2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650 KRT Edition. Photos courtesy Kawasaki.

It’s no secret that supersports aren’t selling particularly well right now, at least here in the States. What are selling well, however, are bikes like the Ninja 650, which offer decent performance in a sporty, comfortable, affordable package. Manufacturers have figured this out, over the past several years endowing their smaller displacement and middleweight sport machines with aggressive styling and fit-and-finish details lifted directly from higher-end supersport models, and in the process continuing to attract new riders to our two-wheeled lifestyle.

Kawasaki’s Ninja 650, which received a complete redesign in 2017 that saw it shed 42 pounds and get a sportier facelift (read our First Ride Review here), is one of those well-balanced sport bikes that promises fun and easy handling at a very attractive price.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650.

For 2020, it’s been updated further with a more aggressive restyle that brings it inline with its Ninja 400 and Ninja ZX-6R/10R cousins, a full-color TFT display with smartphone connectivity, Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tires fitted as standard and a redesigned upper cowl, windshield and passenger seat.

The new upper cowl is wider than before, with the taller windscreen now flush-fit for a streamlined look. It also now features twin LED headlamps, each with a high and low beam (meaning both are on at any given time, addressing a major pet peev...