It has been a long time coming and finally the launch of the 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650R has been confirmed by our sources for August 2012. Bajaj Auto will start taking bookings of the middle weight Ninja ER-6f motorcycle soon, while some dealers are unofficially accepting bookings. The Ninja 650R was launched last year and due to the high demand and limited bikes allocated to India, bookings were closed in July. After almost a year, the Ninja 650R will again go on sale.
The 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650R receives minor changes which prove to be quite significant. The bike features a new twin-spar perimeter frame, which improves handling but the power output remains the same. The 650cc engine has been tweaked to offer better low end response. The Ninja 650R produces a peak power output of 72 BHP at 8500 RPM and peak torque output of 65 Nm at 7000 RPM. Fuel efficiency has been improved as well with a new eco mode added to the mix.
Our source also informs us that Bajaj Auto is considering bringing in a naked middle weight motorcycle in the later half of 2013. The company is tied up between the Ninja 650 ER-6n or the Versys 650. A decision is yet to be taken and talks are still at a primary stage. The naked 650 motorcycle will be priced slightly cheaper to the Ninja 650R, helping Kawasaki increase volumes. However it remains to be seen if Bajaj Auto will bring in a naked Kawasaki 650cc bike or chose to bring the KTM Duke 690 instead.
