KAWASAKI Z650RS (2022 - on) Review

Overall rating

Like the Z900RS, Kawasaki have really nailed the Z650RS. Its styling is spot on and the parallel twin motor feels right at home in retro guise where as a modern naked it is a bit lacklustre and behind the game when compared to its rivals.

Fun to ride, soulful and with a responsive chassis that certainly doesn’t feel old-school, there is little not to like. In RS guise it feels as if the Z650 has finally found its identity in life.

Ride quality & brakes

Little has changed when it comes to the RS’s chassis compared to the Z650 and this only works in the RS’s favour. There has never been anything wrong with the Zed’s handling and in its retro clothes the fact it has conventional forks works rather than detracts from its kerb appeal.

Pleasingly light and agile, the RS delivers a thoroughly competent and enjoyable ride quality that is sporty enough for more experienced riders yet not intimidating or flighty for those newer to two-wheels.

Oddly the seat height on the RS is 30mm taller than the Zed at 820mm, but most of this is squish in the deeply padded seat so it doesn’t feel too much of a stretch to the ground. If it is, Kawasaki offer the option of a 20mm lower seat for £286.95.

The cast spoke wheels are purely a cosmetic feature and bring no weight benefits and the same is true of the round discs, which replaced the Z650’s petal items and make no discernable difference to the stopping power.

The Bosch ABS is ok for road riding but not the most advanced on the market and compared to newer systems  (the Ducati Scrambler has angle-sensitive ABS) it feels a bit rudimentary. That said, it is pleasing to see both the clutch and brake lever are span-adjustable.

Engine

The parallel twin is a tried and tested unit and holds no surprises. Exactly the same in terms of its tune and gearing as used on the naked Z650, and also able to be restricted to A2-legal if required, in full-power guise it is perfectly suited to life as a modern retro where as a sporty naked it struggles.

Against the likes of the Yamaha MT-07 the Z650’s bigger-bore engine is a bit slow revving, lumpy and disappointing in its performance, however these very traits only enhance the feel of the RS.

On a retro you want a bit of soul and the fact the twin feels more mechanical and less ‘whirry’ gives the RS a lovely bit of old-school charm. Ok, the gearbox is a touch clunky, but the fuel injection is perfect, the clutch light and the mid-range drive more than enough for brisk road riding. It’s a fun, engaging and easy-going motor, which is bang-on for a modern retro.

Reliability & build quality

The RS is effectively a Z650 that has been given a retro make-over, which is no bad thing because the sugomi-styled Zed has been around since 2017 and despite selling in large numbers has very few reported major issues.

The parallel twin engine, which can trace its roots back to the 2005 ER-6n, is very robust and hasn’t changed dramatically over the years aside from tweaks to ensure it meets new emissions regulations, so all should be well there.

Owners do complain the paint finish on the engine can leave a bit to be desired and there are a few grumbles about the switchgear packing up on older Zeds but in general this is a very solidly built and reliable bike.

Looking around the RS there are lots of lovely touches such as the spoke-style wheels and retro clocks, which give it a real feel of quality considering its budget price tag.

Value vs rivals

The parallel twin engine is cheap to run and although Kawasaki claim it can record 65mpg, it has to be noted that this is a figure gained on the 35kW restricted version! Owners of the full-power Z650 generally hit closer to 55mpg in normal riding conditions, which is still very acceptable considering how much fuel now costs!

The motor needs servicing every 7500 miles with a valve-clearance check at the 15,000-mile mark. Expect to pay around £300 for a 7500-mile service and £580 for the valve-clearance check service with annual services (oil, filters etc) just £170.

Insurance generally isn’t bad on the Zed, so expect it to also be reasonable on the RS, but this can vary hugely depending on location and the age of the rider.

The Z650RS costs £7700 in black (£7850 in green or grey), which compares favourably to its modern retro middleweight rivals, although the Royal Enfield Continental GT starts at just £6039.

Yamaha’s equally budget-friendly and great fun parallel-twin XSR700 is £7702 (the higher-spec XTribute version is £8402), Suzuki’s lash-up retro SV650X V-twin is £7150 (dealers are desperate to get rid of them, so expect to pay far less) and Honda’s slightly more grown-up inline four CB650R is £7399, which has traction control as standard.

If you want Italian chic the base model air-cooled V-twin Ducati Scrambler Icon Dark, is £8146 while the very retro air-cooled Moto Guzzi V7 Stone 850 is £8000. The Brit retro Triumph Street Twin is £8400.

Equipment

Unlike the Zed models, there is no ‘Performance’ edition of the RS (you can buy a full Akra for £1815.95) and also no café racer as you used to get with its bigger brother, the Z900RS (this has been discontinued for 2022 in the UK).

So your only options are colours with grey and green costing a £150 premium over black. The bike itself comes with ABS as standard but no other rider assists, not that it really needs them.

The lack of radial brakes and inverted forks is also far less of a styling issue on the retro than the modern naked Zed, so they aren’t missed either. The dual-dial dash lacks connectivity (the Zed’s TFT dash has this feature) but it is pleasingly retro and has a fuel gauge.

In terms of official accessories, Kawasaki sell a good range of add-ons that includes a chrome pillion grab bar, side grips (also available in black) and a radiator protector and there is also a range of crash protection and even a full road-legal titanium Akrapovic exhaust system.

One of the best add-ons is a set of ‘Kawasaki’ retro-style 1970s font tank emblems, although they are £84.95! Oddly, you have to pay £29.95 extra for a helmet lock kit, although it is a one-key system.