I
.)
t
s
styling cuei frsm
'.
the
sup€rsport
Ninio line. As
o
wind/weqther
defle.tor. it
i'n't
oll
ftor efficient,
(Right)
Speoking
oI the ,oiring, the
unit tokes
its
iets,
which spray oil on to
the underside of
each
piston,
provide
additional cooling.
Kawasaki claims that the oil
jets
allow
for a
more consiant
engine temperature
during
sustained hard use.
As far as the Ninia 650Rs combuslion
efliciency goes,
the
good
air is sucked into
the
Ninja's
engine through a digital fuel-
iniection system with Keihin
38mm throttle
bodies that also feature the increasingly
standard Ecu-controlled sub-throtde
but-
terflies that
prcvide
more precise
throttle
response
and help
eliminate the herky-jerky
throftle lag, for
which earlier EFI
systems
were notorious.
The 650R also features an
automatic fast-idle
system to
get
the
650R
warmed
up more quickly
when cold.
The
intake charge is ignited
by a digial
CDI system
tfiat uses spark-plug-mounted
stick-type
coils. Kawasaki says that it went
the
plug-mounted-coil
route
to make
the
enSine
even more compact.
The bad air is routed
throuEh a
compact
exhaust system, which
features a muffler
with
a three-way catalfrer that is Euro-3-
cornpliant.
Rsstl That's tougher than EPA
and CARB (Califomia
Air Resources
Board)
regs
Put
together!
The Ninja
550Rs miniscule,
muscle
motor
is housed in
an equally compact steel
trellis chassis that was designed to
achieve
optimum stiffness, The Ninia's
rear suspen-
sion features
a braced swingarm with
a laid-
down rear shock
that
gives
off the appear-
ance
of a cantilever design . The shortness
of
the engine and frarne allows
the swingarm
to be longer, which,
Kawasaki
says, helps to
improve
overall handling.
Kawasaki
desiEned
the chassis
package
to be slim
through the
waist, and
grqlt
care wirs tEken
to provide
the riderwith a natural, comfort-
able ridinS
position.
The
550Rs seat cover is
textured
to help reduce
slippage,
The Ninia
650Rs brakes and wheels take
design cues directly from the more
race-ori-
ented
memberc of
the
Ninia
family. The
twin
330mm discs up front are of the
petal
variety,
iust
like those found
on the Ninia
ZX-5R and
Ninja ZX-10R. The
650Rs six-
spoke wheels
are also
iust
like those found
on the road-race Ninjas. Kawasaki
claims
BY
Scorr RoussEAU
PHoros
BY KTNNTY JoNEs
I
t
I
!
I 2
t
T
KAWASAKI
REVIVES A
1
cr.Assrc
'
Y
fr
*.;.,
DTSP|./lCEMENT/
ARCHITECTURE
WITH THE
SWEET.
HANDLING
N'NJA 65OR
II
r
a
I
il
I
I
(tefi)
Removing
the 65OR's full
{oiring
exposes
its
incredibly
.ompo.l verticol
lt9in ond steel-
lrsllis frqme.
\J
\
4
-aa
,rrrt
7;
o
L
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I
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I
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,
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t,
,7
I
t-
/
-//'
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I
I
a
T.E NE
-
33
