Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1465975
You have two options with the standard RSs—Candy Emerald green and Metallic Moondust gray/ebony—when it comes to color. If you want to take the whole retro thing a little further, consider the limited edition Z650RS Z 50th Anniversary model that Kawasaki also offers. Its main attraction is its "Fire- ball" color scheme, which pays homage to the 1972 Z1. The an- niversary model retails for $250 more than the standard RSs, but you do get a few extras, like a "Z 50th Anniversary" tank logo, "Double Overhead Cam- shaft" side cover emblems, re- vised seat material with special colored stitching, and a chrome grab bar. You also get gold- colored wheels, which you also get with the standard green RS. And if you buy the anniversary model, Kawasaki will throw in a special coffee table book that QUICKSPIN I 2022 Kawasaki Z650RS P118 The Z650RS is a pleasure to ride. It is everything you'd expect it to be—a very nice and rela- tively inexpensive around-towner and fun back-roads ripper, all in one tight package, and that's precisely what Kawasaki had in mind when designing the RS. When you hit the RS's starter button, the uninspiring sound it emits, however, won't send shivers up your spine or get your adrenaline flowing, but we've come to expect that from this parallel-twin engine that is found commemorates the 50 years of the Z brand. The standard Z650RS sells for $8999, $1150 more than the naked Z650. The limited-edition 50 th -anniversary model goes for $9249. Hit The Road The original 1972 Z1 (left) and the 2022 Z650RS 50th Anniversary special edition (right). It's not hard to spot the Z650RS' lineage. in several other Kawasaki motor- cycles, like the Versys 650, Ninja 650 and Vulcan S. Kawasaki chose chill over rush with its 180° crank-timing design. But don't let the RS's unenthusiastic sound fool you. The Z650RS is plenty feisty but in a friendly manner. When we tested the first Z650 five years ago, we said the motor "has a relatively torquey disposi- tion...and has a sporting charac- teristic that welcomes a strong hand to get it into the higher revs—if so desired—with surpris- ing response for a parallel twin." Nothing's changed. The motor is extremely easy to manage and control, which is good for new rid- ers while making excellent power overall for experienced riders. And the RS has a much racier sound when ridden in the higher revs; in fact, it sounds quite nice up there, much better than at idling engine speeds.