The Kawasaki Ninja 500, which replaced the Ninja 400 in the line-up, packs an upgraded engine and more muscular bodywork. Its 451cc twin-cylinder engine displaces 52cc more and has a 6.8mm longer stroke. It puts out 45hp at 9,000rpm and has a peak torque of 42.6Nm at 6,000rpm.

The Ninja 500’s 451cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled engine offers really good mid-range performance, making it a very usable motorcycle in different conditions. It is also tractable enough to do around 45kph in sixth gear; the engine feels like it breathes more freely, and fewer gear changes are required compared to the Ninja 400. Additionally, the bike has a slick gearbox and a light clutch action. On the highway, it can easily cruise between 100kph and 120kph without feeling strained.

Despite being on the sporty side, the Ninja 500 places the rider almost upright, so it is not a demanding riding posture. The bike is more of a sports tourer, except for the foot pegs, which are set more toward the rear. The seat is quite comfortable for slightly longer rides, and with a seat height of 785mm, the Ninja 500 is easily accessible to shorter riders. The suspension setup, even though it’s on the stiffer side, absorbs bumps and undulations really well. 

The Ninja 500 gives you a lot of confidence while cornering. It feels really stable darting into sharp turns and flicks over from one side to another easily, and it is effortless to correct its line mid-corner. The only limitation is the tyres, which are decent for city riding but surely need to be swapped out for spirited riding or while taking it to the racetrack. Overall, the Ninja 500 is a great bike for riders who are going to use it in the city and also visit the racetrack often. With just a few modifications, the Ninja 500 is ready to attack any racetrack. 

 

Compared to many competitors, the Ninja 500 has a very basic feature list comprising dual-channel ABS and an LCD screen with Bluetooth connectivity for basic information. The bike misses out on modern features like traction control, riding modes and a quickshifter. Its SE variant gets a TFT display, but in India, only the standard model is available. While the suspension works really well, it misses out on USD forks, which would have been nice to see at this price point.

The Ninja 500’s ex-showroom price of Rs 5.66 lakh is hard to justify, especially considering that the bike lacks several modern features and equipment compared to its competitors. For instance, its closest twin-cylinder rival, the Aprilia RS 457, at Rs 4.51 lakh, is Rs 1.15 lakh more affordable. The Yamaha R3 is another twin-cylinder option to consider, and with the GST rates revised, its price has dropped by around Rs 20,000 to Rs 3.39 lakh.