Kawasaki tease KLE 650 twin-cylinder, Rally-style adventure bike

Motorcycle Live show in the UK sees Kawasaki tease a new KLE rally or middleweight adventure model – twin-cylinder, long travel suspension rival for Yamaha’s Tenere.

First things first, we haven’t got much to go on here. What you see is what we’ve got: a bike poking out of a box. Manufacturers are pretty good at teasing new models before they launch, but this is another level!

At least it is not a nonsense dark photo or bike under a shroud. There is an actual bike inside this box and Kawasaki tell us it is the actual bike…but that’s all they’ll tell us. The dummy on the bike is life size they tell us and is actually standing on the pegs just to give you a sense of the size of the thing.

What can we see? The twin cylinder engine is clear to view as is the long travel, adjustable suspension, Nissin brakes, 21-inch front wheel size and tall, rally-style fairing. After that it gets a bit dark in that box.

The twin cylinder engine is likely to be a variation of the current 650 engine found in Ninja, Versys and other street models.

Sitting inside a box with images of the Saudi desert, “life’s a rally” and KLE on the side are the scant clues they’re giving us for now.

In keeping with its off-road model heritage, the box has KLE stamped on the outside which leads us to speculate it’ll be a KLE 650 – although that doesn’t take a genius.

What’s clear from this bike bursting out the box is Kawasaki are aiming at the mid-weight adventure bike market where Yamaha’s Tenere 700 is king along with KTM’s 790/890 Adventure models.

It’s where the big bucks are, or at least the mass-sales have been. In fact, that’s what makes it a little surprising that the green team have taken so long to get in on this act.

About time though Kawasaki! More when we get it.

Photo Credit: Enduro21