Updates Coming For The 2027 Kawasaki Ninja 650
New model code certified by EPA and CARB
Kawasaki may be introducing a new Ninja 650 for the 2027 model year, giving the middleweight sportbike its first update since 2023, when it received a traction control system.
Nothing official has been announced as yet, which is one of the reasons we think a change is coming. Kawasaki Europe just announced the 2027 Ninja ZX-4R, Ninja ZX-4RR, Ninja 500, Ninja 500 SE, and Ninja ZX-6R, all returning unchanged except for new paint options. Considering the press release was titled “Ninjas accelerate into 2027,” you would think the Ninja 650 would be included in this bunch if it was also returning unchanged.
Of course, omission alone isn’t enough to prove a new model is coming, but emissions might. Both U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board recently released updated certifications for Kawasaki’s 649cc parallel-Twin engine, adding the model code “EX650VV” alongside the returning Versys 650 ABS, Z650 S ABS, and Z650RS.
In the past, when Kawasaki certifies a new motorcycle in the U.S., it uses the model code, while returning models are listed under their commercial names. This tells us that the EX650VV is a new or updated bike. The Ninja 650 uses the model code “EX650,” with the letters that follow indicating the model version and the year. The 2026 Ninja 650, for example, goes by the code EX650PT for the ABS version, and EX650RT without ABS. The double Vees would thus indicate a revised model for the 2027 model year.
So, what can we expect from an updated Ninja 650? We know the engine is unchanged, as it will again share the same parallel-Twin with the returning models. As for any other changes, we may have to look at the Z650 S for clues. Kawasaki replaced the previous Z650 with the S version last year, updating its styling and revising the ergonomics with a wider handlebar and a thicker seat, producing a more forward-leaning posture. Kawasaki also replaced the Z650’s petal-style front brake discs with circular ones. We can probably expect similar changes for the updated Ninja 650.
Kawasaki announced the Z650 S last October, weeks ahead of EICMA, and it’s likely we’ll see a similar timetable for the revised Ninja 650. But we’ll keep our eyes open for more information as it emerges.
Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
More by Dennis Chung
Comments
Join the conversation
Dennis, a few unrelated questions if you don't mind. Why is Honda not giving the USA the Bikini fairing accessory for the Honda CB1000F? And what will be the final EPA horsepower detuned to from the euro 122?
The last Ninja 650 I rode…the mirrors vibrated so badly that they were unusable. If that gets corrected, great. I still think I’d look at a Triumph Sport 660 first, and I’m a Kawi guy.