Unveiling the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 and Z500, Pioneering Middleweight Excellence

What follows the legacy of Ninja 400 and Z400?

If your musings included when the 451cc parallel twin engine, freshly introduced by Kawasaki, would make its mark on the Ninja and Z series, your curiosity finds resolution at EICMA 2023. The 2024 Ninja 500 and Z 500 have gracefully stepped into the limelight, heralding a new powerhouse for the middleweight sport and naked motorcycle segments.

Even as the Eliminator cruiser from Kawasaki maintains its robust presence, it was only in the earlier part of 2023 that Team Green unveiled an upgraded version with a slightly larger displacement. In the United States, it simply goes by the name Eliminator due to the absence of the 400cc variant available elsewhere. However, in markets fortunate enough to have experienced the 400cc iteration, it assumes the moniker Eliminator 500, emphatically signaling to potential riders that it surpasses its 400cc predecessor.

This identical engine now propels the freshly introduced Ninja 500 and Z 500, prompting an in-depth exploration of these two novel motorcycles.

Engine 

The power source for both the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 and Z 500 is the liquid-cooled, dual overhead cam, eight-valve, 451cc parallel twin from Team Green. Featuring a bore and stroke measuring 70mm by 58.6mm and a compression ratio of 11.3 to one, this powerhouse claims 33.4 kilowatts (just shy of 45 horsepower) at 9,000 rpm and 42.6 newton-meters (approximately 31.4 pound-feet) of torque at an undisclosed RPM. Both motorcycles boast a six-speed gearbox.

Chassis

Both the 2024 Ninja 500 and Z 500 adopt a steel trellis frame design. The suspension setup includes a 41mm nonadjustable telescopic front fork and a rear shock configuration with preload adjustability. Braking comes courtesy of a two-piston caliper and a single semi-floating disc upfront, complemented by a two-piston caliper and a single disc setup in the rear. Both motorcycles ride on 17-inch alloy wheels.

Dimensions 

While similarities exist between the Ninja 500 and Z 500, distinctions in dimensions set the two apart.

Color, Pricing, and Availability 

For 2024, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 will flaunt a Metallic Spark Black and Metallic Flat Raw Graystone color scheme. Simultaneously, the 2024 Kawasaki Z500 will showcase a Metallic Spark Black and Metallic Matte Graphenesteel Gray color combination.

Pricing details for the 2024 Ninja 500 and Z 500 are yet to be disclosed but are expected imminently. Pricing will exhibit variation based on geographic regions.

The revelation of the 2024 Ninja 500 and Z 500 as forthcoming models earmarked for the European market is official. While Kawasaki has refrained from announcing availability in other regions, it's anticipated that these models will gradually roll out in the months ahead.