Photo: Kawasaki
It looks like Kawasaki’s rumor mill is spinning quite a lot these days, as one more piece of interesting news arrives from the house of Akashi. Kawasaki is rumored to be close to revealing a new cruiser built on the ER-6 platform, at least this is what the Indonesian website TMC Blog believes, quoted by Visor Down.
The Indonesians have apparently spotted a homologation application for a bike called EN650B. If their claims turn out to be true, then we might witness the rebirth of the EN cruiser class, with this new bike being the successor of the popular EN500 small-to-mid-displacement cruiser. With styling inspired by the classic cruisers, but in a smaller guise and powered by an “unlikely” parallel-twin engine, the EN500 still is a favored choice for beginning riders and those in search of an economical, fun, and practical bike.
The mentioned source also revealed a photo which allegedly shows the EN650B engine. Even though the engine cover looks very similar that of the current ER-6n and ER-6f machines, the cylinder head appears to be different, hinting on Kawasaki having potentially revised the architecture of the power unit.
The current ER6 bikes, pictured below, have a DOHC design, with the two shaft insertion points being visibly highlighted on the heads and their covers. The spy photo shows a different design, with contrast-polished accents mimicking an air-cooled design.
In fact this is most likely another proof showing Kawasaki’s intentions, as none of the current sport or all-rounder bikes displays such an aesthetic detail. As weird as it may seem to some, a cruiser powered by a parallel twin engine is not at all an uncanny idea. A brief look at Triumph’s new cruisers should be more than explanatory. As for the availability, since Kawasaki appears to have already filed the papers for homologation and import in Indonesia, getting to see the new cruiser this fall doesn’t sound like a completely wacky idea, does it?
The mentioned source also revealed a photo which allegedly shows the EN650B engine. Even though the engine cover looks very similar that of the current ER-6n and ER-6f machines, the cylinder head appears to be different, hinting on Kawasaki having potentially revised the architecture of the power unit.
The current ER6 bikes, pictured below, have a DOHC design, with the two shaft insertion points being visibly highlighted on the heads and their covers. The spy photo shows a different design, with contrast-polished accents mimicking an air-cooled design.
In fact this is most likely another proof showing Kawasaki’s intentions, as none of the current sport or all-rounder bikes displays such an aesthetic detail. As weird as it may seem to some, a cruiser powered by a parallel twin engine is not at all an uncanny idea. A brief look at Triumph’s new cruisers should be more than explanatory. As for the availability, since Kawasaki appears to have already filed the papers for homologation and import in Indonesia, getting to see the new cruiser this fall doesn’t sound like a completely wacky idea, does it?
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