EXCLUSIVE: Kawasaki Z650RS To Debut In India This Year

Kawasaki’s upcoming retro will likely be priced competitively in the Indian market

In August, Kawasaki teased a new motorcycle, and while the bikemaker didn’t reveal what it could be, a leaked type approval spilled the beans on the Z650RS. Now, our sources have stated that the upcoming retro roadster will make its India debut as early as November 2021. And that’s not all. Kawasaki is planning to bring this bike as a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) unit and price it close to the Rs 7.5 lakh mark (on-road).

The Kawasaki Z650RS will be the fifth bike based on the company’s 650 platform, after the Z650, Ninja 650, Versys 650, and the Vulcan S. It will share its underpinnings with the Z650 and even use the same 648cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled motor producing 68.25PS and 64Nm. The claimed top speed is 191kmph.

There’s no word on the styling yet, but we expect its design to be inspired by the Z900RS, which is a modern-day rendition of the Kawasaki Z2 750RS. The bike maker could opt for different paint choices for the Z650RS and Z900RS to differentiate the two, just like we have seen with the Z900 and Z650.

The Kawasaki Z650RS will be an exciting proposition in India, positioned between the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Honda CB650R. While the Interceptor 650 is fairly cheaper than the Kwacker, the latter will be faster and a more premium offering.