Just a beginner's bike? Ninja 650 TESTED on Road & Nürburgring!

The 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is looked down on by many as a 'beginners' motorcycle, only good for newbies and inexperienced riders. But does it deserve that reputation? Here I take the 68hp Kawasaki over backroads to the world-famous Nürburgring, where we can ride 100% flat-out, without any fallout from the cops!

At one point I was almost certainly going to buy this motorcycle for myself, with a rough plan to use it as a daily, and enter some 650 minitwin races on the side.

Why would I, an experienced motorcyclist, consider buying a 68hp Ninja 650 and riding it on the Nürburgring? Watch the video to find out!

0:00 Introduction on the road to the Nürburgring
2:00 Riding the 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 650 with 20,000kms THINGS I LIKE
3:20 That motor, and its whopping 68hp, and the TFT dash
6:00 Entering the Nurburgring GP paddock
7:20 Using my ticket to enter the pitlane
9:50 Nurburgring GP track touristenfahrten
14:00 Nurburgring TF fail (Triumph goes gravel trap surfing)
19:00 End of session, final thoughts

#ninja650 #nurburgring #motorcycleride

💖 Custom Leathers by PSI Hubik
📸 Panoxv2 360 camera by Panox Global
🪖 I always buy Arai (I know, they're expensive, but handmade in Japan!)
📷 DJI Osmo Action 3 chin-cam (will be trying something else next!)
🔊 DJI Mic (the first generation, getting a little bit unreliable now!)

**MORE ABOUT ME**

[BloodPlusPwn]

I think considering the price and the intended use of the bike this is an absolutely phenomenal showing. This things is a swiss army knife of a bike I swear.

[AlexGritts]

I have a Ninja 650 KRT '23 and I was thinking to sell it, I have only 2 years experience now, but your video just made me keep it. There is no sense to sell it for another bike if you ride it daily around city and some extra long trips twice a year.

Thanks for this video and experience! You made an impact.

[LDsaed]

You know it's a good bike when he's trying to say the bad, but he's still saying good things about the bike ❤️

[RobertNixAlternativeArtist]

On the curves you proved the ninja650 is #1.

[PopsRacer]

I picked up a new CBR 650 in 2023 and absolutely love the bike. But in 2018, I bought a new candy Blue Ninja 650 with no ABS, no TC.. only the slipper clutch! Never dropped the bike except when I was putting the bike in the garage and forgot to put the kick stand down I refuse to part with the Ninja bcs it's too good of a bike! very reliable, good gas mileage, affordable insurance, very comfortable on the streets and on and on..

[bobbincat]

What a wonderful Youtube channel i've just sumbled upon this evening!

[jonbeattie]

Mega bike review that mate, awesome work indeed - would be great to see you do more.. Surprised the UK bike magazines aren't snapping you up as their overseas writer!!

[bonsaibmw]

First of All great Video, im speechless of your corner speed with this littel Bike l like your Videos cant wait to see the next one

[Szlejer]

Excellent riding and commentary as usual!

[hb]

Great bike, and i know for a fact that it can go fast. At least i've seen Jens go quite fast on that one.
Great memories of scotland with this one Dale. 😂

[jensnoeske]

I love the way you ride the little ninja❤

[maomekat]

an excellent review finally by an actual professional ! can you review the equally gor perhaps eveb better, lighter fast enough ninja 400/500 please ?

[robinv]

The 650 class has always kinda been this budget sports touring class but with the looks of a full on supersport rather than the typical kinda bloated, big windscreen look. But there's some interesting new players coming in like Aprilia and Triumph who might actually spice things up and start pushing manufacturers to develop these platforms more.

Also definitely agree that nothing teaches you to ride properly quite like a low power bike, currently only own KTM 390s, been on track 8 times so far and I rarely share the track with bikes that have similar power yet I've overtaken Daytona 675s, R1s, GSXR1000s, RC8R, all these insanely fast bikes yet the riders just lack the skill to do anything other than open the throttle on a straight and zoom off

[JDeezle]

Oh!!! Ride all of the 650 class bikes the same way. YZF-R7, Daytona 660, CBR650R, GSX-8R ❤, RS660

[N-M]

It's entirely wrong to call the 650 Ninja a beginners bike. It is for riding on the road, and for that it has more than enough power. If you want a track bike or a race bike, then get one!

[Sideburns]

Hit the nail on the head again. Last year as a new rider I checked out the Z650RS for it's looks and the Versys 650 for its practicality (that 21l fuel tank!). The Versys 650 was quite top heavy, but the Z650RS was an absolute gem, the motor as you say is so much better than it looks on paper and loves to work through the revs. The handling felt telepathic. But I did succumb to the 270 crank fake v-twin and got an XSR700 instead.

[DaveCBRF]

Cracking review Dale and your the man to put a bike through its paces 👌

[everss]

I have a Mupo rear shock on mine, fully adjustable and Emulator kit up front. Stock suspension is pogo stick garbage. Bike also really benefits from an ECU flash and rigid velocity stacks really adds to top end power. I have a 1000rr, but still very much enjoy the 650 on smaller tracks

[TheMobbReport]

I own a 22 krt edition with a yoshi alpha and can’t complain, it sounds sick especially on decel in 2nd, sounds like a jet engine. The seat gets a little uncomfortable after a couple hours but otherwise it’s great. I sold my zr-7 for it. I’m 6’4 at 220 lbs so it’s a tad cramped but the ergonomics are overall set up nicely. Compared to a katana (for tiny legged ppl) and others in the class I’ve ridden it’s a solid, versatile bike for city and highway. Trackwise, idk, never been but I’ve smoked several on the street. It’s not all on the bike, it’s also on the rider.

[nickrider]

You can have a lot of fun on most bikes and being able to ride faster than the bike can deliver is awesome fun ....as demonstrated by Dale !