Kawasaki Z650 - upcoming competition

[pattonme]

they found 45lbs to shave? That's an indictment of the earlier model's design team and the careless project/marketing that let it even leave the drawing board like that.

[robborboy]

they found 45lbs to shave? That's an indictment of the earlier model's design team and the careless project/marketing that let it even leave the drawing board like that.

Not really. It is very comman for weight saving on later builds. Especially when a large portion is from something as simple as a frame redesign. Something the 650 has.

[i28]

Just saw it in person at the long beach motorcycle show:
 

 

 

 
I think the FZ07 looks way nicer in person than the Z650.
 
I also wasn't too fond of the 2017 red and 2017 blue fz07 colors.
 

[Guest jrkleinow]

Just saw it in person at the long beach motorcycle show: 

 

 

 
I think the FZ07 looks way nicer in person than the Z650.
 
I also wasn't too fond of the 2017 red and 2017 blue fz07 colors.

 
Nice pics. I'm heading there tomorrow to check it out. Let's hope for no rain.

[jmacas87]

another from cycleworld
 
http://www.cycleworld.com/2017-kawasaki-z650-first-ride-review-new-motorcycle

[AlbatrossCafe]

I really like the seat. Being 6'2" I'm always at the very back of the FZ's seat. It is not the most comfortable back there cus it is plastic that pokes you. How the Kawi did it would work perfectly for me.
 
http://www.cycleworld.com/sites/cycleworld.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/images/2016/11/cw1116-2017-kawasaki-z650-first-ride-review-image-09.jpg
 
The way their gauge is designed is what I want on the FZ. A gauge-swap kit would be cool...
 
http://www.cycleworld.com/sites/cycleworld.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/images/2016/11/cw1116-2017-kawasaki-z650-first-ride-review-image-030.jpg

[robborboy]

I really like the seat. Being 6'2" I'm always at the very back of the FZ's seat. It is not the most comfortable back there cus it is plastic that pokes you. How the Kawi did it would work perfectly for me. 
http://www.cycleworld.com/sites/cycleworld.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/images/2016/11/cw1116-2017-kawasaki-z650-first-ride-review-image-09.jpg
 
The way their gauge is designed is what I want on the FZ. A gauge-swap kit would be cool...
 
http://www.cycleworld.com/sites/cycleworld.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/images/2016/11/cw1116-2017-kawasaki-z650-first-ride-review-image-030.jpg

Id be all over a swap kit. Especially if I can program my current mileage and shift light. The Ninja 650/Z650 cluater would look great in the R6 mount on my FZ07

[level41]

I think I'd be interested in how the seating ergos are.
I like upright seating.
 
I'm probably going to go for an FZ, or this.
I'm only 170 right now, but plan on gaining 15LBS by working out.
I think both engines will be great for me.
I like the Kawi's looks better. The FZ's dash looks too....plain.. for me.
But I love the soft suspension on the FZ, and the way it rides. From the small helper pegs used to flip the sidestand peg, to the seating ergos. The FZ is really good.
But the kawi is a new kid on the block, and the $1k could convince me to go with this one instead!
Especially if it comes with ABS.
 
Oh, and the Kawi is reported to be 405LBS, not 412. Only 6LBS more than the FZ.
But it has a few horses less, due to it's 40cc smaller engine.
 
So, seating ergos will do it for me.
 
Any idea when the new Kawi's will hit the store?
The dealership said that the '17 FZ-07 will hit the stores around Feb-March, here in So-Flo.
Should I be expecting the same for the Kawasaki?
 
I'll probably go for the non-abs version.
It's about the same price as the 2016 FZ-07.
Nicer dash, nicer overall looks, adjustable brake levers, ...

[level41]

 

 
I tried uploading a gif, to see the comparison between the two.
The Kawi, seems to have a few degrees more forward lean than the FZ, but not by much (seat's a bit higher, handlebars a tad forward).
Click the pic for an animated Gif.

[level41]

I sat on both in the store.
From my memory, 'K' stands for Kawasaki Z650, and 'Y' stands for Yamaha FZ-07:
 
Seatheight: Y feels about 0.5" lower.
 
Seat comfort: Y feels perfect, K feels a bit firmer.
 
Seat ergonomics: Y is better for city riding. K for highway (more forward lean, very comparable to a CB300F).
 
Passenger pillion: K feels cramped. Did not test Y.
 
Exhaust: more neatly tucked away with K.
 
Oil drain bolt: in a good position on K, drains best on sidestand peg. Did not notice on Y.
 
Sprockets (est from quick look): Y minus 5t max on rear, K +1 front, and minus 8 on rear.
 
Chain guard: more space for larger sprockets on Y (est +8t) vs +5 t on K.
 
Dashboard looks:Looks plastic on both, slight advantage on K.
 
Engine power: Y wins.
 
Coolant fluid: very accessible on K.
 
The Y feels larger, but being 6'4", with 34" inseam, I disagree with some, in that the Z650 felt really comfortable to me.
My legs fit perfectly. The bike is made for up to 35" inseam. Any larger, and the tank would be in the way of the knees.
 
The Z650 seems more made for racing. The suspension and seat was a bit firmer.
It also has a small wind breaker.
Handlebars are more narrow.
The dash on both looks empty, and small.
the K has a bigger tank, and probably tips the Y in fuel economy
 
Those are my first impressions.
 
I'm leaning towards the Y, for engine size, seating and ride comfort, and towards the K for overall looks, and narrow handlebars. They would fit better through my narrow front gate, and between cars.
 
All the options, slipper clutch, abs, adjustable brakes, are meaningless to me.

[hamster]

I sat on both in the store. From my memory, 'K' stands for Kawasaki Z650, and 'Y' stands for Yamaha FZ-07:
 
Seatheight: Y feels about 0.5" lower.
 
Seat comfort: Y feels perfect, K feels a bit firmer.
 
Seat ergonomics: Y is better for city riding. K for highway (more forward lean, very comparable to a CB300F).
 
Passenger pillion: K feels cramped. Did not test Y.
 
Exhaust: more neatly tucked away with K.
 
Oil drain bolt: in a good position on K, drains best on sidestand peg. Did not notice on Y.
 
Sprockets (est from quick look): Y minus 5t max on rear, K +1 front, and minus 8 on rear.
 
Chain guard: more space for larger sprockets on Y (est +8t) vs +5 t on K.
 
Dashboard looks:Looks plastic on both, slight advantage on K.
 
Engine power: Y wins.
 
Coolant fluid: very accessible on K.
 
The Y feels larger, but being 6'4", with 34" inseam, I disagree with some, in that the Z650 felt really comfortable to me.
My legs fit perfectly. The bike is made for up to 35" inseam. Any larger, and the tank would be in the way of the knees.
 
The Z650 seems more made for racing. The suspension and seat was a bit firmer.
It also has a small wind breaker.
Handlebars are more narrow.
The dash on both looks empty, and small.
 
Those are my first impressions.
 
I'm leaning towards the Y, for engine size, seating and ride comfort, and towards the K for overall looks, and narrow handlebars. They would fit better through my narrow front gate, and between cars.
 
All the options, slipper clutch, abs, adjustable brakes, are meaningless to me.

 
 
Mmhhh... didn't know about the slipper clutch... if you add the ABS, most probably I'd have gone for the Kawi... but got the FZ for already a few months, hehe.

[cassecou]

Beautiful bike with a great dash. But its a 2 cylinders, and from my experience with Kawasaki, its gonna vibrate quite a bit. But don't take my word for it, Kawasaki might have worked out the vibes on the Z650.
Is it to be a challenger for the FZ07 spot? I don't think so. Lets wait and see some side by side comparisons. That will still be entertaining to watch, what ever will be the outcomes.

[SkH]

If its anything like my 2015 Z1000, the clutch might be very inconsistent.
 
That's one point I dislike about my Kawasaki. Both Yamahas are very consistent. Always the same clutch feel when I shift. Never deviates. The Kawasaki on the other hand, sometimes its super smooth to the point where there is no feedback when I shift, sometimes it feels similar to the Yamaha, and a lot of times the shifter klunks into place when I shift. Very, very inconsistent and I don't like it.
 
That is after 2 oil changes (and it was like that from the start). Wonder if changing to full synthetic will remedy it, but I shouldn't have to switch oils to expect better operation, that's just sad.
 
And I don't know @cassecou, even a 2014~ generation Kawasaki is still vibey.  My aforementioned 2015 Z, at like 5k rpm it vibrates some of the plastic in a way where it is alarming the first time I heard it, thought something was wrong with the engine until I searched around and read its the plastic vibrating loudly.
 

[hamster]

Quick first ride review:
https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=Sx_a9J4EF7c

[level41]

From the reviews, the kawi will vibrate hard on certain rpms, and not on others, while the Yamaha soft on certain frequencies, but medium vibrations everywhere else.

[cornelje]

My friend picked one up a few weeks ago and I finally got to take it for a ride this weekend.
 
It's a better bike than the fz07. Better quality, better design, more refined. Feels quite a bit tamer than the fz07. I really like the traditional power curve, very linear and smooth. Suspension is nice. The seat is miles ahead of the Yamaha as well. Feels lighter and more nimble despite being a bit heavier. It's a great bike and a better value than the fz07.
 
That being said the fz07 is more raw, more hooligan friendly and more fun. You couldn't go wrong with either bike. If it's a weekend warrior I'd take the fz07, for a daily commuter I'd take the z650.

[rhb]

The Z 650 is no more than an er6N in new clothing, a few technical upgrades but nothing dramatic. Here in my part of the world MT07s already have ABS and better stock tuning than U.S. FZ-07s, so when I compared bikes before buying it was a no brainer to choose the MT-07, lighter, more powerful. And the cross plane engine (270degree crank) there is no comparison. If your shopping looks, that's entirely different, and for me inconsequential.

[stickshift]

The Z 650 is no more than an er6N in new clothing

And new frame, swingarm, 36 lb less weight, etc... 
True, it still uses the same (ER6N) powerplant, but the above will change dynamics significantly.
 
We probably have to thank the FZ/MT for this development - it still leads the pack in terms of fun to price ratio, throttle response and weight, but good to see the other manufacturers playing catch up.
 
 
 

[rhb]

The Z 650 is no more than an er6N in new clothing

And new frame, swingarm, 36 lb less weight, etc... 
True, it still uses the same (ER6N) powerplant, but the above will change dynamics significantly.
 
We probably have to thank the FZ/MT for this development - it still leads the pack in terms of fun to price ratio, throttle response and weight, but good to see the other manufacturers playing catch up.
 
 

Yes in all fairness, the Z was not introduced when I chose the MT07, so had it been, the choice would have been harder. but because of the engine alone I probably would have made the same choice, and the fact that in the Philippines they are unique, maybe a few dozen at most. 

[danfz07]

I really like it. really like it. If the motor is as good as the FZ I probably would have gotten one of those. Although after all the money in stuff on my fz, its not good enough to trade into. Ducati super sport is the only thing that would make me get rid of my cafe FZ.

[duenan]

Z650 is essentially a lateral move from the FZ07. I don't get people who replace one bike with a carbon copy of the old one unless it was to replace something busted.
 
Call me crazy but if I were to buy another bike, it would have to be extremely different in one respect or another. Which is why my other 2 bikes are 300cc and 1000cc respectively. I would never buy, say a SV650 if I already have the FZ07. Same goes with this Z650.
 
But for those of you who don't have an FZ07 and are in the market of a parallel twin 650- go sic!
 

[level41]

Same here.
I have a 250 and the FZ-07, however, I would say that the Kawasaki 650 makes for a better (read safer) upgrade from a 300cc bike than the FZ-07 with all it's torque.
 
If I could do it all over again, I'd get a Honda CB300F, and the FZ-07.
Naked is my thing!

[firstyammerha]

If anybody gets this far down the string, check out the comparo in the June 2017 CycleWorld magazine. The boys at the big K have got a lot of work to do...

[faffi]

I guess it depends on what you are after. Chances are the Kwak is easier to ride and has a more pleasant suspension package. I'd say it's a better commuter and a better bike for beginners than the Yamaha. But it cannot match the motor of the MT-07. Nothing in class comes close. At 3000 rpm the MT/FZ-07 have twice as much power as an R6. No wonder it flies!