2017 KAWASAKI Z650
FIRST RIDE
P62
new tubular trellis frame around
it, sculpting an attractive motor-
cycle by incorporating its tech-
nical bits as aesthetic design
cues. What little there is in the
way of body parts carries a mod-
ern, wedged theme throughout,
from the gas tank to the tail sec-
tion, tastefully augmented by the
bikini fairing, all contributing to
an impressive and attractive aura
in the Z650.
What justifies the "all-new"
moniker for the Z650 is the
trellis frame, the exposed tubes
working as much a visual design
element as a stress-bearing unit
(especially in the Pearl Flat Star-
dust paint scheme that presents
the frame in a striking green).
The angles of the trellis chassis
are comprised of short lengths
of tubing, with as straight a bend
as possible, rendering a high de-
gree of lateral and torsional rigid-
ity to reduce frame flex, which is
key to stability and more pre-
cise handling. The trellis frame
is mated with a high-tensile,
hollow-pressed gull-wing-design
swingarm. The swingarm was
designed to have the straightest
line possible from the pivot bolt
to the axle to provide optimal
rigidity for minimal flex.
Squeezed into the trellis frame
is a 649cc liquid-cooled, DOHC,
four-valve per cylinder parallel
twin engine. The 83 x 60mm bore
and stroke engine has a 10.8:1
compression ratio. The platform
is a good choice, with an easy-
These are two of the
three color options
for the Z650.
