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?

Question

Kai Thetechnicolorninja · Accepted Answer

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.

Shekhar Dhawan · Answer

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.

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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?

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