Kawasaki Z 650 RS 50th Anniversary 2022 — Specifications

Fifty candles for the 1972 Z1, and Kawasaki decides to blow out the cake with its little sister. The Kawasaki Z 650 RS 50th Anniversary plays the card of direct lineage, a deliberate nod to the ancestor that launched the Z dynasty. A bold bet for a machine that has itself only been in the catalog for a few months. But when you carry such a name, you might as well own it right down to the tank.

And it's precisely on that tank where everything comes together. The Candy Brown / Orange livery, dubbed Fireball back in the day, returns to dress the neo-retro from Akashi with rather convincing faithfulness. The two-tone works, visually speaking. It immediately anchors the machine in an era, a heritage. But the reproduction remains partial. The front fender swaps the original chrome for painted brown, less flattering. As for spoked wheels, don't count on it: Kawasaki reserves those for the W800. On the other hand, the gold wheels chosen here bring real distinction. They elevate the whole package with an elegance the standard version doesn't possess. Add a seat with specific upholstery, a standard passenger grab rail, "650 Double Overhead Camshaft" badges lettered in old-fashioned script under the seat, and a "Z 50th" badge on the tank. The details are polished, well thought out. You can tell Kawa didn't rush the job.

Beneath this commemorative dress, the mechanicals remain what we already know. The parallel twin of 649 cc develops 68 horsepower at 8,000 rpm for 63.7 Nm of torque at 6,700 rpm. An engine shared with the Z 650, the Versys, and other models in the range, which guarantees proven reliability and maintenance free of nasty surprises. The whole thing is housed in a tubular steel trellis frame, suspended by a 41 mm fork and a mono-shock, slowed by two 300 mm discs up front and a 220 mm disc at the rear. Nothing spectacular, but the package remains coherent for a machine tipping the scales at 187 kg wet. The 820 mm seat height will suit most riders, even if the 12-liter tank demands frequent stops on long trips. A2 license compatible, this Z clearly targets newly licensed riders who want style without giving up versatility. Against a Yamaha XSR700 or a Honda CB650R, it bets more on the vintage look than on raw performance. Its round LED headlight and mixed analog-digital dashboard cultivate a rather successful retro aesthetic without falling into electronic excess. No riding modes, no quickshifter, no superfluous traction control. For once, simplicity is a selling point.

At 9,049 euros, the Kawasaki Z 650 RS 50th Anniversary asks for a premium over the standard version, justified essentially by the cosmetics. That's the price of tribute. Those who get a thrill at the sight of a 1972 Fireball will find what they're looking for. Others will wonder whether a few decals and gold wheels are worth the difference. The Z 900 RS gets the same anniversary treatment for heftier budgets, while the Z 650 and Z 900 receive a Firecracker livery inspired by the Z1100GP. Kawasaki casts a wide net through its own heritage, and it's rather clever. This special edition revolutionizes nothing mechanically, but it gives an already endearing machine an extra dose of soul that could tip the scales at the dealership.