Photo: Kawasaki
There are a lot of motorcycle families Japanese bike maker Kawasaki can be proud of, but it's probably the Ninja that gives it the most reasons for that. Dating back to the 1980s, the family is also highly appreciated by riders. But the company can only keep people's interest in Ninjas at peak levels through constant (even if at times tiny) upgrades. And that's exactly what was announced this week.
At the time of writing the Ninja lineup for the North American market has no less than ten subfamilies, each of them with a number of distinct models. We've got the junior Ninja 400 at one end, and the H2 SX at the other, with plenty of models to choose from in between.
The announcement made this week by Kawasaki concerns the Ninja 650, a middleweight sport bike meant to ease poeple into what it means to ride a Japanese. Yes, the bike will be available for the new model year as well, only it does not bring changes as extensive as the 2023 version.
Last year, the Ninja 650 was fitted with the Kawasaki TRaction Control (KTRC) system, one which allows the rider to choose between three riding modes: one for sport riding, the second for use on wet pavement or less than ideal roads, and one that leaves the bike entire in the rider's hands. The system will continue to be offered for 2024 as well, and it's only the color schemes on the table that set the new model apart from what came before.
More to the point, the 2024 Ninja 450 is offered in a fresh Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray and Ebony, with prices for this one kicking off at $8,299. The ABS version, also called 650 KRT, begins at $8,899. All versions, including the ones from last year, are already listed on the bike maker's website, meaning the new variants can already be ordered.
Just as before, the bike relies on a 649cc parallel-twin engine to move. The body of the two-wheeler is the one we're used to seeing, with body elements spread all around the frame, twin LED headlights that include low and high beams and a position lamp, and a high-riding stance.
Tech-wise, the Ninja relies on a 4.3-inch TFT screen to send relevant information about the bike's performance to the rider. The bike can be linked to a smartphone though, and when using the Rideology The App, the experience grows to be much richer.
As for the rest of the Ninja lineup, we're still waiting to see if all of it will be subject to some kind of upgrade for the new model year. So far, Kawasaki is yet to announce such things for the Ninja 400, 1000SX, ZX-4RR, ZX-14R, and H2. Quite a lot to look forward to, then.
The announcement made this week by Kawasaki concerns the Ninja 650, a middleweight sport bike meant to ease poeple into what it means to ride a Japanese. Yes, the bike will be available for the new model year as well, only it does not bring changes as extensive as the 2023 version.
Last year, the Ninja 650 was fitted with the Kawasaki TRaction Control (KTRC) system, one which allows the rider to choose between three riding modes: one for sport riding, the second for use on wet pavement or less than ideal roads, and one that leaves the bike entire in the rider's hands. The system will continue to be offered for 2024 as well, and it's only the color schemes on the table that set the new model apart from what came before.
More to the point, the 2024 Ninja 450 is offered in a fresh Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray and Ebony, with prices for this one kicking off at $8,299. The ABS version, also called 650 KRT, begins at $8,899. All versions, including the ones from last year, are already listed on the bike maker's website, meaning the new variants can already be ordered.
Just as before, the bike relies on a 649cc parallel-twin engine to move. The body of the two-wheeler is the one we're used to seeing, with body elements spread all around the frame, twin LED headlights that include low and high beams and a position lamp, and a high-riding stance.
Tech-wise, the Ninja relies on a 4.3-inch TFT screen to send relevant information about the bike's performance to the rider. The bike can be linked to a smartphone though, and when using the Rideology The App, the experience grows to be much richer.
As for the rest of the Ninja lineup, we're still waiting to see if all of it will be subject to some kind of upgrade for the new model year. So far, Kawasaki is yet to announce such things for the Ninja 400, 1000SX, ZX-4RR, ZX-14R, and H2. Quite a lot to look forward to, then.
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