Kawasaki KLE500 (2026) – Technical Review

The KLE500 name isn’t new to Kawasaki having previously graced the long-running 1991-2007 entry-level adventure bike that was replaced by the far more sophisticated Versys 650 – but it’s back and on a completely new machine that aims to make adventure riding more accessible than ever.

Powered by the same 451cc twin found in the Ninja 500, Z500, Eliminator and even the Z7 and Ninja 7 Hybrids, the new-for-2026 Kawasaki KLE500 has been teased since last year and finally hits dealers in March 2026.

Pros & Cons

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Price & PCP Deals

Kawasaki has yet to reveal the UK pricing for the KLE500 or the more luxurious KLE500 SE, but we can look at the way the machines are positioned in other markets to get a clue at what to expect. In the USA, for example, the base KLE500 is within $100 of the Eliminator cruiser that uses the same 451cc engine. If the same applies over here, that will put the new bike at around £6000, perhaps just below, with the up-spec’d SE version carrying a premium that’s likely to put it somewhere slightly north of £6500. With deliveries not due before March next year, it’s understandable that Kawasaki is holding off on announcing the exact pricing just yet.

The base model comes in just one colour scheme – a subdued black-and-grey combo – while the SE version benefits substantially from more interesting options, including white with a green frame and graphics, pearl grey with the same green highlights, or ‘metallic bluish green’ with a silver frame and red-and-silver stickers.

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Engine & Performance

Like the price, the KLE’s peak power remains a guarded secret at Kawasaki, but once again it’s not hard to make an educated guess at what to expect. The engine is, after all, the same 451cc parallel twin that’s used in the Z500, Ninja 500 and Eliminator, and also related to the unit used in the hybrid Z7 and Ninja 7 machines, so it’s a known quantity.

In Europe, the Z500, Ninja 500 and Eliminator all make the same peak figure of 44.8hp at 9,000rpm – suggesting we can expect something very similar from the KLE500. Like those related models, the KLE500 is targeting ‘A2’ licence holders, limited to no more than 47hp and subject to a power-to-weight restriction, so if a bike comes in at under 175kg the power also needs to be reduced. In markets like the USA, the same engine is good for 51hp and 10,000rpm, so it’s clear that it’s being reined in to meet the European licence rules.

It's the same story when it comes to torque. Kawasaki hasn’t officially announced a figure, but the KLE500 isn’t likely to be far from the 31.4lb-ft peak of the other machines using the same engine.

The details of the engine include the same 70mm bore and 58.6mm stroke as the other models, as well as the uneven-length intake funnels used on those machines, poking into a 5.6-litre airbox. It’s fuel injected, of course and drives a six-speed box through an assist-and-slipper clutch.

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

The engine might be borrowed from the existing range but Kawasaki has developed a new chassis for the KLE500 – a steel trellis frame that uses the motor as a stressed member to keep the whole package as light as possible.

The frame itself is only 19kg, and used to mount long-travel suspension with 43mm upside-down KYB forks giving 210mm of front wheel travel, paired to a monoshock at the rear with 200mm of wheel movement.

While many rivals in this part of the market are road-oriented, like Honda’s NX500, the KLE500 is intended to have genuine offroad abilities. As such it gets a 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel, both wires with aluminium rims, fitted with IRC GP-410 dual-purpose rubber.

The brakes combine a 300mm front disc and a 230mm rear disc, each with two-piston calipers. ABS is standard, of course, but can be instantly switched off using a bar-mounted rocker for offroad use.

Weight is another number that Kawasaki has yet to reveal, but given that all the related bikes using the same engine come in at between 170kg and 180kg, it’s likely that the KLE500 will be in the same ballpark.

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Comfort & Economy

Kawasaki says the ergonomics have been decided using lessons from the KX series of offroad machines, with the bars and pegs positioned for standing use when riding offroad as well as when seated. The tank and bodywork are also built with the same goals in mind, allowing plenty of options when it comes to positioning your weight on the bike.

At the front, that windscreen is adjustable, with three positions, and there are transparent wind deflectors on either side of the nose, intended to keep the rider protected from the weather without impeding the view of the front wheel and upcoming surfaces when riding offroad.

The seat measures 860mm as standard and features a special design with hollow sections inside the cushion to improve comfort. The seating can also be customised, with accessory ‘low’ versions available for both the rider and pillion sections, giving several potential arrangements. By combining the standard ‘high’ rider’s seat with the optional ‘low’ passenger pad, you can achieve a long, flat seat shape similar to a motocross bike, for example.

The SE model ups the ante when it comes to comfort with a taller screen and standard-fit handguards, while also adding a skid plate below the engine.

Fuel consumption details, like the bike’s exact power and weight, have yet to be revealed. That’s probably an indication that the bike is still undergoing type-approval, and Kawasaki won’t want to release the figures until the process is complete to ensure the claims match the approved figures. We do know, however, that the tank holds 16-litres of fuel.

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Equipment

The base version of the KLE600 makes do with an LCD instrument panel, but it still includes smartphone connectivity via Kawasaki’s Rideology app, while the SE version steps up to a colour TFT screen that gives a choice of background colours and a more up-to-date look.

There’s LED front and rear lights on both versions, with the SE adding slim LED indicators as well, and of course there’s an array of optional add-ons available to tailor the bikes to your own requirements. A three-piece hard luggage system is likely to be among the most popular of those, as well as the optional seat heights, engine guards, radiator guard and centre stand. Heated grips are also set to be offered, as well as auxiliary fog lights and a USB-C socket.

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Rivals

Honda NX500 - A resolutely sensible option in the typical Honda mould, the NX500 isn’t as focused on offroad ability with 19-inch and 17-inch alloy wheels where the Kawasaki uses a 21-inch front and wires.

CFMoto 450MT/Ibex 450 - Likely to be the closest rival to the KLE500 on paper, the CFMoto 450MT is a strong contender, with real offroad abilities and typically high levels of equipment that are a hallmark of Chinese machines, including an adjustable seat, screen and suspension.

Triumph Scrambler 400X - A retro, single-cylinder machine, the Scrambler 400 XC might not look like a head-on rival to the KLE500 but the popularity of Triumph’s 400cc range means it’s got to be considered. Slightly less performance than some, but not by much, and it makes up for it with a huge dollop of style.

Honda NX500 | Price: £6899

Read more

Power/Torque

47bhp / 31.7lb-ft

Weight

196kg

CFMoto 450MT (Ibex 450) | Price: £5699

Read more

Power/Torque

41.6bhp / 31lb-ft

Weight

175kg

Triumph Scrambler 400 XC | Price: £6545

Read more

Power/Torque

39.5bhp / 27.7lb-ft

Weight

186kg

2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Verdict

The old KLE500 was an underwhelming proposition by the end of its life in 2007 and its replacement – the Versys 650 – was so warmly welcomed that it remains on sale to this day. The new KLE500 shares only its name with that predecessor, though, and in a global market that’s seeing rising popularity of bikes in the 400cc-500cc bracket it’s well placed to capitalise on that. Appealing styling, decent suspension specs and A2-licence compatibility mean it should be a strong option.

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2026 Kawasaki KLE500 - Technical Specification

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