2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 A Redesigned Display

Kawasaki’s Ninja lineup is famous for bringing together respectable performance, easy approachability, and a reasonable price. Now, a new member joins this family of road warriors—the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500. Although it’s developed on a platform established by the earlier Ninjas, the 500 isn’t just an update. It’s a whole new beast, boasting a different engine, looks, and instrumentation from its predecessors. The powerplant of the Ninja 500 is based on the 400’s engine, but it has received a significant performance upgrade. To begin with, the displacement of the liquid-cooled four-stroke DOHC parallel-twin has increased by 52cc to 451cc. The power output peaks at 51 ponies, reached when the tach shows 10,000 rpm. In the torque department, we get 31.7 lb-ft at the 7,500 rpm mark. All this increased power stems partially from the 6.8mm longer stroke when compared to the 400, reaching a distance of 58.6mm. Kawasaki has also replaced the crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons with new components to accommodate the larger displacement. Despite the increased power, the engine remains compact and slim. Not only does this maintain the bike’s narrow Ninja profile, but it also assists in handling the motorcycle. The new bike retains the six-speed transmission of the 400 but gains an assist and slipper clutch for a light lever pull. Keeping the bike light was one of Kawasaki’s leading design principles during the 500’s creation. The motorcycle is built around a high-tensile...