ninja 650 tft display manufacturer

The biggest news is of course the new 4.3-inch TFT screen. But it is not just a pretty screen as it includes features that could be found on bigger (read: more expensive) bikes. There is the auto contrast feature; Bluetooth connectivity for music and phone calls; GPS navigation via connection to a phone app; and thankfully a gear position indicator.

Kawasaki has updated its Ninja 650 for 2020 with a new family face and an up-to-the-minute instrument panel to make the bargain middleweight more convincing than ever.

The new look is clearly in line with the style that was first established by the Ninja H2 and since spread to the Ninja 400. The main changes are at the front where the headlights are new LED units with a reverse slant so they’re under the point of the nose rather than above it. It’s a look that, in some ways, harks back to the 2003-2004 ZX-6R – a styling high point for Kawasaki that the firm has rarely revisited.

The instruments are the main technical change, with a new 10.9cm TFT colour display that not only includes all the usual displays as well as a shift light and gear position display but also adds Bluetooth connectivity for your smartphone. Via Kawasaki’s own Rideology app, you get access to sat nav and notifications, powered by the CPU of your phone.

It’s no secret that supersports aren’t selling particularly well right now, at least here in the States. What are selling well, however, are bikes like the Ninja 650, which offer decent performance in a sporty, comfortable, affordable package. Manufacturers have figured this out, over the past several years endowing their smaller displacement and middleweight sport machines with aggressive styling and fit-and-finish details lifted directly from higher-end supersport models, and in the process continuing to attract new riders to our two-wheeled lifestyle.

Kawasaki’s Ninja 650, which received a complete redesign in 2017 that saw it shed 42 pounds and get a sportier facelift (read our First Ride Review here), is one of those well-balanced sport bikes that promises fun and easy handling at a very attractive price.

For 2020, it’s been updated further with a more aggressive restyle that brings it inline with its Ninja 400 and Ninja ZX-6R/10R cousins, a full-color TFT display with smartphone connectivity, Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tires fitted as standard and a redesigned upper cowl, windshield and passenger seat.

Another high-value add for the 2020 Ninja 650 is a full-color 4.3-inch TFT display, with a selectable background color (black or white) and automatic screen brightness that adjusts for ambient light. Display functions include a speedometer, bar-style tachometer, gear position indicator, shift lamp, fuel gauge, odometer, dual trip meters, current and average fuel consumption, remaining range, average speed, total riding time, coolant temperature, clock, battery voltage, Kawasaki service reminder, oil change reminder and Economical Riding Indicator.

Bluetooth connectivity is becoming more and more common, and now the Ninja 650 is no exception, as owners can connect to their bikes via Kawasaki’s Rideology The App to view vehicle info; a riding log that includes route, distance and time traveled, riding conditions, max lean angles and a playback function to relive the ride; telephone notifications on the TFT display; and changes to the TFT display settings.

The 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is available in Pearl Blizzard White or Metallic Spark Black for $7,399 (non-ABS) or $7,799 (ABS), or in KRT livery for $7,599 (non-ABS) or $7,999 (ABS). For more information, visit kawasaki.com.

HIGH-TECH ELECTRONICS: TFT color instrumentation and Bluetooth® smartphone connectivity add high-tech elements to the ride and allow you to connect to the Ninja® 650 motorcycle like never before.

USEFUL INFORMATION AT A GLANCE: All-digital TFT (thin-film transistor) color instrumentation gives the cockpit a high-tech, high-grade appearance and visibility. The screen’s background color is selectable (black or white), and screen brightness adjusts automatically to suit available light. Display functions include: digital speedometer, digital bar-style tachometer, gear position indicator, shift lamp, fuel gauge, odometer, dual trip meters, current and average fuel consumption, remaining range, average speed, total time, coolant temperature, clock, battery voltage, Kawasaki service reminder, oil change reminder and the Kawasaki Economical Riding Indicator.

HIGH-TECH ELECTRONICS: TFT color instrumentation and Bluetooth® smartphone connectivity add high-tech elements to the ride and allow you to connect to the Ninja® 650 motorcycle like never before.

USEFUL INFORMATION AT A GLANCE: All-digital TFT (thin-film transistor) color instrumentation gives the cockpit a high-tech, high-grade appearance and visibility. The screen’s background color is selectable (black or white), and screen brightness adjusts automatically to suit available light. Display functions include: digital speedometer, digital bar-style tachometer, gear position indicator, shift lamp, fuel gauge, odometer, dual trip meters, current and average fuel consumption, remaining range, average speed, total time, coolant temperature, clock, battery voltage, Kawasaki service reminder, oil change reminder and the Kawasaki Economical Riding Indicator.

Kawasaki’s first new street model release for next year is an updated Ninja 650, with the mid-sized sportbike getting a facelift that brings it into line with the 2018 Ninja 400 and 2019 ZX-6R.

Outwardly, the 650 gets new clothes in the new twin LED headlights revamped fairing, screen, seat unit, and 4.3-inch TFT color display, but under the skin, the 650 remains predominantly the same as it was.

There are no updates to the 649cc, parallel-twin, four-stroke motor and tubular steel chassis, so people who were hoping the 650 would come with a sportier chassis, and additions like upside-down forks will be disappointed.

Kawasaki’s attempted to future proof the 650 a little with the implementation of the Rideology app, correctly called RIDEOLOGY THE APP in company speak… The app allows the rider to connect to their bike and log rides, take calls, average speed, performance data and make adjustments to the bike’s electronic settings via their phone.

Tires are also new in the Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tires and there’s a full line of accessories in the larger windshield, helmet lock, TFT meter protection film, Ergo-Fit™ high seat (+30 mm), oil filler cap, tank pad, pillion seat cover, semi-soft panniers, top case, DC outlet (50 W), U-lock, radiator screen, frame sliders, tank pad, and knee pads.

The 2020 Kawasaki Ninja 650 is available in Lime Green / Ebony (Kawasaki Racing Team KRT), Metallic Spark Black and Pearl Blizzard White and starts at $7399 for the non-ABS model.

All-digital TFT (thin-film transistor) color instrumentation gives the cockpit a high-tech, high-grade appearance and visibility. The screen’s background color is selectable (black or white), and screen brightness adjusts automatically to suit available light.

Display functions include: digital speedometer, digital bar-style tachometer, gear position indicator, shift lamp, fuel gauge, odometer, dual trip meters, current and average fuel consumption, remaining range, average speed, total time, coolant temperature, clock, battery voltage, Kawasaki service reminder, oil change reminder and the Kawasaki Economical Riding Indicator.