Just a few days after Kawasaki teased that the Ninja 500 will make its way to our shores, it has been launched at Rs 5.24 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom, India). This is exactly the same price as the Ninja 400, which is currently listed on the manufacturer’s website but is being offered with a Rs 40,000 discount, which leads us to believe that the 500 will eventually replace the 400 in India.
- Base variant has been launched, which uses a LCD dash
- Weighs 3kg more than Ninja 400 but 4kg lighter than Aprilia RS 457
Kawasaki Ninja 500 power, features, pricing in India
Powering the Ninja 500 is the new liquid-cooled, 451cc, parallel-twin engine making 45hp at 9,000rpm and 42.6Nm at 6,000rpm and this mill is already found on the Eliminator 500 cruiser as well as Kawasaki’s innovative Ninja 7 hybrid motorcycle. While peak power is the same as the Ninja 400, peak torque has gone up by a substantial 5.6Nm.
At 171kg, the Ninja 500 is a little heavier than the Ninja 400 (168kg) and the Yamaha R3 (169kg) but is still lighter than the Aprilia RS 457 (175kg) and the KTM RC 390 (172kg). The Ninja 500’s cycle parts are very similar to the Ninja 400 and dual-channel ABS is standard here. With a 785mm seat height, the Ninja 500 should be a fairly easy machine for shorter riders to get along with and if you so wish, Kawasaki will also sell you an accessory tall seat that raises the perch by 30mm, to 815mm.
What is different is the new face, which is very similar to the new-age Kawasaki sport bikes like the ZX-6R and even the Ninja 7 Hybrid. The bike that has been launched in India is the standard model – not the up-spec SE – which means it gets a negative LCD dash with Bluetooth connectivity, an all-black colour scheme and loses out on keyless ignition that the SE variant gets.
With an asking price of Rs 5.24 lakh, the CBU Kawasaki Ninja 500 is certainly priced head and shoulders above its primary rivals – the already expensive Yamaha R3 (Rs 4.65 lakh), Aprilia RS 457 (Rs 4.10 lakh) and the KTM RC 390 (Rs 3.18 lakh). Just how many people opt for the Ninja 500 over these credible rivals remains to be seen. Bookings are open now across Kawasaki dealerships in India and deliveries are slated to begin by the end of this month.
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
Azaman Chothia
