This Ninja Could Slaughter The Aprilia RS 660

Published March 23, 2021
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Kawasaki could be working on the Ninja 700R to take on the Italian mid-capacity supersport

The mid-capacity supersport is a dying (if not dead already) breed of motorcycles. With sophisticated electronics making it easier to tame the litre-class track scorchers, the popularity of some great bikes such as the Yamaha R6, Honda CBR600RR, and the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R has diminished.

Aprilia rekindled the fire with the RS 660, its fresh take on these machines. The bike has been praised for being great on the track without compromising on its everyday usability. The Japanese seem to have taken notice and begun working on their version of these ‘mild-mannered’ faired bikes. With the possibility of seeing a Yamaha R7 next year, Kawasaki might also join the club with the Ninja 700R.

Will it replace the Ninja 650? We don’t think so. Over the years, the 650 has earned the reputation of a reliable mid-capacity sports tourer (we tested it recently and can vouch for that) so Kawasaki is unlikely to do that. What we might see is a slightly sportier offering with a bored-out version of the 650cc parallel-twin engine that could belt out 95PS.

What could set it apart from the pack is an electronic package, like we saw on the Aprilia RS 660. So, expect throttle-by-wire, riding modes, lean-sensitive, ABS and possibly traction control.

Famed digital artist, Kardesign Koncepts, recently showcased his take on the Ninja 700R and it looks enticing, to say the least. A big chunk of the design, including the fascia and the fuel tank, has been adapted from the recently launched Ninja ZX-10R.

That said, the 700R will skip on premium bits such as a fully adjustable suspension (could get preload adjustability for the monoshock) and more affordable braking hardware in comparison to the ZX-6R. Even things like the fairing-mounted indicators and the tail section have been inspired by the mid-capacity track machine.

If and when Kawasaki makes this bike a reality, it would be interesting to see how it prices it in India. With the price of the Aprilia RS 660 speculated to be close to the 10R, Kawasaki would certainly feel the pressure to stack it below the Aprilia. Though the brand has nailed it with the Ninja ZX-10R’s price in India, the price tags of the Ninja 300 and the now-discontinued Ninja 400 were a huge disappointment.