2017 KAWASAKI Z650
FIRST RIDE
P66
oscillation. Five-spoke, 17-inch
wheels are mounted with Dunlop
Sportmax rubber and provide
excellent grip.
Nimble and maneuverable on
the street and in stop-and-go
traffic, when unleashed on a
twisting canyon the Z650 exhib-
its a pleasantly sporting nature.
The upright bars provide a high
degree of leverage for muscling
the machine around and lend
themselves to a more precise
turn-in. Despite the bike's light
weight, it's relatively stable under
hard braking and has midcorner
stability reminiscent of a larger
sportbike. A great deal of ef-
fort was devoted to centralized
mass—right down to the stubby,
under-slung muffler—which con-
tributes to the Z650's responsive
and intuitive handling.
Nice touches abound on the
Z650, from rubber inserts on
the footpegs to help absorb
vibration and provide a degree of
cushioning, to the mirrors, which
continue the wedged design
cues and provide surprisingly
effective functionality (as op-
posed to merely being attrac-
tive). Clever luggage hooks are
built into the rear pegs as anchor
points for a rear bag. The whole
design package is rounded out
with a "Z" pattern rear taillight.
As for instrumentation, Kawa-
saki has long been the master
of stuffing a whole lot of useful
information into a very small plot
of real estate. The Z650 contin-
ues this tradition with a com-
pact, easy-to-read display with a
user-selected tachometer—three
choices—which incorporates an
inventive design of digital artistry
which makes the tachometer
highly visible. Packed into the
dash are a digital gear indicator,
shift light, digital speedometer,
clock and trip meters, engine
and oil warning lights, high beam
and turn signal indicators and a
neutral light.
At the end of the day, what the
2017 Kawasaki Z650 offers is a
fun-to-ride motorcycle perfect for
someone brand new, or rela-
tively new to motorcycles. The
The Z650 is available
with ABS ($7399) or
without ($6999).
