Kawasaki Z650RS v/s Triumph Street Twin: Which one to buy?
If you are planning to buy a neo-retro motorcycle in India, the Kawasaki Z650RS and Triumph Street Twin are both excellent choices. The bikes have a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, circular headlight as well as mirrors, and a flat-type seat. They are fueled by BS6-compliant liquid-cooled engines with fuel-injection technology. But, which one is better? Here's our comparison.
The Z650RS offers better technology
Kawasaki Z650RS sits on a high-tensile steel trellis frame and has an underbelly exhaust, while the Triumph Street Twin is built on a tubular steel frame and gets two lengthy exhausts. The former has an LED headlight, while the latter settles for a halogen headlamp. They both pack a semi-digital instrument console along with LED taillight as well as turn indicators.
The Z650RS is lighter by 24kg
The Kawasaki Z650RS has a saddle height of 800mm, a wheelbase of 1,405mm, and a 12-liter fuel tank, while the Triumph Street Twin gets a 12-liter fuel tank, a saddle height of 765mm, and a wheelbase of 1,450mm. They weigh 192kg and 216kg, respectively.
The Triumph Street Twin offers better torque delivery
The Kawasaki Z650RS runs on a BS6-compliant 649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin, fuel-injected engine that makes 67hp/64Nm and is linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox. In comparison, the Triumph Street Twin is fueled by a 900cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin mill that generates a maximum power of 64.1hp and a peak torque of 80Nm. The motor is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The Street Twin also offers better safety and suspension
The Kawasaki Z650RS and Triumph Street Twin are equipped with disc brakes on both the front and rear wheels along with dual-channel ABS. The latter also gets riding modes. Suspension duties on the Z650RS are handled by telescopic front forks and a preload-adjustable rear mono-shock, while the Street Twin gets cartridge-type front forks and dual shock absorbers with preload adjustment on the rear end.
Which one should you buy?
In India, the Kawasaki Z650RS costs Rs. 6.65 lakh, while the Triumph Street Twin falls in the price-bracket of Rs. 8.25-8.55 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). The Street Twin offers a more sprightly performance as well as ride modes for enhanced driving. However, the Z650RS is a better buy thanks to its significantly lower price-tag, lesser weight, more power output, and full-LED lighting setup.
