With the stroking of the parallel twin motor, the Kawasaki Z400 upright, naked sport bike with urban appeal becomes the more powerful 2024 Kawasaki Z500. Along with the 52cc displacement bump comes a few additional features worth checking out, along with a new SE sidekick.
- Kawasaki added 4.8mm to the stroke of the Z400 motor to create the Z500 powerplant. The 2024 Kawasaki Z500 has a displacement of 451cc, and the basic engine debuted on the 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator sport cruiser. The Z500’s engine puts out four more ft-lbs at its peak than the Z400, arriving at the same 8000 rpm.
- Rather than just stroking the motor, Kawasaki reworked the bottom end. Inside the cases, you’ll find that the Z500 has a new balancing shaft, crankshaft, connection rods, pistons (and upper rings), and compression ratio. The muffler also gets a larger outlet to flow the additional exhaust gasses created with the displacement increase.
- The Z500 gets a new LCD dash, while the Z500 SE is outfitted with a full-color TFT display. Both dashes are Bluetooth-enabled and are paired via Kawasaki’s Rideology The App, which offers the usual suite of data and functionality (phone calls, maintenance logs, data sharing, and more). The SE also gets a powered USB-C port.
- The suspension units get new settings to adjust to the Z500’s additional power. There are no damping adjustments, and only the linkage-assisted shock has spring-preload adjustment.
- The Z400’s petal braking discs have been replaced by standard discs on the Z500. However, the 310mm/200mm pairing is unchanged. The front brake’s master cylinder is beefed up for the Z500.
- Designers gave the 2024 Kawasaki Z500 a new front-end look. Still going with the Sugomi design philosophy, there’s now a three-headlight configuration with a new, sleeker nacelle and new mirrors. In the back, there’s a new LED taillight; in between, there’s a new seat with the same sub-31-inch seat height (a 1.2-inch taller seat is optional). The Z500 SE gets a chin fairing, red wheels, and distinctive graphics.
- All these upgrades don’t cost much. The 2024 Kawasaki Z500 weighs two pounds more than the Z400, and the list price increases by $200. The SE upgrades add $700 to the price of the base Z500. The standard Z500 and Z500 SE are available in just one color each. We call them green and red, but Kawasaki has some fancy color names you can check out in the specs. Both models should be at your Kawasaki dealer right now.
2024 Kawasaki Z500 Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Parallel twin
- Displacement: 451cc
- Bore x stroke: 70.0 x 58.6mm
- Maximum torque: 32 ft-lbs @ 8000 rpm
- Compression ratio: 11.3:1
- Valvetrain: DOHC; 4 vpc
- Fueling: EFI w/ twin 32mm throttle bodies
- Transmission: 6-speed w/ Positive Neutral Finder
- Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ assist and slipper functions
- Final drive: Sealed chain
CHASSIS
- Frame: Steel trellis
- Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 41mm fork; 4.7 inches
- Rear suspension: Linkage-assisted, spring-preload adjustable KYB shock; 5.1 inches
- Tires: Dunlop Sportmax GPR-300
- Front tire: 110/70 x 17
- Rear tire: 150/60 x 17
- Front brake: 310mm disc w/ Nissin 2-piston caliper
- Rear brake: 220mm disc w/ Nissin 2-piston caliper
- ABS: Standard
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 54.1 inches
- Rake: 24.5 degrees
- Trail: 3.6 inches
- Seat height: 30.9 inches
- Fuel tank capacity: 3.7 gallons
- Curb weight: 366 pounds (SE: 370 pounds)
COLORS
- Candy Lime Green/Metallic Flat Spark Black/Metallic Graphite Gray (Z500)
- Candy Persimmon Red/Metallic Flat Spark Black/Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray (Z500 SE)
PRICES
- 2024 Kawasaki Z500: $5599 MSRP
- 2024 Kawasaki Z500 SE: $6299 MSRP
2024 Kawasaki Z500 Photo Gallery
2024 Kawasaki Z500 SE Photo Gallery
