Kawasaki recently unveiled its 2020 line-up of street motorcycles and included in it is a refreshed Ninja 650. The new 650 gets a redesigned front end that’s similar to the one on the recent Ninja 400, ZX-6R and Versys 1000. Sat within the longer nose is a twin-LED headlight. The side fairings have also received a slight makeover and the Ninja 650 now looks noticeably sharper than it did before. Also new in the region is a redesigned windshield that is now flush-fit with the upper cowl. However, it’s set at a more upright angle, so as to offer better wind protection. The design changes continue to the rear too, with a wider and thicker pillion seat.
One of the biggest additions comes in the form of a new 4.3-inch TFT display – a first for a Kawasaki 650. The new console consists of a speedometer, tachometer, gear-position indicator, shift lamp, fuel gauge, odometer, dual trip meters, current and average fuel consumption, remaining range, average speed and more. The system will also offer smartphone connectivity and allow users to connect the motorcycle to the Rideology app, which, in turn, will let you monitor and view vehicle info, riding logs, and phone notifications.
The middleweight Ninja's 17-inch wheels are now shod in Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tires. The rest of the hardware on the Ninja 650 remains unchanged and the wheels are mounted on a 41-mm telescopic fork at the front and a preload-adjustable shock at the back. The brakes are the same, with a pair of dual-piston calipers and 300mm petal discs at the front and a single-piston caliper with 220mm disc behind. While the company hasn’t given out the power figures and whether it meets any emission standards, we expect the 649cc parallel-twin to be BS6-compliant while making similar figures. In its current form, it makes 68hp at 8,000rpm and 65.7Nm of torque at 6,500rpm.
The upgraded 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650 ABS is priced at USD 7,799 (Rs 5.53 lakh) which is the same as what the 2019 model costs. If Kawasaki manages to do the same in India, then we could see it carry a price tag similar to the Rs 5.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) that it carries now. The 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is available in a Metallic Spark Black, Pearl Blizzard White, and the KRT colour scheme.
Azaman Chothia
