Kawasaki brings back the mid-size seventies-style UJM cruiser look with a new addition to its naked-sport family, the 2022 Z650RS. Classic design elements join with a modern engine and chassis plus a handful of electronic safety systems to round out the package. This new Z650RS can serve as an entry-level machine, but should be entertaining enough for riders with some smaller-displacement experience.

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Design

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Light and casual design points on the Z650RS lend this middleweight cruiser a whimsical air that just begs to be ridden. The early café racers were built on UJM platforms such as this, so it stands to reason that the Z650RS projects a bit of a middleweight cruiser, and could easily be set up as a proper homejob CR if you're into that sort of thing. café-tastic vibe darkens just about everything except the actual sheet-metal bits for another connection to the homebuilt-custom world.

Generous blackout treatment splits the night with A cyclops headlight with dual symmetrical instruments in bullet housings that lend it a sporty mien to boot. The dial gauges display speed and rpm respectively, and there's an LED projectors that serves as a rider interface for the other important metrics.

LCD multiscreen defines the A classic teardrop shape with 4-gallon fuel tank to finish out the flyline. The taillight is tucked up into the tip of the tail, well out of harm's way, while the plateholder, taglight and back blinkers ride on the short mudguard. A swingarm-mount hugger completes the fling containment out back.

a bench-like seat places the pilot's heels low below the hips for comfort with an A relaxed rider's triangle that takes the load off your arms and shoulders. upright riding posture, but the rear end is nice and clean, so the usual J.C. handles didn't make the final cut.

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Chassis

High tensile-strength steel tubing makes up the Trellis frame on the Z650RS, but the best parts aren't visible. I'm talking about the variable tubing-wall thickness the factory uses to tune the standing structure for flexion and rigidity. As you'd expect, the engine serves as a stressed member along with the footpeg stays to complete the structure and lend it it's final bit of strength, all while trimming a significant chunk of frame and its associated weight.

Rake and trail measure in at 24 degrees and 3.9 inches respectively, to put the Z650RS firmly at the nimble end of the spectrum, but honestly, that's to be expected. It's fun and responsive to ride, but at the usual expense of some tracking stability. It is what it is, and for the rider group that would be interested in this bike, it's what you want and expect.

Right-way-up forks float the front end on fixed damping- and rebound-rates. The only adjustment in the suspension is coil-over rear shock in the form of the obligatory spring-preload tweak for the gull-wing yoke. Suspension travel measures at 4.9 inches up front and 5.1 inches out back, which really ain't bad for a streetbike. Cast 17-inch wheels mount Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport II hoops in a 120/70 ahead of a 160/60 with a street tread suited for civilized paths.

In spite of its 412.3-pound curb weight, the factory doubled down on the front anchors with dual 300 mm discs and twin-piston calipers taking care of business. Out back, a single-pot binder and 220 mm, petal-cut disc delivers warp-resistance performance to keep the rear end behind you where it belongs. Both ends benefit from the Bosch 9.1 M ABS feature that'll let you safely get the most out of the anchors.

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Drivetrain

Power for the Z650RS comes from Kawi's proven mid-range parallel twin to the tune of 67 ponies at eight grand and 48.5 pounds o' grunt at 6,500 rpm. A balancer shaft and 180-out crankshaft cancels out much of the engine's vibration for smooth power delivery and quick revs.

Dual over-head cams time the four-valve heads for efficient aspiration with dual, 36 mm throttle bodies to feed it and control the induction. Plus, they mount Kawi's computer-controlled Dual Throttle system that actuates a second set of butterflies in the bores to fair out transitions and reconcile the difference between rider demand and what the engine can smoothly dish out in response.

It's liquid cooled for extra temperature stability in stop-and-go conditions and a measure of sound attenuation from the water jacket that damps down the mechanical noises from the mill. The coolant flows internally through the cases to the jugs and heads to eliminate external piping for a cleaner-looking powerplant overall. Comfort wasn't neglected in the engine compartment. The radiator fan pulls hot air from the radiators and vents it down and away from the pilot to reduce the apparent heat wash.

A slip-and-assist clutch couples engine power to the six-speed transmixxer for some extra traction protection and a light lever pull. Power makes it to the rear wheel via a tough sealed chain-and-sprocket final drive with a final-drive ratio that turns out a top speed of 119 mph.

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Price

The new Z650 RS rolls for $8,999 here in its inaugural year. It comes in a classy Candy Emerald Green that I like a lot, or you can go for the mostly-monochromatic Moondust Gray with extra graphics on the fuel tank.

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Competitors

Kawi's entry steps onto the stage with plenty of built-in competition, and as usual, the threats come from domestic competitors, so I choose the Suzuki SV650 ABS for the head-to-head.

Suzuki SV650 ABS

Lookswise, the Suzuki is more typical of a Japanese naked-sport, I think, due to the contemporary design points and deep swale for the pilot's seat. Blackout treatment runs through both brands for equal parts of homegrown yummygoodness and a sinister finish. Speaking of paint, Suzuki offers its SV650 ABS in Metallic Matte Black No. 2 alone, though it sports some splashes of blue at the Trellis frame and rims.

Suzuki also beefs up the brakes with four-pot, opposed-piston, dual front calipers and the ABS support to make them safe to use with authority. The SV650 carries a 90-degree V-twin, or L-twin if you prefer, that boasts dual spark plugs over each barrel for better flame-front propagation.

Like the Kawi, the Suzuki runs with dual throttle plates as well, and for the same reasons, but Suzuki throws in a handful of engine-control features with its Idle Speed Control, Easy Start System, and Low-rpm Assist that further ease operation. Suzuki's engine clocks in somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 horsepower with 47 pound-feet of torque for a razor-thin advantage, but Suzuki adds to the package with a $7,749 MSRP that undercuts Kawi. However, it has none of that old-school charm that the Z650RS wears so well, and I expect that to weigh the equation in Kawi's favor, but just barely.

Read our full review of the Suzuki SV650.

He Said

“Ya know, I just love me some retro-tastic machinery, and I think Kawasaki got just the right amount, enough to pay homage, but not so much that it looks like it's trying too hard. I bet the aftermarket will have a bullet fairing and tail piece if you want to go full-on café with it and complete the ensemble. If not, it still has that air about it all the same.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “I really like this retro UJM look for being “just a bike.” It's not trying to be a sportbike, it's not trying to be a cruiser, it's not trying to be anything but a standard UJM-style bike so there's no expectations around who you think you are by riding it. The bike is also complete. Well, okay, as with any UJM, it can be a platform for your personalizations, but you don't have to hit the accessories catalog or pump it up with pricey options to 'finish' it. Engine response is sharp and precise and comes tuned for low-to-mid range power, so top-end is a little blah, but honestly if top-end performance is a concern for you, move up to the Z900. This bike is my cup o' tea. I like the look, and I like the performance.”

2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Specifications

Further Reading

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