Kawasaki’s 650cc platform is very versatile and the Japanese bikemaker has utilized the same to spawn a wide variety of motorcycles which cater to demands of every kind of rider there is. We get a naked streetfighter, a sport-tourer, an ADV-tourer and a laidback cruiser. Given the fact that how retro motorcycles have become so popular in the past few years, Kawasaki should give a serious thought of developing a retro-styled motorcycle using the same platform. And according to folks over at Young Machine, Kawasaki might just pull this off!
More details
The Japanese magazine has even rendered the upcoming motorcycle and according to them, it is going to be based on the Z650. The render takes the Z650 as a base motorcycle and also includes several styling elements borrowed from the Z900RS.
Expected Specs
Rather than developing a new engine and going for a hunt for new cycle parts, it is being assumed that Kawasaki is going to retain the same powertrain and cycle parts which do their job in the Z650. In the Z650, the 649cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled motor churns out 68PS at 8000rpm and 64Nm at 6700rpm. Given the fact that the Z650 is not a complete lunatic in terms of performance, might work in Z650RS’ favour because by the looks of it, it will prefer laidback riding rather going all out. Though retro motorcycles, in most cases, are seen with upswept exhausts, the render here showcases an underbelly unit and surprisingly, it doesn’t look out of place! The rendering also shows the bike to have retro specific dual clocks mounted above the classic looking single headlight. Other nice touches include the black powder-coated wheels, complete with polished rims for that complete the look nicely.
Expected pricing
The Z900RS, despite being slightly on the costlier side, is a gorgeous machine. And if the Z650RS manages to look anywhere close to its elder sibling, Kawasaki is probably going to have a winner by its side. When it comes to the Z900RS, its pricing played the main culprit in its low sales figures in our country. Kawasaki brought the Z900RS via CBU route and that resulted in its rather unreal price tag of INR 15,30,000 (Ex-showroom). If Kawasaki is aiming to sell the Z650RS in higher numbers, it will have to bring it in via the CKD route so it can compete in its segment Even if it carries a slightly premium price tag as compared to the Z650, it will surely find a lot of takers.
Also read: BS6 Kawasaki Z900 Expected To Arrive This Month
Kawasaki recently launched the BS6 compliant Vulcan S in India at INR 5.79 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Compared to the BS4 model, the Vulcan S BS6 is now INR 30,000 costlier. The BS6 cruiser motorcycle is offered in an all-new dual-tone paint scheme called the Metallic Flat Raw Graystone. It will be the only colour the motorcycle will be retailed in. Customers can book the new Vulcan S at the authorized dealership of IKM or by filling the booking enquiry on the official Kawasaki India website. There are no changes in the mechanical or the features bit on the 2020 Vulcan S as compared to its previous iteration.