EICMA 2019: Kawasaki Z650 Unveiled, India Launch Next Year

The 2020 Z650 gets a new set of clothes and new features 

[Update: Kawasaki Z650 BS6 Launched In India]

• The 2020 Z650 comes equipped with a new TFT display. 
• It weighs 3kg less than the older model. 
• The 649cc motor produces a bit less torque than its predecessor. 

As 2019 draws to a close, Kawasaki wants to make sure that each and every model in its lineup gets updated and comes with a ‘2020’ prefix. The latest one to get an update is the Z650, making it the second motorcycle from the ‘Z’ family to get an update at the 2019 EICMA. Just like its bigger cousin, the Z650 has received just some minor tweaks. 

Leading the list is a new paint scheme, a restyled LED headlight unit and a new 4.2-inch TFT screen with smartphone compatibility. And if you look close enough, you can see that the pillion seat is now wider compared to the older model. This new seat should be a bit more comfortable. It gets a new set of shoes as well (Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 rubber).

Powering the motorcycle is the same 649cc liquid-cooled motor as seen on the older model. However, where Kawasaki has kept the power constant at 68PS, it has slightly reduced the torque from 65.7Nm to 64Nm. Kawasaki hasn’t revealed whether this motor is Euro 5/BS6-compliant or not. Apart from this, the motorcycle remains the same as the previous model; same suspension and braking hardware as well. What’s interesting is that the new iteration of the Z650 is 3kg lighter than the older model, at 187kg kerb weight.

There’s no confirmation yet from the company regarding its India launch, but we expect it to be here by mid-2020. And considering that the motorcycle has just received a minor update, it won’t be too expensive. We expect the 2020 model to retail at around Rs 6 lakh (ex-showroom), which will be around Rs 30,000 more than the current-gen variant.