/ Featured Article
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 is still one of the best value for money sportbikes—here's why
There’s really a lot to love about Team Green’s middleweight sportbike.
Around the world, many motorcycle lovers like the Kawasaki Ninja 650 sportbike. Not only does it resemble its race-oriented brother, the ZX-6R, in appearance, but it is also far more manageable and easier to ride on a regular basis. Now, there's no questioning the Ninja 650's status as one of the world's most well-liked middleweight sportbikes. But how wonderful is this bike precisely, and what makes it so unique? Continue reading to see why the Kawasaki Ninja 650 could be one of the best bang for your buck middleweight sportbikes available right now.
Unmistakably a Ninja
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 appears intimidating at first glance. Indeed, it is a stunning sportbike thanks to its full fairing, aggressively carved bodywork, and of course, eye-catching hues. Kawasaki, however, has done a fantastic job of hiding the reality that, underneath the bike's aggressive look, is a comfortable practical motorbike that may very well be your everyday commuter.
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 offers more upright riding ergonomics due to its slightly elevated clip-on handlebars and significantly less aggressive rear-set foot pegs, as can be seen upon closer inspection. Additionally, the Ninja 650 comes equipped with a comfortable seat and a roomy pillion seat. Nevertheless, the Ninja 650 is just as comfortable racking up miles on the highway as it is taking on the twisties or tearing around the track.
Performance and reliability
The extras go beyond just the surface, though; Kawasaki equipped the Ninja 650 with their bulletproof 649cc parallel-twin engine. This engine, which has been operating for about two decades, has shown its dependability and overall performance across several platforms. In actuality, the Z650 naked bike, Versys 650 adventure bike, and Vulcan S cruiser all have the same engine.
More specifically, this parallel twin has a typical 180-degree crankshaft. There's no doubting that 67 horsepower and 64 Nm of torque are a significant amount of power, especially given the bike's 423 pounds wet weight, despite criticism for its underwhelming exhaust sound and somewhat bland driving attitude. To top it all off, a sizable aftermarket full of modifications and extras focused on performance has developed expressly for this bike. As a result, you will never run out of options for mods and upgrades.
Attractive pricing
The cost of the Kawasaki Ninja 650 is a fair P433,500. The Ninja 650 excels in comparison to the competition while being priced right in the middle of the 650-class. The Suzuki SV650, which costs P399,000, comes with a powerful 90-degree V-twin engine but lacks all the technological advancements seen in the Ninja 650. On the other hand, the Yamaha MT-07 costs P459,000 but offers a definite performance edge over the Ninja 650. That said, the Ninja 650 receives a sophisticated full-color TFT display and smartphone Bluetooth connectivity—features which no other bike in the 650 class presently has on offer.
More than just a sportbike
Sure, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 technically is a sportbike, owing to its full fairing and race-inspired aesthetics. However, underneath the plastics, the Ninja is surprisingly practical and could very well be ridden on a daily basis. In fact, I’d even go as far as to say that the Ninja 650 could very well be your only motorcycle, and you’d get by perfectly fine—be it on the street, track, or the daily commute. A lot of motorcycle enthusiasts choose the Ninja 650 as their weapon of choice precisely for this reason. It has tons of aftermarket support, meaning you could deck it out with accessories that’ll make it a competent daily commuter, potent track weapon, or comfortable sport-tourer.
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