KAWASAKI Ninja 650 (2011-2012) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2012, Kawasaki released the Ninja 650 motorcycle, a middleweight motorcycle powered by a parallel-twin engine and designed for normal use on paved roads. The bike had a modern style and features, with a low seating position and a low center of gravity.

Some of the new features introduced on the 2012 Ninja 650 were the redesigned twin-pipe frame that offered good rigidity, stable handling, a low seat height, and enhanced aesthetics, while the twin-pipe swingarm also offered improved rigidity.

Another redesigned feature was the bodywork that came with better aerodynamics, sharper looks similar to the ZX-14R, and improved engine-heat dissipation, but also a new instrument cluster that featured an analog tachometer and a digital readout module.

In addition, the model came with improved brake pads that offered better braking performance and control, a 20 mm wider handlebar that improved comfort and control, and a redesigned two-piece seat assembly with thicker and wider foam that improved comfort for both rider and passenger.

In the engine department, the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650 featured the most compact powerplant in its class that allowed the use of a slim twin-perimeter frame and fed by a digital fuel injection system that boosted the engine's low-end power with quicker revs.

As for the power figures, the bike delivered an output power of 72 hp with a peak at 8,500 rpm and 66 Nm (49 lb-ft) of torque available at 7,000 rpm.

The gases escaped through a redesigned exhaust system that featured a new connector pipe, a three-chamber muffler assembly that improved mid-range torque, and a higher-quality finish.