Kawasaki Z650

Kawasaki’s new Z650 middleweight naked

Five things you need to know

1 THE UPDATED ENGINE IS EXCELLENT

With a revised exhaust layout, larger cat and tweaks to the airbox duct, the peppy Euro5-friendly 649cc parallel-twin has lost none of its charm. Peak torque is down by 1.3ft·lb but power remains the same, delivering a familiar gravelly exhaust tone from tick-over to the 10,000rpm redline, with plenty of grunt lower in the midrange so you can be lazy with the gears

2 THE TYRES LET IT DOWN

The outdated Dunlop Sportmax D214s have been dropped in favour of Sportmax Roadsport 2s, which offer enough for gentle jaunts but lack feedback in wet conditions. Feeling vague on corner entry, they spoil what is an otherwise-charming package

3 IT LOOKS BETTER THAN AN MT-07

With LED lighting at the front and rear, a more chiselled front cowling and thicker shoulders surrounding the radiator, the Z650 now sports a more muscular look, reminiscent of the bigger Zeds in Kawasaki’s range. Next to an equivalent SV650 or MT-07, it looks more aspirational, despite being 46 quid cheaper than the Yamaha

4 NEW COLOUR TFT DASH IS A SMASH

Replacing the first-generation’s convoluted part-lcd clock unit is a fancy colour TFT screen. Clear, concise and visible in all light conditions, it gives the bike a premium feel, without the price tag. You also get Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, via Kawasaki’s Rideology app though the novelty could soon wear off

5 YOURS FOR LESS THAN £80 A MONTH

At £6649 for lime green and an additional £100 for either black or white, the base Zed is available for £78.51 a month across three years, with an initial deposit of £2000. With 5000 miles of yearly riding to play with, it could be yours at the end for a balloon payment of £2679