KAWASAKI 650s COMPARED
One engine, three motorcycles!
The Kawasaki 650 twin. An engine that Kawasaki deems versatile enough to not just power one, but three motorcycles in its product catalogue – the Ninja 650, the Z650 and the Versys 650. Three motorcycles that are vastly different: a sports tourer, a naked streetfighter and an adventure tourer. Each of these bikes appeals to a different sort of rider but at their core lies the same 650cc parallel-twin. Well, if we are being specific, a 649cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin. The Ninja and the Z use the engine in an identical state of tune – 67bhp and 64Nm. The Versys uses it in a slightly different state of tune with slightly less power and torque, making 65.7bhp and 61Nm.
Since this is my story, I called dibs on the Ninja 650. I’m a sucker for the way it looks, you see? Suvrat picked the Z considering his fetish for all things naked (bikes I mean) and the other Karan in the office, (let’s just refer to him as Singh to avoid any confusion), was stuck with the Versys before he had a chance to choose. Here’s what we had planned: a nice ride through the city followed by a fast-paced ride on the highway culminating on our favourite set of twisties.
Z650
If you’re into naked bikes with raw, sharp styling and an exposed frame, the Kawasaki Z650 will definitely be right up your alley. Kawasaki has used the ‘Sugomi’ design language, like we have seen on the bigger Z900 and Z1000. Starting with the front – you get bi-LED headlamps that offer good illumination, but stylistically, it did not tickle Suvrat’s fancy. However the rest of the bike with its sharp cuts and creases, the big tank, comfy seat with a friendly 790mm seat height, and the cool-looking Z-shaped taillight ticked all the right boxes.
The Z and Ninja are more similar than different, contrary to what parking them side by side would have you believe. The 649cc mill is ideal for someone upgrading from something like a 390 Duke or even a 200 for that matter. It hits the sweet spot in terms of power: spread nicely across the rev-range and tractable enough to do city speeds in third gear without the bike juddering. And once you cross 7000rpm, the bike comes alive and propels itself to triple-digit speeds, north of 160kmph without breaking a sweat. And it still has enough left to go even faster.
THE NINJA AND THE Z USE THE ENGINE IN AN IDENTICAL STATE OF TUNE
The Z has all the makings of a great commuter and a great companion for a spirited weekend getaway. It has a flat handlebar, a well-cushioned seat and footpegs that aren’t extremely rearset, meaning your joints won’t be begging you to stop too often. Of the three bikes here, the Z has the stiffest suspension setup but not uncomfortably so and this helps when you get to where the road begins to wind ahead of you. It has the nimbleness of a much lighter bike and handles corners with great precision. The only element in the chassis holding the bike back is its tyres. The Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 (god that’s a mouthful) tyres offer adequate grip in the dry but are not at all fond of loose or wet surfaces. And our luck is such that we tested the bike in the rains. Fun!
Ninja 650
Now, on to the Ninja. Along with the BS6 update, the Ninja 650 also got a facelift bringing it in line with Kawasaki’s current crop of faired bikes and boy has that worked in its favour. Take one look at the Ninja 650 and you will not be faulted for mistaking it for the racy ZX-6R or even the bigger Ninja 1000. It is proper wallpaper material and especially so with the KRT livery. Both this and the Z have also received a colour TFT display with Bluetooth functionality but I’m not particularly impressed with the implementation considering you need to use two finicky buttons to navigate through the menus and Bluetooth enabled features are limited to notifications.
Why would you get a Ninja over the Z? To begin with, it gets proper fairing, with a windscreen. It does get clip-ons but not super committed ones as you’d find on a true blue sports bike. What this translates to is the ability to carry much higher cruising speeds while staying protected from windblast and buffeting. If you’re on the taller side, there would be slight buffeting around your helmet meaning you’d have to tuck in more causing some
THE NINJA BRINGS MORE TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF CRUISING AND TOURING
amount of strain on your wrist over longer rides. But for average Indian riders? It’s plenty comfortable.
In terms of suspension, the setup is the same but is slightly softer and more forgiving over rough bits of tarmac than the Z. But at speed, the same softness gets in the way slightly, causing even smaller undulations to unsettle the bike. Another worry and this is the case with both bikes, is the low 130mm ground clearance. This is something you need to be wary of at all times. Like with the Z, the tyres hold the bike back, plus the brakes on the Ninja also had an issue with the ABS kicking in abruptly, which I assume can be fixed to an extent with a change of rubber. Now the Ninja handles just as well as the Z and everything said about the Z’s engine holds true here as well. But the Ninja brings more to the table in terms of cruising and touring courtesy of the added fairing and wind protection. So, what it loses in terms of ease of commuting because of its wide stature, it makes up for in terms of being able to munch miles comfortably if you’re ready for the commitment it demands.
Versys 650
Ah, the Versys. It is probably the most dated bike here with its styling that’s been around for a while. Lack of LED headlights, a semi-digital instrument cluster and all that. But that is forgotten and forgiven the second you swing your leg over this tall (relatively – 840mm) seat and begin to ride. This is a bike that is made to handle Indian roads and handles it without batting an eyelid. It encourages you to fill the 21-litre fuel tank up, ride it until empty and repeat. The Versys 650 gets long travel, adjustable suspension at the front and rear, meaning you can set it up to your taste and get on with your ride. You don’t have to slow down for speed breakers or potholes, just stand on the footpegs and gun it. The Versys makes around 1.3bhp and 3Nm less than the Ninja and the Z but riding the bikes back to back, the difference seems almost inconsequential. It will comfortably cruise at 120kmph all day in top gear and the adjustable windscreen means less fatigue. However, what you do feel, only at slower speeds though, is its 218kg kerb weight coupled with its tall saddle, which might intimidate shorter riders. But spend a little time with the bike and the rewards are worth it. The Versys is an adventure / tourer, but I feel it’s more the latter than the former. Its 17-inch wheels wrapped in road-biased tyres don’t instil a lot of confidence once the tarmac has disappeared. But on the road, in Indian conditions, it is hard to fault. You don’t have to worry about broken roads and surprise breakers. It remains unperturbed. And Singh, a hardcore car guy, has fallen in love with the idea of motorcycling a little more over the course of this ride.
It all boils down to what sort of bike you are looking for. If you want something to handle the daily commute and take you for a spirited weekend ride, you have the Z650. If you want a more committed bike that invokes the feelings a superbike would but is comfortable for long days in the saddle at the same time, you have the Ninja 650. Whereas if you want something that does both and then some, you have the Versys 650. Kawasaki has something in the 650 range to suit pretty much every rider. And at the price point these bikes come in – `6.24 lakh for the Z650, `6.61 lakh for the Ninja 650 and `7.15 lakh for the Versys 650, they make for a great step up for someone looking to upgrade to a bigger bike. After a day in the saddle riding all three, I’d still pick the Ninja. You?
KAWASAKI HAS SOMETHING IN THE 650 RANGE TO SUIT PRETTY MUCH EVERY RIDER