2022 marked a monumental year for Kawasaki’s retro-leaning RS range. The flagship Z900RS celebrated the Z1’s 50th anniversary with a stunning, throwback “Fireball” colorway. The special-edition livery wasn’t the only addition to the Z900RS lineup, though, with Team Green introducing the up-spec 2022 Z900RS SE variant as well. Still, the RS series lacked a true entry point and the 2022 Z650RS filled the void.
After such an eventful 2022, we can’t fault Kawasaki for taking it easy in 2023, and the RS lineup returns largely unchanged for the new model year. Starting with the Z650RS, the classically-styled standard retains its iconic Candy Emerald Green paint scheme but adds a new Metallic Spark Black to the repertoire. Under the surface, the Z650RS still champions Kawi’s liquid-cooled, 649cc parallel-twin that's good for 67 horsepower and 47 ft-lb of torque.
