Wandering through Bikeshop Boksburg the other day, we noticed an almost new Z650RS lurking on the floor. Jannie, the very efficient DP said “How about taking it out for a little ride – it’s been a long time since I saw one of these featured.”
Great idea! Looking back, it was more than a year ago since we last rode one and if we recall, we did quite like it.
So many manufacturers are banking on nostalgia and if you look at the Z650 from the seventies and eighties and compare that bike to the current RS, you’ll understand what we mean. The styling is unmistakably old school Kawasaki. Take the teardrop tank, the candy apple paintwork, the acres of chrome and you’ll see the genes shining through. But don’t be fooled – the modern edition has all of the modern, up to date components that you’d expect from today’s motorcycles.
Old vs new:
The original Kawasaki Z650 was powered by a four-cylinder DOHC air-cooled engine with two valves per cylinder mated to a five-speed gearbox. Back then, it was the epitome of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM) and competed with bikes like the Honda CB650. Standard features included a round headlight with instruments mounted on top, a one-piece dual seat, a dual exhaust system with a silencer on each side, and lightweight wire-spoke wheels.
That engine delivered 66 hp at 8,500 rpm and 57 Nm of torque. A five-speed manual transmission takes the power from the engine and sends it to the rear end via a final chain drive, pushing the machine to a top speed of 186 kph.
The 2024 model is powered by a fuel injected parallel twin engine mated to a six speed gearbox. It boasts a classic round LED headlight, needle instrumentation with 70’s influenced bodywork and colours. Today’s bike pushes out 67 HP with 64 NM of torque.
To explain that simply, it’s got two less pistons and still pushes more power than the old one. Just goes to show how technology advances. Oh yes – the old bike weighs 220 KG. This one weighs 180. Interesting huh? But there’s more – Modern suspension, modern, beefy brakes with ABS – and modern handling.
So that’s the comparison in a nutshell – but there’s a lot more to it.
We took a flip through the Boksburg ‘burbs, out onto the freeway and hit the back roads through to Bapsfontein and back – and it was properly lekker. This is such a well thought out bike that’s fun to ride, comfortable and economical on top of it all, we saw four and a bit litres per hundred – so that 12 litre tank should get you 300 kilometres down the road each time.
Open her up and you’ll get to speeds in excess of 180 quite quickly – but that’s not actually what this bike is about. Comfortable cruising, easy commuting and above all – being the coolest cat on the block.
New, these bikes weigh in at R169 900, which, looking at new bike prices, is a real bargain.
This one is only very slightly used at Bikeshop Boksburg for R145 900
Seriously, it’s like new.
Bikeshop Boksburg. Z650 RS
Engine Capacity | 649cc |
Engine Type | Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke Parallel Twin |
Power | 50.2Kw |
Torque | 64Nm |
Drive | Chain |
Gearbox | 6-speed |
Weight | 187kg |
Tank Capacity | 12L |
Fuel Consumption | 4.3L/100km |
Ground Clearance | 125mm |
Seat Height | 800mm |
Front Brakes | Dual Disc |
Rear Brakes | Single Disc |
Front Suspension | Telescopic Fork |
Rear Suspension | Horizontal Back-Link Swingarm |
