Kawasaki builds a Ninja that won't break your back or your budget
As I heeled the little 650 over into the next bend, following the twists of Engineers Road through the brown hills just south of Julian, California, Karl Edmondson’s words echoed in my head.
“We built this bike for the sheer enjoyment of riding,” said Edmondson, Kawasaki’s sportbike product manager, at a press conference earlier that morning. “We started with the rider, not the bike. We studied the rider interface and riding positions to determine what postures instill confidence. It’s designed to be fun for people of all ages and all abilities.”
Kawasaki Ninja - Photo by Kinney Jones
He was right. I was having a blast on Kawasaki’s newest bike, the Ninja 650R, as the nimble 649cc twin happily carved its way through the mountains, responding eagerly to a twist of the throttle or a push on the tubular 'bars. And thanks to the bike’s neutral riding position, my wrists and back weren’t screaming bloody murder like they would after a few hours on a full-bore sportbike.
Kawasaki has created a comfortable Ninja. Or, to look at it another way, an affordable and friendly do-it-all bike with performance that lives up to the Ninja name.
As the Ninja moniker suggests, the 650R can trace its lineage to Team Green’s famed supersport lineup. And with a full fairing, integrated front signals and 300mm fully floating petal-style front brake rotors, the new bike certainly looks the part.
by Richard Ried
Source: http://www.amadirectlink.co...
issued: Tuesday, January 17, 2006
updated: Tuesday, January 17, 2006
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