Kawasaki Z650 Tyre Size
The Z650 runs a 120/70-17 front and a 160/60-17 rear tyre.Â
These are common sizes for middleweight bikes and so you have a wide range of options (more than 70 at our last count!).
In this tyre guide we’ll share our experience of what works best on the Z650 range.
Tyre sizes and choices for the Z650RS
The stunning Z650RS runs the exact same tyre sizes as the stock Z650. Even though the two bikes are similar on paper, we appreciate that they’re ridden by a different type of rider.
All of the tyre choices below apply for the Z650 and Z650RS. However, we’ve also added on a section of modern sticky rubber that has a retro tread pattern. So, you can keep your RS looking every bit like it rolled off the factory floor in the ’70s but with proper grip from the 2020s!
Kawasaki Z650 History
The Z650 was introduced in 2017 and takes over from the long-running ER-6N.
The two have a lot in common except there’s something about the Z650 that the ER6 could never muster. The Z is cool whereas the ER6 – even though it was a brilliant bike – was always a bit of a geeky-looking thing. It shared more in common with an ER5 than a cool edgy naked.
Anyway, that’s all solved now with the new Z650. Not just a name change but sharp new looks and the performance to match. The bike was revised in 2020 and features a TFT dash and new Euro-5 engine.
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The Stock Tyres on the Z650
The Z650’s stock tyres are Dunlop D214. There’s no getting away from it; these are not good tyres.
The good news, however, is that pretty much anything you fit to replace these will make the bike feel superior.
The Best Tyres for the Kawasaki Z650
Our Z650 customers tend to use their bikes as daily steeds. Commuters wit a bit of weekend riding and the occasional bit of touring thrown in.Â
Here are some good tyre choices for you.
All Weather Riding / Commuting
Pirelli Angel ST – Good budget pick
Bridgestone T31 – Another good budget pick
Sports Touring
Metzeler Z8 – Good budget pick
Fast Road Riding
Michelin Power 2CT – good budget pick
Modern Retro Tyres
If you ride a Z650RS you might be looking for some rubber that offers modern-day grip and performance but with a tread pattern that harks from another era. We’ve got you covered!
Avon Spirit ST – Avon have a strong classic tyre range but this ST is a modern day Sports Touring tyre.
Continental Sport Attack 4 – A sporty tyre with a minimal tread pattern.
Pirelli MT60RS – These tyres come as standard on Ducati’s retro Scrambler and they look the part on modern retros
Metzeler Z6 – A modern Sports tyre that’s great value for money. Plus, it has Z6 on the sidewall to match your bike!
If you want an even more retro-looking Metzeler then check out the Lasertec. They don’t make it in a 160/60 rear but they do have it in the slightly taller 160/70
Z650 Tyre Pressures
You can find your motorcycle manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressures in your owner’s handbook. You’ll also find a tyre pressure chart sticker on the swingarm.
If you have no idea what pressures to run, this is our general rule:
Scooter: F 30psi, R 30psi
Normal Motorcycle: F 36psi, R 42psi
Big Tourer: F 42psi, R 42psi
125cc Bike: F 33psi, R 36psi
You should always check your tyre pressures when the tyres are cold. Check out our range of motorcycle tyre pressure gauges here.
About Two Tyres
Our mission is to ensure we listen to every customer’s needs and ensure they’re riding on the right tyre. Out of the showroom, your motorbike is a compromise, designed to suit a huge range of riders and riding conditions. To get the best out of your bike in terms of handling, performance and safety, tyres make all the difference. In fact we think it’s the most cost-effective performance enhancement you can make!
We are based in London where we supply and fit motorcycle tyres and consumables in our workshop. We also mail order motorcycle tyres around the UK, across Europe and even to places as far-flung as the USA, Canada and Japan.
Need help choosing the best tyres?
Choosing tyres can be tricky. We’re here to help. We hold direct accounts with every motorcycle tyre manufacturer, so we’re well placed to give comprehensive and honest advice to help you choose the best tyres. If you can’t quite make your mind up, give us a call on 0207 205 2205 and we’ll help you narrow down your choices.
We are motorcycle and scooter tyre specialists, with over 25 years in the trade. Between us we fit 10 pairs of tyres a day in our workshop, so we have good real-world experience of what works and what doesn’t.
We ride to work, we ride for fun, we race and ride off-road. If it’s got two wheels, we’re into it.
Give us a call or drop into our London motorcycle workshop and we’ll do our best to help you.
We built a pressure gauge we wanted to use ourselves
After years of using tyre pressure gauges that were inaccurate, poorly made or awkward to fit without losing pressure, we decided enough was enough.
We worked with a manufacturer to produce a motorcycle tyre pressure gauge that met our own workshop standards. The result is a gauge that’s accurate. It’s even been featured in RiDE magazine.
We’re so confident in its quality that every gauge comes with a 3-year, no-nonsense money-back guarantee.
Whether you prefer the instant accuracy of a digital tyre pressure gauge or the simplicity of a traditional analogue gauge, we’ve got the perfect tool for the job.
Correct tyre pressures are the cheapest performance upgrade you can make. They improve grip, handling, tyre life and fuel economy—and they take less than a minute to check.
Here at Two Tyres, we stock more than just tyres. Take a look at some of our essentials for any biker.
Motorcycle puncture repair kit – Our top-rated kit includes everything you need to carry out a roadside repair and get back up and running.
Motorcycle tyre pressure gauge – Our tyre pressure gauge has been rated in RiDE magazine and features a clever design to make it easy to get accurate readings.
Motorcycle first aid kit – a DIN-rated first aid kit that’s compact and also includes extras that are handy for any biker. A must-carry in some EU countries.
HyperCharge battery charger – The HyperCharge is a smart charger that can charge lead-acid and lithium batteries and it’ll charge bike and car batteries too.
Cordless tyre pump – Small enough to fit in your luggage, this tyre pump doubles as a powerbank, so you’ll never have a flat tyre or phone battery again!
All of these products have been well tested and are top-rated by our customers.
