Kawasaki Ninja 650 specifications
Kawasaki · Sport
The Ninja 650 is a sportbike that can commute. Motorcycle News's long-term tester says the fairings offer sporty looks and decent wind protection while the riding position is not cramped at all, that the exhaust sounds fantastic in the midrange and the bike has plenty of torque, and that the Rideology app shows odometer, range to empty, time and distance to the next service and battery voltage.
The tester loves the idea of a four-cylinder 600 screamer but not for a commute or long road rides, which is the brief the 650 fills.
Kawasaki Ninja 650
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2026 |
| Class | Supersport |
| Engine | 4-stroke, parallel twin, DOHC, 8-valve, liquid-cooled |
| Displacement | 649cc |
| Bore x stroke | 83.0x60.0 mm |
| Compression ratio | 10.8:1 |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Front suspension | 41mm hydraulic telescopic fork |
| Front suspension travel | 4.9 in |
| Rear suspension | Horizontal back-link with adjustable spring preload |
| Rear suspension travel | 5.1 in |
| Front brake | Dual 300mm petal-type discs, 2-piston calipers, ABS |
| Rear brake | Single 220mm petal-type disc, single-piston caliper, ABS |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Seat height | 31.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 55.5 in |
| Rake (caster angle) | 24.0° |
| Trail | 3.9 in |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal |
| Ground clearance | 5.1 in |
| Starting MSRP | $7,599 (non-ABS) / $8,199 (ABS) |
| Destination charge | $685 |
| Final drive | Sealed chain |
| Fuel system | DFI with dual 36mm Keihin throttle bodies |
| Wet weight | 425.6 lb (ABS) / 423.4 lb (non-ABS) |
What the Ninja 650 is like to live with
Visordown lists 69 hp at 8,000 rpm and 48.5 lb-ft, three horsepower less than the old ER-6f, and says the torque compensates.
Tires, accessories and version changes
The 2025 update brought better tires. In a later report, MCN notes that all 2025 model 650s use Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tires, an upgrade over the earlier 2024 bike, and that its brief is a road-focused, comfortable sporty middleweight and not a supersport. MCN also tested a Performance version with a full Arrow exhaust, a smoked screen and a comfort seat option, which cost from £1,000 extra in the UK.
Kawasaki's 2026 price rose $200 on both versions, from $7,399 to $7,599 without ABS and from $7,999 to $8,199 with ABS.
Where the Ninja 650 sits in the middleweight sportbike market
Motorcycle News notes that in the past few years the mainstream middleweight sportbike market has seen a welcome resurgence, with many of the big players and some new ones launching popular models, which is why the Ninja 650's rivals now include Honda's E-Clutch CBR650R, Yamaha's R7 and Suzuki's GSX-8R.
The reviewer put 600 miles on the bike before its first service and had not yet wrung its neck. MCN says the 650 is not in the same league as the supersport ZX-6R for handling or endless revs.
But that for a road-focused, comfortable mile-munching sporty middleweight it does the job, and that when the tester's high-tech Ninja 7 Hybrid was taken away for recall work it was replaced with a Ninja 650 Performance model.
Ninja 650 against the CBR650R, YZF-R7 and GSX-8R
Honda's CBR650R is $9,199 and 466 lb, Yamaha's YZF-R7 is $9,399 at 417 lb, and Suzuki's GSX-8R is $9,699. The Ninja 650 is the cheapest of the group at $7,599 for the non-ABS bike, and at 423.4 lb (non-ABS) it is heavier than the R7 and lighter than the Honda.
Kawasaki Ninja 650 — specification reference- MSRP
- $7,399 (non-ABS) / $7,999 (ABS); $7,599 (non-ABS) / $8,199 (ABS).
- Model-year range
- 2025–2026
- Compared editions
- 2
- Specification entries
- 28
- Entries that differ
- 0
2026 Kawasaki Ninja 650 questions
How much power does the Kawasaki Ninja 650 make?
Visordown lists 69 hp at 8,000 rpm and 48.46 lb-ft from the 649cc parallel twin. That is a little less than the older ER-6f. But the torque makes it feel lively in real riding.
Did the Ninja 650 price go up for 2026?
Yes, by $200 on both trims: the non-ABS bike went from $7,399 to $7,599, and the ABS bike from $7,999 to $8,199. Kawasaki lists a $685 destination charge on top.
The 2026 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is a middleweight faired sportbike with a 649cc parallel-twin in a trellis frame, below the inline-four Ninja ZX models in size and price. It starts at $7,599 without ABS and $8,199 with ABS, $200 more than in 2025, plus $685 destination. A long-term test calls it a comfortable, road-focused, mile-munching sporty middleweight with plenty of torque, though not a ZX-6R for handling or endless revs.
It suits a rider who wants a sporty, practical road bike with real-world comfort.
Other models in this reference: Kawasaki Ninja H2, Kawasaki Ninja 500, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.