlight and taillight, AHO (Automatic Headlight On), smartphone connectivity, powerful engine, and new Dunlop Sportmax tyres and Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC). Comfort features include electric start, pillion foot rest, step-up/split seat and engine kill switch.

Top Speed and Mileage of Kawasaki Ninja 650

2023 Ninja 650 can reach the top speed of 212 kmph (speedo-indicated) and has a mileage of 22 kmpl approximately. In terms of performance, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 can reach 0 to 100 kmph in around 4.65 seconds.

Kawasaki Ninja 650 Colour Options

The new 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is available in one colour scheme only; the Lime Green

Kawasaki Ninja 650 Competitors

Benelli TNT 600i, Honda CBR650R, Suzuki GSX-S750, CF Moto 650GT, Triumph Trident 660, and Kawasaki Z650 could be considered some of the rivals to the 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650.

Conclusion

Kawasaki is one of the best automakers in the world and rightfully so, their machines are well planned and researched, especially the Ninja series. The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is provided with good looks, Dual-channel ABS, advanced tech, solid build quality, and a powerful engine and it also provides a good value for the money you're going to put into it. Obviously, it is not a product with no cons and no such product can ever exist, so if you’re okay with the mileage and pillion seat positioning and some other features that they missed in this version then this is definitely the bike for you.