2017 KAWASAKI Z650
FIRST RIDE
P64
engine also has a sporting char-
acteristic that welcomes a strong
hand to get it into the higher
revs—if so desired—with surpris-
ing response for a parallel twin.
The resulting exhaust note from
the stubby header pipe when the
bike is in the higher revs is sweet
mechanical music (which begs
one to wonder what an aftermar-
ket pipe might sound like).
As with most small displace-
ment parallel twins there is a
vague hesitation in throttle re-
sponse directly off idle. Conse-
quently, if the throttle is chopped
mid-corner this momentary
hesitation can be disconcerting
to a newer rider. The remedy is
simply to maintain revs and throt-
tle through the corner. I mention
this primarily for new riders who
have more of a tendency to vacil-
late throttle application through
corners.
The six-speed transmission
is well-spaced, with ratios that
accommodate the Z650's
middleweight power. Shifting is
aided by an assist/slipper clutch
with a very light pull (intended
to reduce rider fatigue) and
smoothes out aggressive down-
shifts by gradually matching
the rear wheel speed to engine
rotation, helping to tame any
rear wheel hop. The only com-
plaint suffered was the gearbox's
reluctance to upshift smoothly
when the throttle was wicked
open. This was easily remedied
by more precise (read: less
sloppy) shifts and a more con-
centrated chop of the throttle.
For suspension the Z650
sports 41mm KYB forks in tradi-
tional telescopic design, provid-
ing 4.9 inches of travel. Though
they provide adequate suspen-
sion for the majority of riders
opting for the machine, the forks
do bottom when slapped with
divots or ruts. A slightly thicker
oil at first service would probably
do wonders to help stiffen things
up. For the back end, the gull-
wing swingarm is suspended by
a KYB shock (with adjustable
preload and offering 5.1-inches
of travel) mounted in a horizontal
Scheduled for
release this
month, we won't
be surprised if
these things fly
off the shelf.
