[iblastoff]

https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-news/2022-kawasaki-z650rs-retro-style-motorcycle-details/

interesting. obviously not as clean and classic looking as the re650, but this one has 67hp and probably a good 30 pounds lighter than the interceptor if its anything close to the z650s weight.

EDIT: the picture showing on the page is the 900 but rumors are saying it will look similar.

[whippers]

I’m sure it will be quite nice and a success but quite a different sort of thing to the RE

[AzCal Retred]

+1 to that. Keeping H or V rated tires on that beast would be a necessity. The hard part is re-acquiring those cat-like reflexes and 15/20 vision you had as a young adult...  

A 45 HP twin will easily haul you around at extra-legal velocities, but that's not really the point of a nice torquey twin. For Japanese iron, Kaw's Versys 650 at 67 HP, 460 pounds and the lovely Suzuki V-Strom 650 @ 66 horsepower & 470 pounds are tough choices to beat and thoroughly sorted as well. And as always, there's that old workhorse the KLR 650. Cut down a wee bit it's a dandy road mount.

[Haggisman2]

I want to see one in a showroom before I comment on looks. Does the engine have a 360 or 180 crank.

[supercub]

Seeing the popularity of the RE, Kawasaki decided to enter the fray. looks great, maybe because it's a slight racier copy of the RE650? Will it be available in the US?

[AzCal Retred]

This E-Bay Ad shows a Versys 650 crank & counterbalancer. The crank is 180, as is the counterbalancer. Plain bearings. Looks hella stout, typical Kawasaki. As all these new 650 variants likely share the same motor, it'd be pricey to do otherwise.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254776573842?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=254776573842&targetid=1263094003346&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031849&poi=&campaignid=10454522294&mkgroupid=121089751606&rlsatarget=pla-1263094003346&abcId=2146002&merchantid=101498099&gclid=CjwKCAjwyvaJBhBpEiwA8d38vPdfaPwPyk_Z0XJoLziFeUCBd0IfA2UqqsBtaBAjGyezqYrJ5N8nWxoCMs4QAvD_BwE

[NVDucati]

I'm confused. Are we talking about a 2cylinder "Z" bike replica Or the WR850 classic?
"The Kawasaki W650 is a retro classic motorcycle made between model years 1999-2007 and superseded by the Kawasaki W800,..." $9,700usd
https://www.kawasaki.com/en-us/motorcycle/w/retro-classic/w800/2020-W800#

[Voun]

No, it will be a 4 cylinders just like the old Z650 we can see in the teaser :
https://youtu.be/m1VkokpPaZE

[iblastoff]

No, it will be a 4 cylinders just like the old Z650 we can see in the teaser :
https://youtu.be/m1VkokpPaZE

i doubt it. pretty sure it will be a twin, just like the current z650, which is what the z650rs should be based on.

[iblastoff]

I'm confused. Are we talking about a 2cylinder "Z" bike replica Or the WR850 classic?
"The Kawasaki W650 is a retro classic motorcycle made between model years 1999-2007 and superseded by the Kawasaki W800,..." $9,700usd
https://www.kawasaki.com/en-us/motorcycle/w/retro-classic/w800/2020-W800#

this new z650rs version is supposed to be based on the current z650 but retro styled like the z900rs. so a twin as far as i know.

[Voun]

You're right, it seems that it will be the actual 650 twin engine, sorry for the bad quality of this sketch ...

[mwmosser]

+1 to that. Keeping H or V rated tires on that beast would be a necessity. The hard part is re-acquiring those cat-like reflexes and 15/20 vision you had as a young adult...  

A 45 HP twin will easily haul you around at extra-legal velocities, but that's not really the point of a nice torquey twin.

+1 on all this.  My 70+ y.o. stepfather says his riding buddies are all looking at low-hp twins after years of high-hp super bikes. Not just us middle-agers picking up the twins

[supercub]

Now RE has to step up to the plate and offer a tuned version of the 650 twin with inverted forks, mags and a seat cowl.

[lucky phil]

+1 on all this.  My 70+ y.o. stepfather says his riding buddies are all looking at low-hp twins after years of high-hp super bikes. Not just us middle-agers picking up the twins

Getting older is an interesting journey. About 7 years ago I decided my Ducati 1198 was really "too much" bike for the public roads. So it makes around 175 RWHP and I've thought for the last 25 years that all you can realistically use on the road is 100HP max. So I let the rego lapse and just saved it for the track. I love that bike but it's just ridiculously over the top on the road. So then it's down to the Guzzi and Ducati 1000ss for the road, both around 80 RWHP and that's a pretty sensible road output with decent mid range torque. As much as I can use on the road sensibly. Then I step down to the RE at 43 RWHP and although it feels under powered it causes you to re evaluate what is really necessary on a road bike. I know if I rode in a group with a lot faster bikes I'd be able to keep up in the real world it's just I'd need to wring it's neck a lot and honestly I'm past that in a group ride situation. The target market for the RE is the young urban professional thats more about the style than the performance and us old blokes that aren't interested in tearing about at warp speed trying to prove something. Combine that with a truly amazing up front price and I think RE have nailed it personally.

Ciao

[Starpeve]

Getting older is an interesting journey. About 7 years ago I decided my Ducati 1198 was really "too much" bike for the public roads. So it makes around 175 RWHP and I've thought for the last 25 years that all you can realistically use on the road is 100HP max. So I let the rego lapse and just saved it for the track. I love that bike but it's just ridiculously over the top on the road. So then it's down to the Guzzi and Ducati 1000ss for the road, both around 80 RWHP and that's a pretty sensible road output with decent mid range torque. As much as I can use on the road sensibly. Then I step down to the RE at 43 RWHP and although it feels under powered it causes you to re evaluate what is really necessary on a road bike. I know if I rode in a group with a lot faster bikes I'd be able to keep up in the real world it's just I'd need to wring it's neck a lot and honestly I'm past that in a group ride situation. The target market for the RE is the young urban professional thats more about the style than the performance and us old blokes that aren't interested in tearing about at warp speed trying to prove something. Combine that with a truly amazing up front price and I think RE have nailed it personally.

Ciao

Yep. I’d kept abreast of the RE 650 thing having been stylistically lured by the 500 classic a bit earlier on. I was trying to stop myself from falling back into the roadrace mindset. Then when I laid eyes on my Black Magic GT it was love at first sight. I knew from my ballsy SR500 that 45-odd HP was plenty of fun, so I was never going to be dissatisfied with performance. So I’m happy!😁