In relation to sport bikes, Kawasaki has a big selection of accessible choices. It at present has 13 bikes beneath the Ninja nameplate, all with various engine sizes, configurations, and capabilities. The highest canines embrace Kawasaki’s greatest and strongest bikes, just like the H2, ZX-14R, and ZX-10R. Shifting down into the center of their sportbike vary, bikes just like the ZX-6R and ZX-4R supply extra modest efficiency however are nonetheless significantly quick. The class Kawasaki merely calls “sport” nonetheless, consists of bikes just like the Ninja 650 — a middleweight sport bike with an inexpensive price ticket.
The Ninja 650 is powered by a 649cc parallel-twin engine that makes 67 hp and 48.5 lb-ft of torque. That is an inexpensive quantity of energy for the 650’s dimension, and it offers it respectable efficiency. Kawasaki does not publish acceleration or high velocity numbers for the Ninja 650, however that does not cease riders from reporting again on simply how briskly their bikes go. Riders have posted themselves hitting high speeds of simply over 200 km/h, which is about 124-125 mph, although you will want some critical house to get it going that quick.
For flat-out acceleration, there aren’t many trendy assessments of the Ninja 650 blasting from zero to 60 mph. Cycle World claims a time of three.5 seconds for the 2014 iteration of the bike, though that may take some fairly spectacular launch expertise. The few real-world zero-to-60 instances we have seen homeowners obtain for the newest Ninja 650 are round 4 seconds.
Evaluating the Ninja 650 to its stablemate, the ZX-6R
Regardless of its bigger displacement, the Ninja 650 is a bit much less performance-oriented than its ZX-6R sibling. The ZX-R6, which I just lately examined (and was completely impressed by), places out far more horsepower from its 636cc four-cylinder engine, and it revs a lot increased. The ZX-6R is rated at 127 hp at 13,000 rpm and 52.1 lb-ft of torque at 10,800 rpm — about double the horsepower of the Ninja 650, and it makes that energy 5,000 rpm increased within the rev vary. That makes for a a lot sportier expertise. The 650, nonetheless, is considerably inexpensive than the ZX-6R.
The Ninja 650 has an MSRP of $8,064 (together with $665 vacation spot charge) for the usual non-ABS trim ($600 extra for ABS). The ZX-6R? It begins at $12,064 for non-ABS fashions and goes as much as $13,064 for the ABS trim. With all the additional energy, the ZX-6R is way quicker, sprinting from zero to 60 mph in about 3 seconds, with a high velocity of 164 mph. If you happen to’re in search of an agile and inexpensive sport bike, the 650 is a powerful selection, however if you wish to improve to correct supersport energy ranges and track-ready efficiency, the ZX-6R could also be price the additional value.
How do rivals stack up?
There are many opponents for the Ninja 650, and plenty of of them supply comparable energy and pricing. The Yamaha R7 is a bit pricier than the Ninja 650, however effectively price a glance. It additionally makes use of a parallel-twin engine, although with a barely bigger 689cc displacement. The R7 has an MSRP of $10,499 (together with $600 vacation spot charge and $700 provide chain surcharge), which places it nearer to the ZX-6R in value.
The Suzuki GSX-8R is one other rival you need to take into account. It will get its efficiency from a 776cc parallel-twin engine, and it has an MSRP of $10,399 (together with $700 vacation spot charge), barely undercutting the Yamaha. Lastly, there’s Honda’s CB650R, which ties the MSRP of the Yamaha R7 at $10,499 (together with $600 vacation spot charge). The Honda gives a 649cc four-cylinder engine as a substitute of a parallel twin, in addition to Honda’s new E-Clutch, a system that permits customers to shift gears with out manually partaking the clutch. These bikes all value greater than the Ninja 650, however additionally they supply further efficiency in return.
