Kawasaki Ninja 650 40ème Anniversaire 2024 — Specifications

Forty years since the Ninja badge first graced the flanks of Kawasaki's sportbikes. To mark the occasion in 2024, the Akashi firm decided to roll out the finest attire for nearly the entire family, from the ZX-10R down to this 650 that concerns us here. Each model inherits a livery inspired by the brand's glorious past. For the road-oriented machines, it's the GPZ 900 R that serves as muse. And the result, on this Ninja 650 40th Anniversary, is well worth a look.

The Red Firecracker paintwork is a direct nod to the 1985 900 Ninja, that European GPz that terrorized lap times with its 115-horsepower inline-four. We're a long way off with the 649 cc parallel twin and its 68 horsepower at 8,000 rpm, but the vivid red slashed by a silver pinstripe separating the black is enough to transform the well-mannered tourer into an object of desire. The "Liquid Cooled" lettering on the fairing sides raises a smile: a killer selling point back in the eighties, now perfectly commonplace. The "40 Years Ninja" badge set on the 15-litre tank completes the ensemble. All for a 200-euro premium over the standard version, bringing the total to 8,299 euros. A reasonable entry ticket to ride a limited edition.

Beneath the commemorative paint, the mechanicals remain the ones we know well. The parallel twin delivers its 63.7 Nm of torque at 6,700 rpm with metronome-like regularity. No slap in the back when passing 6,000 rpm, no dead zone either. This engine is a model of civility, paired with a precise six-speed gearbox and a slipper-assist clutch of remarkable smoothness. At 193 kg wet, the Kawasaki threads through traffic effortlessly. The 790 mm seat height reassures shorter riders. One naturally thinks to compare it with the faired version of the Yamaha MT-07, the R7, sold in the same price bracket but with a sportier temperament and less comfortable ergonomics over distance.

The tubular steel trellis frame houses unpretentious suspension: a 41 mm telescopic fork with 125 mm of travel up front, a mono-shock offering 130 mm at the rear. Little to nothing is adjustable, but the package remains composed and predictable. Braking covers the bare essentials with twin 300 mm discs gripped by two-piston calipers. Adequate for road use, a touch lacking if you push hard. The KTRC traction control and the 4.3-inch colour TFT display with smartphone connectivity raise the equipment level. For a machine at this price point, that's a smart move.

The Ninja 650 doesn't try to play the thoroughbred sportbike. It actually shares its platform with the Z 650 roadster, onto which Kawasaki bolted a fairing and a slightly more committed riding position. It's an everyday machine, cut for the A2 licence and mixed commutes, capable of reaching 200 km/h but far more at ease on back roads than on track. This anniversary edition simply gives it a wardrobe worthy of its name. New licence holders and riders seeking a reliable all-rounder will find what they're looking for, with the added pleasure of riding a piece of Kawasaki history — a brand born in 1896 in the shipyards of Tokyo that has never stopped thinking big.