KAWASAKI Z650
Ihave to say, I wasn’t exactly slathering with excitement when I first clapped eyes on the Kawasaki Z650. They aren’t the sexiest of beasts, definitely not the biggest nor the fastest, but don’t be so quick to dismiss this bike. You’ve only got to look at the timesheets at the Isle of Man TT to see that these Kwak twins sit at the top of the pecking order in the lightweight category, and while we’re on that topic, if it wasn’t for minitwins, I probably wouldn’t have got the opportunity to go road racing. Late braking and high corner speed is the answer with these bikes, and it was a great starting place in learning the craft of going fast.
Away from the track and on the road, the Z650 sits very low to the ground compared to the other bikes in this naked middleweight grouping. From a distance, I couldn’t help but feel it had a certain Honda Grom minibike look about it. Obviously it was bigger in stature once I got up close, but it’s much more compact than the others in this field.
I really wasn’t expecting great things from this small machine, but with the first crack of the throttle, the twin cylinder gurgle took me right back to my minitwin days and it didn’t disappoint once I got it on the road either. I had forgotten just how punchy these twin-cylinders are, and I was honestly really impressed with the motor. It felt refreshingly torquey and pulled like a trooper, right through the rev range and in all of the gears. The power delivery is very linear, and I’ll vouch that it would definitely pull the skin off a rice pudding! I hate to admit it, but on several occasions I selected the wrong gear
for the corners, but thankfully the little Zed didn’t have any trouble getting through and pulling out, so I was able to hold onto that last little bit of vanity with Bruce hard on my tail.
Before I get too carried away, though, this engine really does seem to lack in the character department. There is nothing endearing about it. It just doesn’t seem to have the wow factor of some of its rivals.
Being a shorter-than-average fella, I actually liked the size of this bike, and in true Kawasaki style, you really sit into it – it’s almost like you’re the final piece of the jigsaw as your knees wrap around the carved-out tank, which to me gives a feeling of control and safety. I can’t say it was the same experience for Johnny Mac though; he looked like Bowser of Mario Kart, bless him.
As far as the riding position is concerned, I was comfortable, with plenty of leg room, but I think anyone over 5ft 10in is going to be oversized for this little bike. Unfortunately, the handlebars weren’t to my liking; the narrow width and angled back combination means the leverage has been reduced and personally put my wrists in an unfamiliar position. Admittedly, leverage isn’t something you need to worry about with this bike, as its lightweight and narrow chassis really makes it easy to change direction at low and high speeds – it’s more of a rider comfort issue for me, and I’m never going to turn down leverage if I’ve got the option.
Slurping my coffee in Maccies car park, I couldn’t help but notice the Predator-esque ZX-10RR angular styling on the nosepiece, so kudos to Kawasaki for incorporating that into a naked bike which basically has no bodywork. I know it caused quite the stir when they changed the front fairing on the new ZX-10RR, but I quite like the styling and it really sets this middleweight bike aside from the others. There’s no overlooking the ‘Z’ tail braking light either, which is a trick feature. The new-for-2021 colour scheme is pretty neat too; I’m quite the fan of the
metallic green trellis framework and wheels, and in the right light you can really appreciate this.
We’ve all heard these bikes being referred to as shopping bikes, and as much as I’d like to disagree, unfortunately I can’t. It’s definitely not the bike for turning heads at your local bike meet or out dragging the boy racer in his A-Class. It’s more likely the bike you’d jump on for the milk run or the commute to work… I guess it has been designed to serve a purpose. With this in mind though, and from a practicality point of view, I can’t help but feel Kawasaki could have done a little more, especially since this bike will commonly be used by commuters. I tested this bike on what felt like coldest day in history, and with no wind protection
I COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL THIS BIKE WAS UNDERSPRUNG IN THE FORKS, AND I'M NOT A HEAVY LAD.
whatsoever. Heated grips and a small wind shield would have been an absolute godsend!
Once you’ve collected your shopping, you won’t have any issue getting this bike around a busy Co-op car park. The steering lock is mega and I wish all bikes had this same quality! If I had a pound for every time I’ve nearly decked it when trying to turn a bike around, I’d be a very wealthy man. But don’t go too heavy with your shopping; I couldn’t help but feel this bike was undersprung in the forks, and I’m not a heavy lad. It’s not too bad for plodding along but as soon as you want to turn it up a notch and brake a little later, you soon find yourself searching for that bit more support in the front end.
The dash is all digital and the TFT LCD display gives the cockpit a high-tech appearance. You can connect your smart phone to the dash via Bluetooth, but I wouldn’t waste your time downloading the app because this doesn’t bring anything to the table as far as performance is concerned. As far as tech goes, that’s about your lot. It’s a pretty basic machine, but who’s saying that’s a bad thing? It’s one less thing to go wrong.
To conclude, I think it’s a great little bike that does exactly what it’s meant to. This supernaked isn’t going to set the world alight, but I don’t think Kawasaki ever intended it to.
The Zed lacks in character, but there’s nothing technically wrong with it… and with a price tag of £6199, I don’t think we could expect much more.