First showcased at Eicma 2023, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 replaces the Ninja 400 in the Japanese bikemaker’s lineup globally. In India though, it is being offered at the same price as the 2023 Ninja 400. It comes via the CBU route, hence the hefty price tag.
We only get the base SE variant in India and will be offered in a single Metallic Black shade. In terms of features, you get a 5-inch TFT instrument cluster with turn-by-turn navigation, slip and assist clutch and dual-channel ABS.
The 451cc liquid-cooled parallel twin engine is based on the Ninja 400’s engine but gets a longer stroke. It puts out 45PS (same as Ninja 400) and 42.3Nm (5.6Nm higher than the Ninja 400). The peak torque also comes in earlier at 6,000rpm compared to 8,000rpm on the Ninja 400. The engine is coupled with a 6-speed gearbox.
The Ninja 500 is underpinned by a steel-trellis frame suspended by 41mm telescopic forks upfront and gas-charged monoshock at the rear. It has a 5mm longer wheelbase (1,375mm) compared to the Ninja 400 along with 5mm higher ground clearance at 145mm. The seat sits at a comfortable height of 785mm. Braking hardware includes 310mm and 220mm discs at the front and rear, respectively.
