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Subscribe to the magazine: www.motorrad-magazin.at/abo Read the magazine online: http://digitalstore.motorrad-magazin.at Prices Z650RS Austria: from 8,899 euros Germany: from 8,345 euros (ex works) The Kawa doesn't look like a preacher at all; in fact, it lacks the crucial thing to fulfill this claim: zeal. And yet it pursues a mission and manages to convert or lead some people back to the right faith: to believe in simplicity, in the basic joys of existence, in the essence of motorcycling. It manages to bring about this change of heart with the relaxed attitude of a hippie, simply by its mere existence. No persuasion is necessary, no arguments need to be listed, no acts of violence committed. It is simply there, and you either fall for it or you don't. The former is the far more likely case. Especially in our color combination, the RS stamps a figure of eternal validity into the world. Compact teardrop tank, small rump, quilted seat, clean lines and, in matching colors, wonderful golden rims represent the archetype of a motorcycle that will not lose any of its fascination in 20 years - we dare to say that. A successful balancing act is the play of classic shapes - round headlights! - with hypermodern LED technology. And then another break, a bold recourse: two analogue round instruments! Perhaps the last chance to buy such things fresh from the factory. The fact that the technical basis is not authentic in every respect, but that the existing mass production was used with an eye on finances, is understandable and hardly dramatic. Of course, one would have wanted more finely ribbed cylinders, a proper chrome trumpet or two spring struts at the rear. But hey: the components are tried and tested, work and ultimately result in a price that you can turn a blind eye to. They work very, very well, by the way. The fact that there were no mishaps during our endurance test is the least of our surprises. What has proven itself in tens of thousands of Z650s also fulfils its duties well in the RS. But in certain areas the retro version is even superior to its modern counterpart, for example in the seating position. While the sporty, compact naked bike is quite folded up, you enjoy significantly more living space on the RS. You sit more upright, more relaxed (on the very comfortable seat, by the way), and pillion transport is also possible more elegantly here - again not really on long journeys, but certainly in urban areas or for a quick trip out of the city. #kawasaki #z650rs #dauertest