Traveled: Kawasaki Z650 2017

Yes, the days of chrome front fenders, large round headlights, such tools and a vertical rack behind a wide steering wheel are over, and the Z family remains. "Ken" Norimas Tada, designer of the first Zees, said at the time: "The design and appearance of a motorcycle is very important because it must match the function and performance of the motorcycle, while being recognizable and different from the competition."

The Z was truly different, retaining its reputation for being fast and agile over the following decades, until 1983, when Kawasaki gave birth to a successor. Until the middle of the first decade of the new millennium, marked by the Z750. The immediate predecessor of this year's new Kawasaki, dubbed the Z650, like its older brother of the 6s, was the ER-2005n, which has found exactly 121.161 customers on the world market since its first introduction in September 650. Well, so many new ones were sold, and as a motorcycle of widespread use, it found quite a few new customers who remained loyal to the Z family in the years to come. More than its immediate predecessor, the new Z900 is inspired by its old namesake. Along with the new season, Kawasaki also introduced the larger Z800 model as a replacement for the ZXNUMX model.

40 years difference, same message

Even though 40 years have passed between the old and new Z650s, they are very similar in philosophy and customer appeal. Whereas the ER-6n was still a bit soft for casual riders and novices, the Z650 is sharper, livelier and lighter despite similar roots. It is also aimed at slightly more experienced undemanding users, including drivers, but it will still delight motorcyclists with a longer experience.

Thanks to the 650-year heritage of the Z family of more than fifty models, the so-called "Sugomi" has become an important design element, which is defined by the recognizable design of aggressive shape as a feature of the entire family. ... Well, the ZXNUMX isn't nearly as aggressive as its more powerful siblings, but it's a real cock nonetheless. Its ownership is also indicated by its Z-shaped taillight. The project manager, a man named Kenji Idaka, was responsible for the development of the motorcycle.       

Technician in traffic over time

It is not only the design of the motorcycle and its modern appearance that is important, but also its updated technology. The motorcycle is powered by a parallel twin-cylinder engine compared to the ER-6n engine with slightly different power and torque characteristics. Both are now more linear in the mid-range as Kawaski engineers wanted efficiency where the machine is most comfortable; in the range from 3.000 to 6.000 rpm. They also optimized fuel consumption, which, with moderate driving, can be reduced to less than five liters per hundred kilometers. The slightly modified exhaust system complies with the Euro 4 emission standard. The tubular frame is 10 kg lighter than the ER-6n and looks like the model in the HP2 supersport, painted green combined with white (this was the test bike) and toxic to sports, elegance. Also lighter is the rear swingarm, which is almost three kilograms lighter than the outgoing model, and the driver is assisted by a sliding clutch that stays soft even after a full day of driving in the Spanish countryside, while gear changes are still in progress. accurate.       

Spanish Overture

We drove the middle See at a presentation on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Huelva. The city has a rich history, best known for the fact that Christopher Columbus traveled from here to America. In December in the south of Spain, the days are quite warm, and the nights and mornings are like dogs. It seems to be about an hour later than here, the day there is about six o'clock in the afternoon. The roads are excellent and in the hills north of Huelva they are neither overcrowded nor crowded.

In the morning I sit down coldly on an already warm motorcycle. Thanks to the parallel twin engine, it is narrow, with a street fighter steering wheel that allows you to relax and control the bike. It sits quite low, with a seat height of only 790 millimeters above the ground, which will especially appeal to novices and female pilots. Counters are in the spirit of the times, and you need to get used to different lighting and lighting conditions. The unit is alive, sparkles even at low revs, there on the road to Dzhabug, where there are many turns, it also shows itself when driving uphill. The power delivery is not a sporty jerk, vibrations are practically not felt. Compared to the ER-6n, it is 19 kg lighter, which is well known when recharging a motorcycle in turns and other elements of movement. There, driving becomes a real pleasure.

So it will definitely find a wide range of buyers, and an interesting price will certainly contribute to this, potential buyers will get a versatile motorcycle that can be equipped with many accessories, including at least an Akrapovich exhaust, side bags and a front windshield.

text: Primozh Jurman · Photo: J. Wright