Kawasaki Ninja 650 (EX650, 2017+) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule with associated service intervals for the Kawasaki Ninja 650, also known as the ER-6F or EX650, and previously known as the Kawasaki Ninja 650R.
This is the maintenance schedule for the 2017+ Ninja 650, which is the sportier stablemate of the Z650. Both motorcycles have the same engine at their base.
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 has gone through a few major updates since launch in 2006.
- 2006-2008 Kawasaki Ninja 650R, a.k.a. ER-6F/EX-6: The first base model. Made 53 kW (71 hp) @ 8,500 rpm, and weighed 208 kg (461 lb) wet. Twin gauges.
- 2009-2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R a.k.a. ER-6F: First US imported model. Revised first edition with more midrange and better engine cooling. Reduced vibration from rubber engine and handlebar mounts. Wider seat, taller fairing. Big LCD (no tachometer dial) with red backlighting.
- 2012-2016 Kawasaki Ninja 650: All new bodywork, wider handlebars, new analogue tachometer + digital LCD with more information.
- 2017+ Kawasaki Ninja 650: New lightweight trellis frame and lighter engine — bike is 19 kg (42 lb) lighter. No side-mounted shock. New slipper clutch. More aggressive bodywork. Slightly lower top-end power due to emissions restrictions.
During the years, nothing changed fundamentally with the engine, though some parts changed in the intake, chassis, braking etc. And the maintenance schedule changed as the motorcycle evolved.
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Kawasaki Ninja 650 Service Intervals
Overall, the Ninja 650 has 7500 mi / 12000 km or annual service intervals. At every service, change the oil and filter, and look down the service schedule for other things to check.
You should also change the spark plugs and the air filter at every 7500 mile / 12000 km mark, though you don’t have to do those on a time interval.
Every 15000 miles / 24000 km, check the valve clearances. The first of these services is the most important, though as time goes on it’s less and less likely that the clearances will be out of spec.
Make sure you change the brake fluid and the coolant every two and three years respectively.
What you need to service the Kawasaki Ninja 650
If you’re servicing the Kawasaki Ninja 650, firstly, you might need these common motorcycle maintenance tools (thinks like an oil filter wrench, catch pan, etc.).
But aside from that, you’ll need these specific items to maintain the Kawasaki Ninja 650.
| Part | Kawasaki Ninja 650 Spec |
|---|---|
| Oil | You need 1.8L (1.7 US qt) of SAE 10W-40 engine oil “with API SG, SH, SJ, SL or SM with JASO MA, MA1 or MA2 rating”, preferably Kawasaki 10W-40 Engine Oil, or a high quality alternative like Motul 7100 10W-40. Don’t over-torque the drain bolt (spec is 30 Nm/22 lb-ft per the manual) — use a torque wrench if you don’t have experience with how much torque is enough. |
| Oil filter | Oil filter is part 16097-0008, or you can use Hiflofiltro HF303RC. Torque for oil filter is 17.5 Nm (12.9 ft-lb) (use a torque wrench) |
| Fuel filter | Fuel filter kit for the 2017+ Ninja 650 is 99999-0525. |
| Front brake pads | You can get original OEM parts from a dealership, or double-sintered EBC brake pads for better bite and wear. Part numbers are FA226HH (you need two pairs). |
| Rear brake pads | As with the front brake pads, you can get original OEM parts from a dealership, or double-sintered EBC brake pads for better bite and wear. EBC part number is FA174HH. |
| Spark plugs | NGK CR9EIA-9, with a spark plug gap of 0.8-9.0mm (use a spark plug gapping tool), torqued to 13 Nm or 9 ft-lb (use a torque wrench) |
| Air filter | Kawasaki changed the air cleaner during the evolutions of the Ninja 650R/Ninja 650. For 2017+, the Kawasaki part number is 11013-0745. Ninja 650 owners like the after-market air filter with part number P-K6N15-01. |
| Cable lubricant | Remember to lubricate your clutch cable (and brake cables if you have them) with a cable lubricant. Protect All Cable Life is a good general-purpose lubricant. |
| Chain lubricant | The chain needs to be lubricated every 600 km/400 miles (or more, if it gets wet/dirty). Motul chain paste is cheap and well-loved. |
| Brake fluid | Spec is to use DOT-4 brake fluid like Castrol DOT 4. |
| Coolant | Use nitrate-free, phosphate-free, ethylene glycol-based coolant with anti-corrosion inhibitors, e.g. Zerex Asian Vehicle blue coolant. |
| Grease | Use a lithium soap based grease for all the important greasing points. |
Maintenance Schedule for Kawasaki Ninja 650R (2017+)
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Kawasaki Ninja 650R.
The 2017+ maintenance schedule (particularly in recent years) has become simpler than in previous years, mercifully.
Notes
- Follow the earlier of distance-based or time-based service intervals.
- Some things should be attended to more often if you ride in dusty or wet conditions, like the chain and the air filter.
| mi x 1000 | 0.6 | 7.5 | 15 | 22.5 | 30 | Every |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | Year(s) |
| Engine oil — Replace (Kawasaki 10W-40 engine oil, Motul 7100 10W-40) Tighten plug to 30 B / 22 lb-ft | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Oil filter — Replace (HF303RC oil filter) Tighten to 17.5 Nm / 12.9 lb-ft | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Air cleaner element — Replace (P-K6N15-01) * Optional at these intervals per later manuals | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ | ✓* | More often when riding in dusty / wet conditions | |
| Spark plugs — Replace (CR9EIA-9) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Engine vacuum synchronization — Check / Adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Valve clearances — Inspect / Adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Idle speed — Inspect / Adjust (Target 1250-1350 rpm) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Throttle control system — Inspect (smooth operation) / adjust play (2-3mm or 0.08-0.12 in) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Fuel system — Inspect for leaks / kinks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Fuel filter — Replace (Fuel filter kit 99999-0525) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Fuel hoses — Replace | 5 years | |||||
| Evaporative emission control system — Inspect / Adjust (CA only) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Cooling system — Inspect for leaks, correct function | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Inspect |
| Coolant, water hoses, and O-rings — Replace (Zerex Asian Vehicle coolant) | ✓ | 3 years | ||||
| Air suction system — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Clutch operation — Inspect / Adjust (play, engagement, disengagement) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Wheel bearing — Inspect for damage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Drive chain wear — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in dirty / dusty conditions | |
| Drive chain guide wear — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Brake system — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Brake operation — Inspect (effectiveness, play, no drag) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Brake fluid (front and rear) — Replace (Castrol DOT 4) | ✓ | ✓ | 2 years | |||
| Brake hoses — Replace | ✓ | |||||
| Rubber parts of brake master cylinder and caliper — Replace | ✓ | 4 years | ||||
| Suspension system — Inspect for leaks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Rear suspension — Lubricate | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Steering play — Inspect / Adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Steering stem bearings — Lubricate | ✓ | ✓ | 2 years | |||
| Electrical system — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Chassis parts — Lubricate (use lithium soap-based grease) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |
| Bolts, nuts, and fasteners — Inspect / tighten | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Periodic maintenance (daily, short-term)
There are a number of daily and short-term bit of maintenance to do on your Ninja 650. These are below.
| Regular Checks |
|---|
| Fuel — Check adequate supply in tank, no leaks |
| Engine oil — check level is between level lines |
| Tires — check air pressure (when cold) and valve cap is installed |
| Tires – check wear |
| Drive chain — check/adjust slack every 1000 km (600 mi) See below notes on checking / adjusting slack |
| Drive chain – Lubricate every 600 km (400 mi) — Motul chain paste |
| Bolts, nuts, and fasteners — check for loose/missing bolts, nuts, and fasteners |
| Steering — check action smooth but not loose from lock to lock |
| Steering — check no binding of control cables |
| Brake pads — check wear is within spec |
| Brake fluid — check fluid level is between lines, and not leaking |
| Throttle — check free play is adequate |
| Clutch lever — check free play is adequate, and it operates smoothly |
| Coolant — check for no coolant leaks, and level is between lines |
| Electrical equipment — check all lights and horn work |
| Engine stop switch — make sure it works |
| Side stand — make sure it returns up to its position by spring tension, and that the spring is not weakened/damaged |
| Rear view mirrors — make sure they let you see |
Maintaining The Chain on the Kawasaki Ninja 650
It’s important to maintain your chain on the Ninja 650, as it’s a bike likely to see all kinds of conditions in everyday use
Kawasaki recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule:
| Chain maintenance item | Every |
|---|---|
| Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary (Motul chain paste) | 400 mi / 600 km |
| Check drive chain slack, adjusting if necessary Target chain slack: 20-30mm (0.8-1.2 inches) free play at loosest part of chain | 600 mi / 1000 km |
Notes:
- Do these items (checking/adjusting slack, and checking/applying lubrication) more often if you ride your Ninja 650 in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle.
If the chain slack is too great (or too little), follow these steps:
- Remove the cap from the rear axle nut.
- Loosen the adjuster lock nuts on both sides.
- Remove the cotter pin from the axle.
- Loosen the axle nut.
- Turn the adjusters evenly to get to the right chain slack, checking constantly. To keep it even, look at the chain alignment indicators on the swingarm.
- Tighten the adjuster lock nuts.
- Tighten the axle to 108 Nm / 80 lb-ft.
- Install a new cotter pin.
- Reinstall the cap on the axle nut.
- Make sure the rear brake works.
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Kawasaki Ninja 650
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 has the following tyres and tyre sizes standard:
| Tyre | Size | Tyre pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70 ZR17 M/C (58W) | 225 kPa/32psi |
| Rear | 160/60 ZR17 M/C (69W) | 250 kPa/36psi |
Stock, the Ninja 650 ships with sport touring type tyres.
About the Kawasaki Ninja 650
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 is an amiable but fun motorcycle that can be called in for commuter and touring duties at a moment’s notice.
The twin-cylinder motor has ample torque, making it easy to go fast in the real world of public roads and freeways — there’s enough power to take you over 125 mph or 200 km/h, should you ever wish to. But you definitely don’t need to push the bike that fast to have fun on it.
The engine in the Kawasaki Ninja 650 is a strong and compact 649 cc liquid-cooled dual overhead cam 8-valve parallel-twin engine that’s almost un-killable. You can try! Most Ninja 650s are crashed or neglected rather than dead because of engine failures, though.
The engine’s modest power in its latest incarnation (50 kW / 67 bhp at 8000 rpm) is driven to the ground by a modern six-speed transmission. The gearbox is light and easy, which helps newer riders make smooth shifts. Final drive is a chain, like on most sport bikes.
The Ninja 650 has always been an “affordable favourite” for many riders. The power is not so much that it feels like a caged animal at commuting speeds, but is easily enough for most everyday scenarios. You might have to downshift once or twice to do fast passes on the highway, but to many, that’s what makes it more fun.
The riding position of the Ninja 650 is comfortable, despite the fairings and clip-ons (which are raised). The latest 2017+ Ninja has handlebars that mean you barely have to lean forward at all — but then when you compare it to a real standard like the Kawasaki Z900RS, you see that ah yes, the Ninja 650 is still a sport bike.
The riding position also means your knees are flexed, rather than a comfortable 90 degrees like you’ll find on the Ninja 650’s parallel twin stablemate, the Kawasaki Vulcan S.
Brakes come via dual 300m petal-style discs with 4-piston calipers at the front, and a 220mm petal-style rotor with a 2-piston caliper at the rear.
The Ninja 650 has been a favourite of many kinds of riders, including
- People who want a mildly sporty middleweight for everyday commuting
- Beginner riders (in the US, where people can ride anything, or in the UK, Europe, or Australia in A2 or LAMS-friendly de-tuned format)
- Some track riders, who improve the suspension and now have an unkillable and very learner-friendly motorcycle
The latest KRT Edition of the Ninja 650 looks really nice, too — see the pics above!
The 2020 edition of the Kawasaki Ninja 650 gets a couple of updates to bring it into the modern era. Visually it gets KRT livery, with bodywork that’s as clean as that on the latest ZX-10R. It also receives a color 4.3-inch TFT display, with multiple display modes, to show you a little (or a lot) of information.
And in 2023, Kawasaki introduced traction control to the Ninja 650. It has two settings, and a third in which it’s switched off entirely.
Since the 2017 version, the Ninja 650 isn’t as heavy as it used to be, either. Fully loaded with oil and gas it weighs 190 kg (423 lb), which is very reasonable.
Reference — Screenshots from the Manual for the Kawasaki Ninja 650
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the 2020/2021 Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Ninja 650 ABS, which is available on Kawasaki’s website.
There are minor differences from 2017, but it’s mostly just not checking some non-critical parts as often (though the parts didn’t change), e.g. the evaporative emission control system.
Below is a reference file — the maintenance section from the 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 manual.
