Duel Kawasaki Z650 Vs Yamaha MT-07: bestseller fight !
Exceeded by the MT-07 both dynamically and commercially, the appreciated ER-6n is transformed into Z650 to respond to Yamaha. Kawasaki’s expected novelty for 2017, light and vitamin, does it live up to its ambitions ? MNC duel !
Duel Z650 Vs MT-07 page 1 – Static: the Greens see red because of the Blues…
The Kawasaki ER-6n led an idyllic career until 2014, surfing on a sometimes disputed but never equaled success that it owes to its versatility: docile enough to shine in the hands of beginners in motorcycle schools, the little Kawasaki roadster also has the necessary respondent to attract more experienced bikers. And as his friendly "boil" appeals to both men and women, his supremacy was quickly established..
- Duel MNC ER-6n Vs MT-07 : Yamaha stirs up the Greens !
But over the past three years, the situation has changed in favor of Yamaha: thanks to the enticing MT-07! More modern and better equipped despite its minimum price (€ 6,199 with ABS when it was released in 2014), the MT-07 imposes its law by relying on an ultra-playful temperament. His secret? Its featherweight – 24 kg less than the ER-6! – and its character-packed parallel twin. It did not need more to eclipse the ER-6n and at the same time seize the reins of the French motorcycle market (best selling + 125cc in 2016 with). Sacred tour de force !
Kawasaki is therefore reviewing its copy for 2017 taking into account the qualities of its rival, starting with its disconcerting handling. Forget the old ER-6 a little clumsy in front of the Yamaha: make way for a new thinner motorcycle of 19 kg (187 kg fully loaded against 182 for the MT-07). The cycle part follows the trend with a frame resized as close as possible to the parallel twin and a closed front end (from 25 ° to 24 ° caster angle and 110 to 100 mm caster). All for the benefit of ease of handling, a universally appreciated criterion. And to underline the extent of these changes, the ER-6n is renamed "Z650"….
- MNC Z650 test : The Kawasaki roadster lighter than the R
This marketing choice reflects a desire to attract young people by creating a link with the and, on which Kawasaki hopes to see them squint sooner or later. Some – older – will be surprised at this freedom taken with a historical prefix of the Akashi firm, in which the "Z" traditionally refers to 4-cylinders (six, at a pinch with the Z1300). Moreover, the Greens had already launched a Z650 in 1977 … with a 4-legged! End of the nostalgic parenthesis reserved for over 30s.
- MNC special file :
- MNC special file :
- MNC special file :
Kawasaki puts on the tone at mid-speed to counter CP2
The engine of the Z650, in fact, retains the same displacement as the ER6: 649 cc, which is 40 cc less than the MT-07 (689 cc). Apart from the adoption of an anti-dribble clutch, this twin does not know any major developments … except that it loses 4 horsepower while going from 72 hp to 68 hp! Even if Kawasaki explains having wanted to boost the revivals (the torque goes from 64 to 65.7 Nm and tumbles 500 rpm earlier), the comparison with the 74.8 hp and 68 Nm of the "CP2" of the MT-07 leaves thoughtful. MNC would not be surprised if the switch to Euro4 did not play a role in this small loss of energy …
Beyond these mechanical considerations, the Z650 exhibits a new visually lightened silhouette. The rear of the bike, short and now deprived of handles, receives a LED light in the shape of "Z". Akashi’s roadster has considerably modernized stylistically, despite surprisingly daring colors: white and black, black or gray and black … Not very happy, all that. The yellow "chick" and the green "farting" of the first ER-6 seem far away !
Unchanged since 2014, the MT-07 offers a more tortured – even "tormented" – design, especially at the front. The tapered rear evokes the R6, for its part, a rather flattering comparison … except that this pretty rear induces a limited capacity: a U-lock does not enter under the saddle of the MT-07, no more than under that of the Z650. The two also "zap" the central stand in order to contain the weight and the costs: to believe that today we take more care of the look than the practical aspects. ?!
In terms of style, it is clear that the result is successful: less "plump" and more muscular, the Kawasaki is now on par with the MT-07 in terms of general dimensions, thus reinforcing its aesthetic dynamism. Considered side by side, the two rivals display the same compact size and content, able to reassure novice motorcyclists..
The same will be sensitive to its saddle lowered by 15 mm compared to the ER-6n: placed at 790 mm, this seat will be the friend of the shorter (s) on legs! MNC had it tested by a 1.59 m employee who firmly places the front of each foot on the ground. A "school K" in terms of accessibility! The saddle of the MT-07, placed at 805 mm, requires a few extra centimeters, especially as the covering around its 14 l tank spreads the thighs more apart than that of the 15 l of the Z650.
- MNC Smart-Video :
The finish is similar, very correct with regard to their respective prices of € 6999 for the Kawasaki and € 6899 for the Yamaha. In detail, the MT-07 hides some dubious aspects – raw radiator and slightly glamorous front frame – behind beautiful parts like its old-style 4-piston calipers R1, its openwork swingarm and its elegant bronze-colored housings. The Z650 plays in the same register with its false plastic frame reinforcements – like aluminum turntables – and its "petal" discs responsible for creating a diversion on its modest 2-piston front calipers..
Its neat surface treatments and well-adjusted plastics, however, are a pleasure to watch: even if the integration of the electrical network could be more discreet around its twin, the Z650 enjoys a flattering presentation. The Verte even shines with a few neat little touches like its rubber-covered rear footrests and adjustable clutch lever, two "details" absent on the MT-07. This replicates with its more modern instrumentation, in addition to being rich in information (all practical aspects and equipment in).
Continuation of our duel in the Dynamic part in !
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