2010 Kawasaki Ninja 650R vs 2010 Hyosung GT650R

Bajaj has now officially announced that a bigger Ninja is coming to Indian shores and in all probability it would be the 2010 Ninja 650R. Hyosung has already released it's potent warrior, the GT650R. The obvious question that comes to mind as to how do they fair with each other. But as the saying goes, "There's always more than it meets the eyes", so as a motorcycle enthusiasts, we need to look beyond the obvious to appreciate the real difference or similarities between the two. Before we go any further, let's have a look at the kind of motorcycles both are.

Hyosung GT650R
Well, the 2010-11 Hyosung GT650R, is your daily use pocket Super Sports bike (and mind you, it's NOT a Super Sports or a Super Bike, so please don't get the pain of jumping around thinking it to be one). The fully faired motorcycle is very aggressively styled and looks big and mean at the same time. The Liquid cooled, four stroke, 90° V twin, DOHC, 4 valve, has enough punch and torque high up in the rev range to keep your adrenaline pumping both in the city on the highway.

The GT650R might not be a throttle monster, but it aint naive either. The brisk engine revs up pretty quick, but gives you enough time to adjust at the same time. It's not gonna through you off the saddle until and unless you are actually the weakest link connecting the saddle and the handle bars.

The ergos of the GT650R is aggressive and would need getting used to for a person trying to graduate from his regular Pulsars or R15s. For 5'8" guy like me, the forward lean angle comes out to be at 41°, which by any standards is aggressive.

So, if you want to go for the GT650R, be sure that you want to go for a sports bike, which is fast and aggressive. Please don't back complaining that your back and wrist ache after a ride on the highway

Kawasaki Ninja 650R
In one sentence, the Kawasaki Ninja 650R, is your own friendly Karizma which more punch and mile munching capabilities. Expect a Japanese quality and Inline twin cylinder experience, which would make you long hauls on the highways just that more fun. The fully faired Ninja 650R (or the ER 6f as it's called in Europe) looks more on the lines of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, and gives you the feels of a full blown Super Sports, but in reality, it's far from it.

The Liquid cooled, four stroke, parallel twin, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, produces it's max punch and torque bit high on the rev range which goes to suggest that you would need to twist your right wrist to keep you interested on a motorcycles, which is more of a Sports Tourer and one would expect it make it's max power and torque outputs at lower rev range than what it's currently making.

The ergos of the Kawasaki Ninja 650R is more relaxed and with forward lean angle of 21° for a guy of my size, it's definitely quite back and wrist friendly. So, on the Ninja 650R you are getting a somewhat sporty stance, but very merciful on you back and wrist.

Anybody going for the Kawasaki Ninja 650R should be absolutely clear about the fact that it's not a sport machine, but more of Sports Tourer and it would be criminal to expect blasting performance from the machine.

So, now that we have seen what the two motorcycles are in themselves, the next step forward is the specs, because at the end of it, that's what makes the picture clear.

Technical Comparison

Make Model	Kawasaki ER-6f	Hyosung GT650R
Engine	Liquid cooled, four stroke, parallel twin, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder.	Liquid cooled, four stroke, 90° V twin, DOHC, 4 valve
Capacity	650	647
Bore x Stroke	83 X 60mm	81.5 x 62 mm
Compression Ratio	11.3:1	11.6:1
Induction	2x 38mm Electronic Fuel Injection Keihin	Fuel Injection (include immobilizer)
Ignition  /  Starting	Digital TCBI  /  electric	-  /  electric
Max Power	72.1 PS 53 kW  @ 8500 rpm	72.68 Bhp  58.9 KW @ 9000 rpm
Max Torque	66 Nm @ 7000 rpm	68 Nm @ 7500 rpm
Transmission/Drive	6 Speed  /  chain	6 Speed  /  chain
Frame	Diamond, high-tensile steel	Steel, double pipe
Front Suspension	41 mm telescopic fork, 120mm wheel travel.	41mm Oil upside down forks, 120mm wheel travel
Rear Suspension	Offset laydown single-shock with adjustable preload, 130mm wheel travel.	Swinging arm, 100mm wheel travel.
Front Brakes	2x 300mm discs 2 piston calipers	2x 300mm discs 4 piston caliper
Rear Brakes	Single 220mm disc 1 piston caliper	Single 230mm disc
Front Tyre	120/70ZR17	120/60 -17
Rear Tyre	160/60ZR17	160/60 -17
Seat Height	790 mm / 31 in	780 mm  /  30.7 in
Dry-Weight	178 kg	215 kg
Fuel Capacity	15.5 Litres	17 Litres

So, as can be seen, both the Kawasaki Ninja 650R and the Hyosung GT650R, are very much evenly speced, but the Hyosung GT650R is just a feather high at some places. So, one would definitely not loose or gain any performance by choosing either two.

The whole point now boils down to the price bracket and the personal taste of the end user as to what the user expects from a motorcycle which has an engine of 650cc and produces 72-73 odd Bhps. Both the motorcycles, though belong to the same engine segment, but belong to completely different genres, and both are good in their own respect as you don't have much options in this engine capacity range. Both can be termed as budget bikes to graduate to, before you make that big jump to the liter class, and both can keep your performance craving satiated for quite some time.

At the end of it, it's clear that that it's end user's choice and they have two amazing motorcycles to choose from and the sales figures of both would be governed by the price bracket. Knowing the Hyosung GT650R is available just at a little more than Rs. 5 lacs on-road Delhi, the ball is Bajaj/Kawasaki's court to make the next move. What ever be the outcome, the Indian streets is soon going to be delighted with some great beauties dance and making their way through.