Kawasaki 650r ?

[GeoBiker]

No, I'm not ready to dump the DL, but this '06 Kawasaki 650r Ninja has caught my attention. Not so much for me, but potentially as a future option for my wife (OK, I might ride it some also..!). From looking at the specs and what little I can gather off the net, it seems to be more of a road or sport-touring version of the WeeStrom. The low seat height, forward foot-pegs, and (supposedly) more 'friendly' powerband make this perhaps a better option than either the DL or SV650 for some riders, especially for those who are not interested in going off pavement.

So, I'm curious if anyone has experience with this bike or what your opinions are..?

[MR. BREEZE]

I had an 06 650R for almost 2 years. It was the black one. I thought it was a good looking bike and I got alot of compliments on it. It is a little quicker than the Dl650 and has a little more punch when you crack the throttle at speed. I took it on several 400 mile rides. It is a fun bike. The V-strom has the edge on long distance comfort and doesn't seem to be working as hard at higher speeds. Although the rpm's are about the same. The V-strom fits my needs better and I love it. But, the 650R is a good bike.

[CHIA]

It's a step down from the Vstrom as far as I'm concerned.

If I was looking at that level of bike, I'd take an SV in a heartbeat.....last year's naked, not a Gladius.

[Jim-bob]

Hey, My GF has an 09 model. we took several trip last summer. she loves it and the bike gets a lot of complements, makes my V look like the ugly duck it is. it is compact, perfect for a smaller human. we had no trouble doing 200 miles at a whack. zero problems in the first 3k miles so far. FWIW.