Motorcycle specifications KawasakiNinja 650 40ème Anniversaire 2024 Souvenir de menace

The Ninja name has reached its fortieth birthday. An eternity for a sports bike, but not for a family with multiple models. In fact, the anniversary celebrations range from hypersports to more versatile models. Almost all Ninja 2024 models (except the H2 SX, 500 and 125) have been given a special color scheme: ZXR-style for the pure sport bikes, and GPZ 900 R sauce for the more road-oriented models.

The frivolous 650 seems full of fury in its Red Firecracker dress. The same was true of the machine from which it borrowed this look: the 900 Ninja, renamed GPz when it arrived in Europe. Introduced in 1984 with a 115 hp 4-cylinder engine, the Kawa was a rocket with astonishing performance. The Ninja 650 of today prefers the colors of the 1985 version to celebrate its 40th birthday.

Look out for the silver border separating the red from the black, and the discreet "Liquid Cooled" label on the sides of the fairing. Today, water-cooled mechanical systems are commonplace. But this was far from the case in the 80s. Another distinctive feature of this special edition is a "40 Years Ninja" emblem on the top of the tank.

The Firecracker can also be found on the Ninja 1000 SX 40 th anniversary. The Akashi-based company has shown a certain preference for it for some time now, revived by the Z 50th anniversary series in 2022. That was for the half-century of the 900 Z1. Back to our Ninjette, which demands an extra 200 euros for this provocative outfit.

Although it's called a Ninja, the 650 is more of an everyday, sporty-roader. Based on the Z roadster, to which we've added a fairing and a more typical riding position, it proudly but unashamedly leads the world with its 68-hp twin; willing but not spectacular. The on-board equipment is very appealing, with a 4.3-inch color TFT screen with smartphone connectivity, KTRC traction control, a reassuringly sound chassis, a smooth assisted clutch and a pleasantly light ride.

Anniversary special series are all the rage. In 2026, Kawasaki will be celebrating its 130th anniversary. That's right: the company was founded in 1896, when Shozo Kawasaki was making... boats. But not small ones. Tokyo was already thinking big, where the shipyard specialized in military vessels. Now, the factories produce motorcycles, LNG tankers, bulldozers, satellites, bridges, robots... and a vision of the future that doesn't forget the past.

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