VOLUME 57 ISSUE 11 MARCH 17, 2020 P85
(Left) Don't let the
displacement fool
you. The Ninja
600 doubles as an
excellent lightweight
back-roads
touring bike.
(Above) The
reworked headlight
and cowl are
obviously inspired
by its ZX cousins.
(Left) The new Ninja
gets new tires,
Dunlop Sportmax
Roadsport 2 rubber.
2020 KAWASAKI 650 NINJA
(STANDARD) $7399 / $7599 (KRT
EDITION) / $7799 (ABS KRT)
ENGINE TYPE: ...... Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke,
DOHC, 4-valve, parallel twin
DISPLACEMENT: ................................649cc
BORE X STROKE: .............. 83.0 x 60.0mm
MAX TORQUE (CLAIMED): ........48.5 lb-ft @
6500 rpm
COMPRESSION RATIO: ....................... 10.8:1
FUELING: ............ DFI with 2 Keihin 36mm
throttle bodies
LUBRICATION: .................... Semi-dry sump
S P E C I F I C A T I O N S
TRANSMISSION: ........6-speed w/Positive
Neutral Finder
CLUTCH: .............. Assist & Slipper clutch
FINAL DRIVE: ......................... Sealed chain
FRAME: .....High-tensile steel trellis frame
RAKE/TRAIL: .............................24°/3.9 in.
FRONT SUSPENSION: .........41mm hydraulic
telescopic fork; non-adjustable
REAR SUSPENSION: .Horizontal Back-link
w/adjustable preload
FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ....................4.9 in.
REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: .......................5.1 in.
FRONT TIRE: ...........120/70-17 in., Dunlop
Sportmax Roadsport 2; optional ABS
REAR TIRE: ............. 160/60-17 in., Dunlop
Sportmax Roadsport 2; optional ABS
WHEELS: .........................................5-spoke
FRONT BRAKE: ... Dual 300mm petal disc
w/2-piston caliper
REAR BRAKE: ........... Single 220mm petal
disc w/1-piston caliper
WHEELBASE: .................................. 55.5 in.
SEAT HEIGHT: ..................................31.1 in.
FUEL CAPACITY: ............................ 4.0 gal.
WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED): ....... 419 lbs. /
423.4 lbs. ABS
COLORS: .. Lime Green/Ebony (Kawasaki
Racing Team KRT), Metal Spark black,
Pearl Blizzard white
WARRANTY:............................... 12 months
with ABS. Three color options —
white, black and green KRT—are
available.
The Ninja 650 still comes with
some high-end components
that you don't normally see on
middleweights, such as an assist
and slipper clutch, six-speed
transmission with positive neutral
finder, Kawasaki's Air Manage-
ment System (which redirects hot
engine air down to the ground
and away from the rider), semi-
