Q. I currently own a Duke 390, 2018 model and my usage is mostly for commuting and weekend rides. Is Z650 a good upgrade keeping in mind the above?

I have a Z650 and had a Duke390 my advice is don't do it. The Duke is heaps more fun and corners way better. The stock Z tires are outright dangerous in the rain and the suspensions are soft and comfortable which are not suitable for cornering. Since you have a Duke I already know comfort and soft suspensions are not your gig. I regret my upgrade so I hope you don't make the same mistake as I did. I have it for about 1 year now and I am looking to trade it in. To be honest, I would rather get the Benelli 600i since that has 4 cylinders and adjustable shocks. The Z forks are not inverted and non adjustable. I would advise getting a used duke690 or if you have the cash go for the 790. I am not from India so I don't the the prices there but around the price of the Z you could check out the Yamaha MT-07 the only reason I didn't get it was because the MT-07 didn't have abs the year I was getting the Z and I feel that ABS is a must for me. The MT-07 is a faster bike. More horse power and torque weights about the same and has a bigger community. It's resale value is also higher. The Z feels very cheap in the feel of the dash (no average speed of trip like the duke) it looks good but I prefer the Yamaha. It's brighter and cleaner. The Z dash is often too dim in the sun. By no means I am bashing the Z. It's a good bike. It's dependable and good on fuel but it feels like a sedan instead of a sports car if you want to make a comparison with cars. The Duke is a hard bike to beat if you exclude the reliability issues but the fun is much more rewarding then the flaws. I mean I had 3 cracked airboxes and 1 head gasket in 2 years with the duke. All covered by warranty and I get to hang out at the KTM shops. I had no problems with the z so far except I lowsided the day I picked it up because I was hitting a corner that I hit everyday on the duke the same way with new tires and wasn't used to the springy soft suspensions. It all depends on what you want. I would say MT-07 or TnT 600i if you are buying brand new for about the same price. 600i has highest hp out of the 3 and has adjustable suspensions. Mt-07 is same price as the Z and has more torque and hp. Z excels in the braking out of them all but I can't say I like it's handling and I'm 5'11 and feel cramped on it. I can flat foot on it and it fits my wife who is 5'8. Just a side note the Z also has no immoblizer so it can be easily stolen. I had to replace a key after I lost it and the shop I normally go to told me to go to Kawasaki for key programming but it turns out all Thailand assembled Kawasakis don't have immoblizers.

Z650 is one bike that fits in all the squares and go ahead blindfolded in case you're a good practical biker. If you're interested in sound and heat and image concious with no brainers on handling and peace of mind you're not a Z candidate.

A great upgrade especially for commuting and weekend rides. That's what me and my wife do on the weekends.