2017 Kawasaki Ninja 650 launched in India at Rs 5.69 lakh

The 2017 Kawasaki Ninja 650 has been launched in India at Rs 5.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Sold in India as a locally assembled model, the new Ninja 650 features some major styling changes and weight reduction to make it more sporty than the outgoing model.

The Kawasaki Ninja 650 has now been styled along the lines of its litre-class sibling - the Ninja ZX-10R. The fairing features an aggressive and edgier profile with the new paint scheme boosting its sporty appeal. Even the fuel tank, swing arm and wheels have been redesigned. The handlebar height has been dropped to offer a more aggressive riding position. The windscreen is three-level adjustable, and the instrumentation gets a new digital display.

Powering the Ninja 650 is the same tried-and-tested 649cc parallel-twin engine in a BS IV-compliant avatar. While the power output has been dropped from 71bhp to 69bhp, performance shouldn’t be affected as the new Ninja 650 is 19 kilograms lighter than the older bike. Also, the engine has been tuned to offer better low and mid-range torque. Kawasaki claims that the new Ninja 650 is 6.8 per cent more fuel efficient than the older engine. The six-speed transmission also gets a slipper clutch. ABS is offered as standard. 

While the new Kawasaki Ninja 650 is globally available in four colours, Indian customers will only have the option of lime green and black paint schemes. The Ninja 650 competes with the Hyosung GT650R and the Benelli TNT 600GT.