[Sebring]

Royal Enfield would always say that spokes give wheels the retro styling. Customers wanted alloys. Here is a beautiful amalgamation of the two ideas. RE, are you looking at the design? It can be done. Coming to the bike. I just love the way they brought this design back. Green looks just wow. Hope India is on the cards

[ishan12]

The underbelly exhaust and the swing arm look totally out of place on an otherwise well executed top half of the retro design. With RE twins in the market, I do not see why Kawasaki would bring this to India. But they did bring in the W800 at an absurd price point only to find no buyers. So who knows. I am sure there will be takers for a well priced quality retro 650.

[dinu2506]

Originally Posted by ishan12

The underbelly exhaust and the swing arm look totally out of place on an otherwise well executed top half of the retro design. With RE twins in the market, I do not see why Kawasaki would bring this to India. But they did bring in the W800 at an absurd price point only to find no buyers. So who knows. I am sure there will be takers for a well priced quality retro 650.

The down pipes and catcon look perilously prone to damage on speed breakers. There seems to be no option to add a sump guard as well looking at the design. Does not look suited for India considering these in mind.
Lovely looking machine, all the same.

[Neo18]

The Euro pricing starts from approximately 7500 euros. Even translating that directly, comes to 6.5 lakhs INR. Looks like another dud from Kawasaki , similar to the W800. How I wish they price it competitively!!!

[v12]

A beautiful motorcycle marred by the underbody exhaust. And soon to be marred by its police by Kawasaki India. Looking at the Z900RS pricing, I am sure this will command a high premium over the Z650. Probably a DOA if it's priced even Close to the Triumph Trident.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Z650RS to be launched in India within the next six months.

And we can tell you that the RS will also be launched here within the next six months. If pricing in India mimics the international pricing, the Z650RS could sit around the Rs 7 lakh mark (ex-showroom) when it arrives. However, that would put it dangerously close to the much more powerful Triumph Trident 660 (Rs 6.95 lakh, ex-showroom), and Kawasaki would do well to price the RS a little more competitively.

Full story here

[bf1983]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

The down pipes and catcon look perilously prone to damage on speed breakers. There seems to be no option to add a sump guard as well looking at the design. Does not look suited for India considering these in mind.
Lovely looking machine, all the same.

Not suited at all. I had already partially bent my catcon within a few months on the vanilla Z650. That said this retro treatment looks gorgeous. But yes not suited for Indian roads unless you use an illegal aftermarket exhaust.

Originally Posted by v12

Probably a DOA if it's priced even Close to the Triumph Trident.

This is guaranteed to be DOA. I had checked with the Mumbai dealer and the Z650 current OTR pricing in Mumbai is an eye watering 7.8l for a 650cc bike. This neo retro will definitely exceed the price of the Trident. The current Z650 sells in single digits a month so the RS version will find it tough to sell more than 20 units a year.

[nightraven]

Loved the color and styling. However, a fully digital cluster with some retro-styled theme instead, would have made it even better.

[karanddd]

I am not a fan of the design at all. Say whatever you want about the Interceptor, it does really look like a motorcycle of another era, spoked wheels and all, genuinely retro. This one is an amalgamation of modern and retro design ideas and in the end kind of confused looking. It does not evoke any kind of feeling of seeing an artefact that's remained (largely) unchanged across time, which is the primary draw I think of retro motorcycles. Harleys have that vibe in spades, and so does the Interceptor. And it seems as if that translates well to sales too.

[shancz]

The retro theme is quite an interesting concept and a high sales potential since the current middle aged generation who want to buy such a bike might actually have the money to do so provided Kawasaki prices it right(unlike the Z900RS).

One more thing they need to work find a solution is for that ground clearance.
I don't know how they're going to solve it but this(marked in red) is a deal breaker for many who would want to make it a daily driver.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by karanddd

I am not a fan of the design at all. Say whatever you want about the Interceptor, it does really look like a motorcycle of another era, spoked wheels and all, genuinely retro. This one is an amalgamation of modern and retro design ideas and in the end kind of confused looking.

This isn't intended to be a retro, but a retro sport - an amalgamation like you mentioned. This style is gaining more and more popularity in multiple markets and even in India - we have this style of design starting right from the Honda CB350RS, to the Triumph Trident and CBU flop Z900RS.

May not be everybody's cup of tea.

[karanddd]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

This isn't intended to be a retro, but a retro sport - an amalgamation like you mentioned. This style is gaining more and more popularity in multiple markets and even in India - we have this style of design starting right from the Honda CB350RS, to the Triumph Trident and CBU flop Z900RS.

May not be everybody's cup of tea.

Right on fair enough, if it works for someone then all power to them. I am surprised to hear that you put the Trident in that category. I don't see any retro aspiration in it, just looks like a straight up middleweight naked to me, no more retro than a Z650 or MT-07.

[Sudarshan42]

If anyone is interested in a 'cheap thrills' version of that beautiful green and gold combination, Yamaha has an option on their FZS25

[mpulztrack3r]

Originally Posted by karanddd

I am not a fan of the design at all. Say whatever you want about the Interceptor, it does really look like a motorcycle of another era, spoked wheels and all, genuinely retro. This one is an amalgamation of modern and retro design ideas and in the end kind of confused looking. It does not evoke any kind of feeling of seeing an artefact that's remained (largely) unchanged across time, which is the primary draw I think of retro motorcycles. Harleys have that vibe in spades, and so does the Interceptor. And it seems as if that translates well to sales too.

With you on this one. The styling is all over the place! Every element is from a different era. The mickey mouse style instrument cluster looks too big and 80s style but the headlamp looks modern(ish). No flowing lines anywhere. The machinery could have been more compact. Sigh! Was looking forward to this. This could have been so good.

[ashenoy]

Lovely looking motorcycle. But that ground clearance!!! Even lower than the z650 the reviews say!! If only Kawasaki would give it a 2x1 side exhaust or even better still twin pipes (personal opinion), and gain some some much needed additional ground clearance.