When Kawasaki first pulled the covers off the KLE500 last month with only partial specs, riders were left guessing. Moreover, some of the figures raised questions about the bike’s dirt‑worthiness, while missing details—such as the weight—only fueled speculation. Fast forward to today, and Kawasaki has published the full production specs sheet, complete with the official weigh in. Notably, some of the specs have been changed by Kawasaki since the initial reveal. 

First off, the lingering worry that the KLE500 might tip the scales at close to 500 pounds can be put to rest. Kawasaki is reporting the 451cc parallel‑twin powered machine has a curb weight of 428 pounds putting the KLE in line with rivals like the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and Honda’s NX500. 

Another point of contention during the initial reveal was the ground clearance, originally listed at just 6.8 inches. For a motorcycle boasting roughly eight inches of suspension travel, that figure seemed oddly low, sparking debate about whether it was a typo or a design compromise.

The promotional video didn’t help matters, showing a test rider bottoming out the bike on a small jump. Kawasaki has now updated the spec to 7.3 inches, a modest improvement that places the KLE closer to average in its class. While still shy of the clearance offered by more dirt-focused middleweights, the revision makes the bike less of an outlier and more capable of tackling rough terrain.

That adjustment, however, has had some ripple effects. Still rolling on 21”/17” wheels, the seat height has climbed from 33.9 to 34.3 inches, nudging the KLE into the same territory as taller ADV machines like Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 and Ducati’s DesertX — both of which ride on a bigger 18” rear wheel. Interestingly, despite the increase in clearance and seat height, the rear suspension travel has dropped slightly—from 7.9 to 7.7 inches—while the front remains at 8.3 inches. As of publishing this article Kawasaki has not explained the change in specs over the past few weeks, leaving questions about whether last-minute shock or linkage adjustments were being made before production begins or if this was just a simple typo made on the original press docs. 

Another new figure we see on the spec sheet is the wheelbase. At 61.2 inches it’s a tad on the long side for a 500cc machine. This should give it good stability at speed but might make it a little harder to turn around on a tight trail. 

Price remains one of the KLE500’s strongest selling points. At $6,599 for the base model and $7,499 for the SE ABS, Kawasaki undercuts much of the competition. For riders weighing cost against capability, the KLE500 still presents a compelling case as an approachable, mid-size ADV option.

The weight figure is in line with the competition, the ground clearance is more reasonable, and the price remains attractive. Yet the reduced rear travel raises questions about how the bike will perform in real-world off-road scenarios. As production models reach test riders in the coming months, the KLE500 will soon prove whether Kawasaki’s middleweight twin strikes the right balance between affordability and adventure capability.

ADV Pulse will continue monitoring for further spec updates and any other important details as the KLE500 makes its way to dealer showroom floors in early 2026. 

Updated KLE500 Specs