The usual practice for bikes in the lower rungs of a manufacturer lineup is to make a big splashy debut—and then sit basically unchanged for the rest of their days.
With all the hype surrounding the new ZX-14R, it was easy to assume that all of Kawasaki’s development budget for 2012 was spent on the big flagship. It was a bit of a surprise, then, to see the debut of a significantly revamped Ninja 650 as well (the midsize Ninja dropping the “R” designation from its moniker for 2012). Kawasaki obviously is treating the Ninja 650 as a very important model—much more than you’d expect for a motorcycle without the high-profile intentions of its supersport brethren.
We recently got the opportunity to try out Kawasaki’s revised Ninja 650 during the press launch held in mountains surrounding El Cajon, California. A day spent with the new 650 showed us that the significant changes weren’t just window dressing on an already capable package.
A new steel dual-tube swingarm...
A new steel dual-tube swingarm replicates the dual-tube construction of the new frame. The banana-style right side makes room for the larger-volume muffler underneath the engine.
Far more than just a facelift
The Ninja 650’s engine underwent a surprising amount of improvements aimed at boosting its low-end and midrange performance. Chief among those changes are new pistons that actually lower compression ratio a half-point (from 11.3:1 to 10.8:1), along with a completely revised airbox setup up top, and a new higher-flowing exhaust that uses a connector tube joining the header pipes to smooth out exhaust pulses and significantly reduce peaks and valleys in the torque curve. And the under-engine muffler features a much larger volume and new internal construction for better flow.
There’s not a huge difference noticeable off the bottom when you let out the still very user-friendly clutch (easy effort, plenty of feel) and take off from a stop. Swing the tach needle past the 5000 rpm mark though, and the new 650 quickly displays a marked increase in steam all the way up to about 1000 rpm short of its 11K redline. Not an excess that could swiftly put novice riders in over their heads, mind you, but enough to boost the fun factor considerably—and that’s for riders of all skill sets. Throttle response is silky-smooth, as is the linear character of the powerband. And although the stock exhaust note is still a bit nasal, the relocation of the airbox intake adds a nice howl when you get on the throttle.
Complementing that improved engine is an all-new chassis, with a steel double-tube perimeter design replacing the single-tube setup from the previous generation. A single backbone type rear swingarm pivot section not only allows a narrower midsection to allow shorter riders to reach the ground easier—the footpeg mounts are 50mm closer together, a considerable amount—but also permits a stouter rear subframe to be mounted for increased payload capacity and passenger comfort. The swingarm also follows the double-tube design, with the banana-style right side section making room for the larger muffler, and the rear design allowing for forged billet sliding-block rear axle holders for less parts and easier rim removal/replacement. Both the front and rear suspension didn’t get left out of the upgrade department either, with the 41mm conventional fork and side-mount rear shock sporting increased length and stroke, along with damping settings that are firmed up a tad.
It would have been foolish to push the bike hard enough on the street to see if the new chassis was any real improvement over the previous edition, but what we did find was that the new suspension rates are a step up. While the budget origins can’t be ignored—the 41mm conventional fork is non-adjustable, and the non-linkage-equipped rear shock is adjustable only for spring preload—the overall action has been improved on both ends of the scale. The ride at cruising speeds is plusher than before, while still offering more control when the speeds and aggression pick up. Only when the pavement is really broken up or the pace reaches near expert levels does the suspension start to come unwound, although heavier riders may approach that limit sooner.
The new windscreen is manually...
The new windscreen is manually adjustable (using a wrench) to one of three positions within a 60mm range. Adjustable levers are a nice touch.
Even though the new frame’s steering geometry is nearly identical to the old model (save for a smidgen more trail), the 650’s steering habits are definitely more agile, while still remaining impressively neutral. Most of the credit here surely goes to the new Dunlop Roadsmart II rubber (albeit an OEM-spec version with slightly different construction both front and rear), which not only offers fairly precise steering but surprisingly good grip as well. Bump absorption while leaned over was also exemplary, especially with the front tire.
We didn’t really like the previous 650R’s brakes, which felt rather wooden and required a lot of lever effort to get decent stopping power, even taking the bike’s novice rider intentions into consideration. That issue has thankfully been remedied on the Ninja 650, with a new pad compound offering much better feel and progressiveness to bleed off speed with more authority, yet not be so responsive as to possibly bite an inexperienced hand.
We definitely appreciated the slightly revised ergos as well. A new two-piece seat replaces the previous single-piece saddle, with thicker foam and resculpted shapes in both the rider and passenger sections. While the previous perch was by no means a torture rack, the thicker foam and wider rear portion of the new saddle provide much better support for longer rides. The 20mm-wider handlebar also seems to have a straighter bend than the previous setup, making the bike feel roomier overall. The new 650’s narrower midsection surely plays a role here as well.
Part of the new ergo package on the Ninja 650 is a windscreen that is adjustable three ways within a 60mm range, albeit a manual setup that requires wrenches to adjust. We didn’t get the chance to try out the windscreen on its highest setting, although other motojournalists did complain that it only created turbulence up by the helmet area; we’ll reserve judgment until we get our hands on a bike for a full test. The new instrument panel is a definite plus, with the analog tach far easier to read at a glance than the previous tiny all-digital LCD panel, and the new LCD panel offers up more and better information, including the remaining mileage counter (estimating how many miles left before you run out of fuel) which we found rather useful. The same style mirrors that are found on all the Kawasaki Ninja models provide a decent rear view on the 650, while the engine counterbalancer keeps vibes from excessively fuzzing out the images as well as bothering the rider.
The preliminary verdict?
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 now remains as the sole choice of over-250cc motorcycles suitable for novice riders from the Japanese manufacturers. We find this current situation somewhat misguided, especially considering the numerous letters we get every month from new riders looking for a sporty motorcycle that are over six feet tall and 200 pounds (making them a bit big for a 250). Kudos to Kawasaki for continuing to make this option available and providing a stepping stone that helps build the next generation of sportbike enthusiasts.
Kawasaki has succeeded in making a definite improvement to the Ninja 650’s performance in numerous areas—and to get all this for just a $300 bump in price? We can’t see any reason why Kawasaki won’t be selling a boatload of these when they arrive.
Check out the next issue of Sport Rider Magazine for a more detailed First Ride impression of the new 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650.