Ninja 500 Specifications

The Kawasaki Ninja 500 uses a 451cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine with DOHC and 8 valves - a genuinely modern architecture for a mid-range sportsbike. Peak power is 45.4 PS at 9,000 rpm and peak torque is 42.6 Nm at 6,000 rpm. That torque figure arriving at just 6,000 rpm is the bike's defining characteristic: you never feel like you're searching for power in city traffic or while overtaking on the highway.

The engine sits in a steel trellis frame - a proper engineering statement at this price - paired with a 37mm telescopic fork up front and a preload-adjustable monoshock at the rear. Wheel sizes are 17-inch at both ends, shod with Dunlop Sportmax 110/70-17 (front) and 150/60-17 (rear) tyres. Many owners upgrade the stock tyres after a few months of spirited riding.

Braking hardware is Nissin - 310mm disc with a 2-piston caliper at the front, 220mm disc with a 2-piston caliper at the rear, with dual-channel ABS standard. Rider confidence is high from the first ride, and the Nissin setup is widely praised as the best braking package in this segment.

At 171 kg kerb weight and 785mm seat height, the Ninja 500 is physically accessible to a broader range of riders than most fully-faired sportsbikes. The 14-litre fuel tank paired with the ARAI-rated 26.31 kmpl efficiency gives a realistic range of 300-350 km per fill in mixed conditions.

The instrument cluster is a 5-inch negative LCD with Bluetooth connectivity via Kawasaki's Rideology app - supporting navigation, call/message notifications, and an eco indicator. All lighting is LED. The slip-and-assist clutch is standard, reducing lever effort in stop-go traffic and smoothing out aggressive downshifts. A 3-year/36,000 km manufacturer warranty is included.

Notable absences at this price: no quickshifter, no traction control, no cornering ABS, and no adjustable brake/clutch levers.