Kawasaki's new adventure bike KLE 500 unveiled, launching in India soon

Auto News:  Kawasaki is preparing to launch its new KLE 500 adventure bike. The company first teased it at EICMA 2024, where the bike's 21-inch front wheel was shown and the KLE name was written on it. Now, Kawasaki has released a new teaser video, showing some glimpses of the bike and the message "Coming Soon" on the screen. Last year's teaser clearly indicated that this bike will use the same 451cc parallel-twin engine as the Kawasaki Ninja 500.

This engine will produce 45.4 hp and 42.6 Nm of torque. Consequently, the new KLE 500 will be designed for adventure riding, just like the previous model, but will be built on a new chassis

Design and suspension details

Previous teasers confirmed that the bike will feature a 21-inch front wheel, USD front forks, and a single front disc brake from Nissin. The glimpse seen in the new video reveals that the bike will feature a steel box-section swingarm and spoked wheels with tube tires. The bike's exhaust pipe is located on the lower right side, which looks quite similar to the Ninja 500.

Power and Features

Engine performance will be similar to the Ninja 500. This means it will offer good mid-range power and enough torque for highway riding. The KLE 500 is specifically designed for adventure and touring riders.

When will it come to India

The company says this bike is coming soon and is expected to be officially launched at EICMA 2025 (early November). Sales in India could begin in 2026. Currently, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 is sold in India in CKD (imported form) units, priced at ₹5.66 lakh (ex-showroom). Therefore, the KLE 500 could be priced around the same or slightly higher, around ₹6 lakh+, making it comparable to the Honda NX500 (₹6.33 lakh). But if Kawasaki India starts local assembly (i.e. manufacturing it in India), like it has done with the KLX230, then the KLE 500 can become a great adventure bike option in India.