[cycleworld.com] - 2022 Kawasaki Z650RS First Ride Review

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Kawasaki’s Z650RS middleweight is a well-balanced, fun-to-ride retro-sport middleweight with cool styling and an easygoing attitude, and a couple of niggles.


Kawasaki’s new Z650RS is the latest addition to Team Green’s retro-inspired RS series for 2022. (Kawasaki/)Retro styling is still all the rage in 2022, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the hot middleweight streetbike segment. Up-to-date tech paired with stylish looks is still the recipe du jour, and lately Kawasaki has been playing the sport classic formula like a virtuoso; the Z900RS roadster and Z900RS Café serve as exhibits A and B.

Team Green recently saw fit to expand that RS retro-sport theme to the new 2022 Z650RS, which also seeks to tie its DNA to the classic Z1 model introduced in 1972. Last week, we got a chance to experience it in all its ‘70s-inspired glory.

Related: 2022 Kawasaki Z650RS ABS First Look


The Z650RS is banking on its punchy but nonintimidating engine, relaxed ergos, and sharp 1970s vintage styling. (Kawasaki/)From the very start Kawi gets credit for nailing the aesthetic part of the exercise, even if the Z650RS is packing a liquid-cooled parallel twin rather than the four inline cylinders of its older and larger Z900RS cousin. In fact, the smaller RS shares nearly all of its architecture with Kawasaki’s Z650 naked, right down to its punchy DOHC 649cc engine, which carries over unchanged to the Z650RS, state of tune and all.

Unfortunately, that also means there wasn’t much Kawasaki could do to spruce up an objectively unattractive lump; they chose to black it out instead. Otherwise the Z650RS looks like a completely different animal, even though the only real changes are on the ergonomic and styling fronts: minimal bodywork; a differently shaped, smaller 3.1-gallon teardrop tank; and an exposed headlight bucket to distinguish it from the naked model.

Settling in, the RS’ taller and wider handlebar sets the rider up in a relaxed upright position, while the seat’s narrow front portion gives stubby legs an easy stab to the asphalt. But there are no changes to the steel tube trellis frame, and even the steering geometry (24 degrees of rake and 3.9 inches of trail) is unchanged from the straight Z650.


The bike’s low weight and balanced chassis makes it easy to maneuver in town, but it does exhibit a snatchy throttle coming off stoplights. (Kawasaki/)Since the first part of our ride wound us through about a dozen miles of city streets, we got to experience one of the Z650RS’ imperfections early on: a somewhat snatchy, slightly on/off throttle, especially when leaving from a stop in first gear. Whether it was a mapping issue or a substantially shortened first gear was not clear. As the roads got quicker and the traffic lights fewer, we recalibrated our wrists so that the initial abrupt throttle became a distant memory. It’s something experienced riders can acclimate to easily enough, but an issue newer riders might find off-putting at first.


The 649cc parallel twin is a playful engine that has decent grunt at all speeds but an especially usable midrange and low-end. Vets and newbies alike will find it agreeable. (Kawasaki/)The speeds picked up, the roads got curvier, and the RS got to its happy place, with the 649cc parallel twin doling out healthy grunt at all engine speeds. Where it really shines is in the midrange and low-end; there’s a nice hit of power that comes on around 5,000 rpm. Fueling is smooth, at least when you’re not in first, and the throttle dials up responsively for quick exits out of low-speed turns.

The engine’s claimed 60 hp doesn’t come on too aggressively, and while you can easily hit triple digits if you really goose it, riding the RS in the canyons is most fun from about 30 to 60 mph. There the punchy midrange will squirt you out of corners, and the light, narrow chassis feels balanced and stable, yet still agile enough to make quick work of side-to-side transitions.

Helping matters are the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tires, which offer solid grip in a range of situations, though all of them will be on dry roads. On faster esses you’ll need a tad more muscle to really set the RS up in the turn, but given the bike’s easygoing nature, that’s to be expected; a sporty naked it’s definitely not.


A gull-wing-type swingarm connects to a direct mount shock that strikes a balance between comfort and road-holding. The 17-inch cast wheels with spokelike design are shod with Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 rubber. (Kawasaki/)Go flat out on higher-speed sweepers and you’ll feel the limits of the Z650RS’ stability as well as its suspension; though Kawasaki says the nonadjustable KYB fork is tuned specifically for this bike, it’s still sprung rather softly. That makes for a comfy ride on straight, well-maintained roads, but there were a few times we blew through the fork’s 4.9-inch stroke while at speed on a rippled and cratered canyon road. The progressive rear shock gives you a bit more travel, but the only available adjustment is to the preload. For 90 percent of our ride, damping was more than adequate, but get all squidly and this machine will let you know you’ve gone too far. The Z650RS is all about flowing through corners, not charging the turns.


A relaxed riding position and a lightweight chassis makes the Z650RS agile in both canyons and city streets, though the suspension is tuned more for comfort than sport. (Kawasaki/)Luckily, going with the flow is easy when the riding position is such an upright affair. There’s still a bit of forward lean to the Z650RS, but that still makes for easy inputs at the bar, and the lower-mounted footpegs serve up more legroom as well, though I suspect riders taller than 6 feet will get pretzeled by the layout. Thanks to shortish gearing, I found myself rowing through the gearbox fairly often, but with a light pull on the cable-operated slip and assist clutch and easy engagement, it was never a chore.

Going along with the Z650RS’s ease-of-operation theme are its brakes, which in this application are spot-on. Even with our constant canyon hammering, the dual 300mm discs and twin-piston calipers up front were reliably powerful and progressive throughout the day, with good feel and no fade. The standard ABS never came on intrusively to spoil the party, despite our best efforts. Another unexpected bonus are the span-adjustable clutch and brake levers, something of a rarity in this normally price-conscious class.


Kawasaki says they’re “all-new” but the old-school dual analog dials can be better described as “no frills.” Also, an LCD readout is nestled between them. (Kawasaki/)As we wrapped up the day’s ride, the route veered onto a busy highway for the home stretch. That’s where the wide, fairly thick seat began to show its comfort limits, and with the upright riding position placing the rider unprotected into the wind, it’s safe to say the Z650RS and its pilot were definitely not in their element. On the plus side, the engine remained a supersmooth operator at speed, thanks to a 180-degree crankshaft and balancer shaft arrangement; only very slight vibrations worked through the rubber-mounted handlebar in the highest revs, north of 8,500 rpm. What’s more, the needles of the basic dual analog gauges were still easy to read with just a glance, even if the small LCD readout between them can be harder to make out in harsh sunlight; there’s no TFT display like you’d find on the Z650.


The Candy Emerald Green colorway is the one you want, with its well-chosen pinstripes, chrome details, and sweet gold wheels. (Kawasaki/)Otherwise, the only other items I’d call out can be filed squarely under the nitpick department.

The bike’s exhaust note is a fairly generic whirr in the lower revs, though the intake honk when you wind it up ain’t too bad; despite Kawasaki’s marketing spin, this is not the most “characterful” engine around. As far as fit and finish goes, the RS exhibits nice detailing, especially on the Candy Emerald Green colorway, which gets those lovely gold wheels, extra chrome, and a unique raised Kawasaki tank logo. But there are some chintzy plastic bits, particularly in the instrument and tail areas, that look very much like price point concessions. The switch gear and mirrors are definitely straight out of the parts bin; that said, they still get a thumbs-up for being intuitive and easy to access.


The Z650RS-specific seat is designed to be slimmer up front for easy reach to the ground. You can also remove it to access the fuse box as well as an included… wait for it… tool kit. (Kawasaki/)The Z650RS comes in three different colors, but for us, the Candy Emerald Green is the way to go. The green treatment becomes almost iridescent in the sunlight, and the pinstriping work on the tank makes for excellent contrast. Toss in an old-school Kawasaki emblem on the tank along with additional chrome accents on the gauges and headlights and add lovely gold-colored wire-spoke-looking cast aluminum wheels, similar to those on the Z900RS, and you have a real visual statement.


The triple disc brake system (with standard ABS) on the Z650RS is superb in this application, offering plenty of power and good control without being overly sensitive. (Kawasaki/)The Z650RS isn’t going to knock anybody’s socks off with its performance, but it meets its goal of being an affordable, practical, easy-to-live-with machine with eye-catching vintage looks. The engine is spirited but easygoing and does all the right things without feeling bare bones. It’s right at home in this less aggressive retro package, and the relaxed ergos and responsive chassis makes the Z650RS even more fun to ride.

It is sort of surprising that the RS, despite being virtually identical to the naked Z650, is priced nearly $1,000 higher, especially when you consider the RS has an analog instrumentation. The fact that competitors like Yamaha’s XSR700, Triumph’s Trident, and Royal Enfield’s INT650 all come in under the Kawasaki’s $8,999 tag makes it doubly interesting, even though none of those machines hit the retro ‘70s vibe as well.

But if middle-of-the-road goodness, great style, and a decent balance of practicality and fun mean a lot to you, check it out. We just suggest that you say no to touring and trackdays.


Ergonomics specific to the Z650RS include a higher and closer handlebar, a slightly taller seat, and lower footpeg positioning, which fit the 5-foot-7 author just right. (Kawasaki/)
Like the other RS-styled bikes, overall visuals set the Z650RS apart from its “sugomi”-inspired Z650 brother. This is the Metallic Moondust Gray colorway. (Kawasaki/)
Switch gear and mirrors are your basic generic pieces, but are easily accessed and intuitive. (Kawasaki/)
Both color variants of the 2022 Z650RS. A limited 50th Anniversary edition is also available. (Kawasaki/)Gear Bag

Helmet: Shoei J-O

Jacket: Alpinestars Oscar Ray Canvas Jacket

Boots: Cortech Flathead

Gloves: Icon Pursuit Classic gloves

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Specifications

MSRP:$8,999Engine:DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl.Displacement:649ccBore x Stroke:83.0 x 60.0mmCompression Ratio:10.8:1Transmission/Final Drive:6-speed/chainClaimed Horsepower:67 hp @ 8,000 rpmClaimed Torque:48.5 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpmFuel System:Digital fuel injection w/ 36mm throttle bodiesClutch:Wet, multiplateFrame:Steel trellisFront Suspension:41mm telescopic fork; 4.9 in. travelRear Suspension:Horizontal back-link, spring preload adjustable; 5.1 in. travelFront Brake:2-piston calipers, dual 300mm discs w/ ABSRear Brake:1-piston caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABSWheels, Front/Rear:Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.50 in. / 17 x 3.50 in.Tires, Front/Rear:120/70ZR-17 / 160/60ZR-17Rake/Trail:24.0°/3.9 in.Wheelbase:55.3 in.Ground Clearance:4.9 in.Seat Height:31.5 in.Fuel Capacity:3.2 gal.Claimed Curb Weight:412 lb.Availability:NowContact:kawasaki.com




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