Kawasaki builds Ninja 650 race concept

Here's Kawasaki's Ninja 650 race concept. Could Kawasaki have big plans ahead for the middleweight machine, or are they just teasing us? Photo: Roadracing World
Here's Kawasaki's Ninja 650 race concept. Could Kawasaki have big plans ahead for the middleweight machine, or are they just teasing us? Photo: Roadracing World

When you think of Kawasaki’s Ninja 650, you don’t usually think of racing.

After all, you’re a lot more likely to see Kawasaki’s ZX-6 or ZX-10 models at the racetrack. There’s probably even more Ninja 250s and EX-500s on the track, than Ninja 650s. The middleweight parallel twin is a competent bike, but it’s usually purchased with everyday use in mind.

That might change in the future, though. Roadracing World says Kawasaki recently had a Ninja 650 racer concept put together, just in time for the 650’s North American press release in California. The machine features an Ohlins shock, steel-braided brake lines, Woodcraft-CFM clip-on handlebars, and Dunlop racing slicks.

Could this machine simply be a one-off, or could it be that Kawasaki’s got bigger plans ahead for their revamped 650? If we find out, we’ll let you know.

1 COMMENT

  1. This is nothing new, Gary Nixon and Jay Springsteen raced one (among others) as the Pair O’Nines team in the late, lamented Moto-ST series. The machine was a resounding success. What are they hinting about now, a spec. series ??? 

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