In the middleweight category of bikes in India, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 is considered to be one of the best models available in India and it is mainly due to the combination of an aggressive pricing and excellent performance. However, off late, this model has faced a lot of competition from the Yamaha MT-07 in the international market and the effect has been such that Kawasaki has slashed the rates of Ninja 650 to around INR 36000 in the United Kingdom. Though it is an excellent bike for the Indian market, experts feel that the lack of Anti-lock Braking System might prove to be its undoing in the sub-continent, especially when it is available in all other models in the segment. Though the Japanese bike maker cites rising cost and resulting price rise as the deterrent, it is not wholly justifiable considering the segment.
Till now, Kawasaki has managed to keep the price of this bike quite low due to numerous reasons, which includes an old launch date (2006). In fact, the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, the fourth generation quarter litre bike launched in both global and Indian markets in 2008, has now been discontinued by the manufacturer but not the Ninja 650. It is quite obvious that Kawasaki has recovered all the development cost and it has twice given the model facelifts, once in 2009 and the other time in 2012 with no other major changes.
Despite a second generation model being on the cards in the international market, Kawasaki wanted to launch the naked version of the Ninja 650 in India. However, sources claim that now the company is going to launch a second generation version with certain required changes in order to make it stand up to competition, of which there is a lot. Back in 2006, the competition was not too intense but now Honda and Yamaha, also Japanese firms, have risen to the fore and are competing neck to neck. According to sources, Honda CB650F, featuring a 4-cylinder engine, is going to be launched in India in 2015 and will be assembled locally.
Rumour has it that the second generation Kawasaki Ninja 650 will make its debut at the much-acclaimed EICMA motor show, which is going to be held in Milan in November, 2014. The company is said to have made a number of changes to the bike, which involve reduction of weight, better output, sporty design and a design at par with Kawasakis. It is being said that the Kawasaki Ninja 650 second generation will come with the Z suffix in lieu of the ER moniker. Experts feel that the bike is going to be launched in India in 2015 at a little higher price.
Source: Motorbeam
