Kawasaki Z650RS

Kawasaki has taken the Z650's underpinnings and dressed them in proper cafe racer clothing. Round headlamp, flat bench style seat, tucked in tail. It looks the part.

The Kawasaki bike gets a 649cc liquid cooled parallel twin engine. It produces 67.31 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 64 Nm at 6,700 rpm. This is much more power than you get from most 350cc commuter bikes. Right now, it's sold in just one colour: Metallic Ocean Blue. No variant choices to overthink here.

The 800 mm seat height keeps things sporty rather than relaxed. And at 192 kg kerb weight, you'll feel it the moment you try walking it backward out of a parking spot.

The 12 litre tank isn't huge for a bike this size. But with a 23 kmpl mileage figure, you're still looking at a reasonable range between fill ups.

• Teardrop fuel tank – Classic cafe racer shape, with no sharp modern creases. This gives the bike genuine showroom presence without looking like a costume.
• Round mirrors and round headlight – Minimal bodywork keeps the silhouette clean. Works well for riders who want retro styling without gimmicky add ons.
• Semi digital instrument cluster – Analogue tachometer paired with a digital display for everything else. Gives you the old school dial feel while still tracking trip data on longer rides.
• Compact proportions (2065 mm long, 1115 mm tall) – Stays tidy despite the bigger engine. Makes the bike easier to photograph and easier to filter through traffic than its size suggests.

• 67.31 bhp peak power – More than triple what a typical 350cc roadster makes. Useful for riders planning frequent highway stretches or quick overtakes.
• Peak power at 8,000 rpm, torque at 6,700 rpm – Not a low end grunt engine. Rewards riders who like revving the engine rather than short shifting everywhere.
• 212 km/h claimed top speed – Way beyond what you'll use on Indian roads. Tells you there's plenty of headroom left for confident highway cruising.
• 23 kmpl real world mileage – Not class leading, but fair for the segment. Works for weekend riders more than someone doing 40+ km daily commutes.
• Fuel injection with 36mm throttle bodies, liquid cooling – Precise fuelling per cylinder plus better heat management. Keeps the engine composed even in slow moving city traffic on a hot afternoon.

• 1405 mm wheelbase – Shorter than most 650cc cruisers or tourers. Helps with quicker direction changes on winding roads or tight city corners.
• 125 mm ground clearance – Lower than most Indian buyers are used to. Means you'll need to slow down properly for speed breakers, not just glance and go.
• 300 mm front disc, 220 mm rear disc, dual channel ABS – Strong braking hardware. Gives confident stopping power when riding this quickly in mixed traffic.
• Tubeless radial tyres, 17 inch front and rear, wider 160 section rear – Better contact patch under load. Helps with grip during hard acceleration or quick overtakes.
• Standard traction control – Not common at this price point. Adds a safety margin on wet roads or sudden throttle inputs, given how much power this engine sends down.

• Semi digital instrument cluster – Shows speed, gear position, fuel level, and distance to empty. Useful for checking key details while riding.
• Fuel level display – Helps you keep track of the remaining fuel. Useful for planning refuelling stops during long rides.
• Distance to empty display – Shows an estimated range based on the available fuel. Helps riders decide when to visit a fuel station.
• Gear position indicator – Displays the gear currently selected. Useful in city traffic and during frequent gear changes.
• No USB charging port – The bike does not get a built in USB charging facility. Riders using phone navigation may need a separate charger.
• Electric start and engine kill switch – These basic features make everyday operation simple. Useful during regular city rides and frequent stops.
• Pass switch – Lets the rider quickly flash the headlamp when needed. Useful for alerting other vehicles during overtaking.

The Kawasaki Z650RS is a proper performance retro, not a commuter wearing vintage clothes. The 649cc engine and 67.31 bhp output put it in a different league from India's popular 350cc roadsters.

At 192 kg and with 125 mm of ground clearance, this bike rewards confident riders more than daily commuters navigating broken city roads.

Priced at Rs. 7.83 lakh (ex showroom), it sits well above the Royal Enfield 650 twins and closer to bikes like the Triumph Daytona 660. Its closest rivals include the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, Kawasaki Z650, and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.