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Kawasaki Z 500 Review (Baujahr 2024)

A2 naked bike - small, light, fast and Japanese.

18.10.2024

Photos: Motorradtest.de

The Kawasaki Z500 succeeds the Z400 with more displacement and 6 Nm more torque. Did the engine update do the machine any good or do you not notice it at all? Tanja and Dietmar have swung on the new, surprisingly affordable Z500 and describe their impressions here.

And off goes the fox!

Kawasaki bores out the two-cylinder of the Z400 and out comes the new Z500 with now 451 cc. 38 Nm of torque becomes just under 43 Nm and the maximum output of 45.4 hp is now delivered at 9,000 rpm. Sounds like little, but it is clearly noticeable at the flyweight of 167 kg.

Otherwise, not so much has changed, except for the redesigned cockpit. So the Z500 is still a lightweight A2 naked bike, which should appeal to beginners in particular. The price of less than 6,000 euros certainly plays a role, which is really cheap for a Japanese motorcycle. Strange: The new Z500 is only available in black. Where has the beautiful green of the Z400 gone?
schwarz

Choice of colours: non-existent, only available in black.

Dimensions and seat test

The seat test on the Z500 goes off without any surprises. You sit low and nicely integrated in the machine - no wonder, with a seat height of only 785 mm. The machine makes a small impression and it is: Which bike is under 2 meters long and has a wheelbase of only 1.37 m? For the passenger, there is a seat bun and, fortunately, pillion footrests that are not too high. However, the seating comfort in the back is rather modest: little space and only one strap to hold on to do not exactly invite you to take a trip to Lake Garda for two. Granted, we are driving alone today and want to have fun and not complain.

That's what it's like to sit on the Kawasaki Z500.

360 degree tour around the Kawa Z500

Technology of the Z500

The cockpit of the Z500 has been converted to an inverted LC display. It is bright and very easy to read and the most important information is all displayed at the same time: speed, gear, revs, fuel level, time and an on-board computer that also provides the average consumption and the remaining range.

There is even the option of linking the machine to a smartphone, but you can only read out the data here, navigation cannot be conjured up on the display.

When it comes to the light, everything has remained the same: front and rear lights, LEDs, turn signals with bulbs without automatic reset. On the Kawasaki Z500 SE, which will be available from 2025, LED turn signals and a TFT color display will be seen here, but the SE will certainly cost a few euros more. In any case, the operation of the Z500 is very simple - there is not really much to use. Oh yes - Kawa has also thought of a hazard warning lights.

Sounds like a 500 sounds - rear silencer of the Z 500.

This is how it drives

The soundcheck of the Z500 is so-so. Sounds like a 500. If you are interested, click on the soundcheck above. The first few meters with the Z500 are actually very reminiscent of the Z400: Rides like a bicycle, which is a big compliment! Hardly any other bike can get around corners so smoothly, and the short wheelbase sends its regards.

Nevertheless, the naked bike is surprisingly stable on the plate and doesn't seem nervous or wobbly. The suspension components are still just as simple as on the predecessor: conventional, non-adjustable telescopic forks at the front, box swingarm at the rear. The driving experience is still enormously safe. That feels anything but cheap.

Engine of the Kawasaki Z500: 2 cylinders with 451 cc and 45 hp.

However, there is one crucial difference to the Z400 when driving: the engine. This was already lively with 399 cc, but here with the Z500 there is something tasty on top. Especially in the middle of the revs you can feel the extra torque. The machine sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in about 5.5 seconds, not bad. The engine revs willingly up to 10,000 revolutions without it seeming to run out of breath at the top.

The brakes of the Z500 are not quite as great. You have to use a little hand force if you want to get a strong deceleration at the front. This is not a big surprise due to the single disc and the Nissin 2-piston brake caliper, but the competitors can still do it better in some cases. The ABS, on the other hand, works perfectly at the front and rear and does not intervene too early.

Brakes from Nissin.

The chassis of the Z 500 tends to be a little softer than firm. This is a good setting on country roads alone, but the rear shock absorber in particular should be a bit firmer in pairs. Fortunately, the spring preload is adjustable at the rear - and you should really do that when driving with a passenger. By the way, no Billo rubber is used as the tyre, but the Dunlop Sportmax GPR.

The warranty of the Kawasaki Z500 is 4 years, the service is due every 12,000 kilometers or once a year. The following bikes are possible competitors: Honda CB 500 Hornet / Yamaha MT-03 / KTM 390 Duke / Triumph Speed 400 and the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401.

>>> Data Comparison Kawasaki Z500 vs. A2 Naked Bikes <<<

Result

The Kawasaki Z500 is a better Z400. The update to the engine is noticeable and brings even more fun on the country road. Apart from the new LC display, almost everything is the same: It's a simple but well-made naked bike that should be of particular interest to A2 beginners. It is very light, easy to drive and easy to manoeuvre and therefore perhaps a good choice, especially for shorter women.

If you want to test drive the Z500, you can do so very well at Heller & Soltau in St. Michaelisdonn . There she is ready as a demonstrator for all outrageous deeds - along with many other Kawas and Husqvarnas, all of which you can grab.

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