The new year in India brings a series of bike launches from Kawasaki. Primarily, their focus seems to be on bringing premium models. Today, alongside the updated version of the Z900 naked streetfighter, the Japanese company has launched the much-awaited sports bike, Ninja 500, in India. It will be available in the market at an attractive price of ₹5.24 lakh (ex-showroom).
Kawasaki has already been selling the Ninja 400 and Ninja 300 models in India. Now, they introduce the Ninja 500 to join them. Interestingly, the prices of Ninja 400 and Ninja 500 are kept the same, leading many to believe that the sales of the 400cc Ninja might cease in near future.
The Kawasaki Ninja 500 boasts a brand-new 451cc parallel-twin engine for high performance. It produces a maximum power of 45 bhp at 9,000 rpm and a torque of 42.6 Nm at 6,000 rpm. The engine is complemented by a six-speed gearbox with a slipper and assist clutch. The Ninja 500 features a sharp design, available only in Metallic Spark Black color. Notable features include an LCD instrument cluster and Bluetooth connectivity.
In terms of hardware, the bike has telescopic front forks and a rear mono-shock suspension. It comes with a 17-inch wheel, 310mm front disc, and 220mm rear disc brakes. The braking perimeter of the Ninja 500 surpasses that of the Ninja 400. Bookings for the Ninja 500 are underway, and deliveries are expected to commence from next month, March. It faces competition in the market from Yamaha R3 and Aprilia RS457.
