Kawasaki Ninja 500R
Summary:
The Ninja 500R has been the first bike of countless riders, and with good reason. Balanced, quick, good looking, and easy to ride, the Ninja 500R is like the Civic of beginner motorcycles: there’s a reason why they sell so many of them.
Engine Size: 498cc
Price (new): $6,899 CDN/$5,499 USD
Comparable bikes: Kawasaki Ninja 250R, Kawasaki Ninja 650R, Suzuki SV650, Suzuki GS500, Yamaha FZ6R
Our Kawasaki Ninja 500R Review:
Honda has sold countless Civics, and Kawasaki has sold more 500R’s than they probably can keep track of. The Civic sells well because consumers know it to be an affordable and capable car that is both reliable and economical. Well, the Kawasaki Ninja 500R is probably the most popular learner bike by a long shot.
The actual design of the bike hasn’t been updated since 1994, but that doesn’t mean that it looks dated. Far from it- in fact, the Ninja 500R is one of the best looking 500cc bikes on the road today: dual exhaust, a narrow profile, and a front chin scoop keep the aggressive appearance active, while a low riding position allow just about anyone to sit on the bike and be comfortable.
With approximately 55 horsepower and 30ft-lbs of torque, the Ninja is no slouch. It has enough usable power to get anyone anywhere with city limits, and the bike can be taken to 140km/hr (approximately 70mph) with ease. Its 6 speed transmission is smooth and accurate, making for easy shifting and low-hassle riding.
0-60 is done in approximately 3.8 seconds, with the quarter mile blowing past in 12.9 seconds. Compare that to most sports cars, which cost many times the price, and you’re laughing as you’re still faster! This “slow” bike is faster than 95% of the vehicles on the street, so new riders should take care to mind their throttle.
We averaged 45mpg on this bike over the course of 1,900 kilometers, with our test rider (Cameron Martel) seeming to enjoy every second of it: into the corners low and fast, out with plenty of throttle. It’s light, narrow, agile, and an absolute blast to ride.
In our opinion, the Kawasaki Ninja 500R is the de-facto standard by which other 500c sport bikes are measured, and some 650cc bikes pale in comparison. It’s not the sub-10 second crotch rocket that many people envision when they think “sport bike”, but it is a friendly and unintimidating bike that will help you advance your capabilities as a rider.
If you want a quick little rocket to start with, but don’t want something larger (such as the Kawasaki Ninja 650R or the Suzuki SV650), the Kawasaki Ninja 500R is the bike for you, period.
The Bottom Line:
Good looks, great economy, and a fun ride will provide an excellent learning experience and plenty of fun around town or on the highway.
Related posts:
- Kawasaki Ninja 650R
- Kawasaki Ninja 250R
- 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Impressions
- Kawasaki Gives Canada and Japan the Ninja 400R
- 2010 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom
Category: 500cc-650cc, Kawasaki
I LOVE THIS BIKE!
Kawasaki makes some of the best machines out there. Everyone knows that. The 500R is my favorite model because it is right in the middle. 250′s are to weak for my taste, and 650′s are too strong. so the 500R is perfect for my needs. it is also pretty affordable.
Compared to the 650, I’d rather the 650 – but then again I’m more of a big bike kinda girl. Not that I’m massive, I just feel safer on it, even though I’m paying more.
650 > 500R
I am not really a huge fan of this bike
it is not as fast as i expected. ofcourse i dont know that much about bikes, but i though that if i spend 5.5k i wold get a fast ride.
it does handle very well though.
I like this bike a lot. It is currently the only bike I own. I had 3 bikes a few months ago but I needed some cash so I sold the other two. Obviously I kept my Ninja, as that has always been my favorite. It is plenty fast for me, though I have never ridden the 650, so I guess I don’t know what “fast” is
This bike is perfection, the speed, the feel – just ride it and you will know exactly what I’m talking about! The thrill and excitement, and even the looks you’ll get on this, it’s my baby and it’s been VERY good to me.
The amount of money that you have to pour into this ain’t worth it. I’m very disappointed.
In the fall of 2007 I bought an ’05 500R with 950 miles for $3,000. A good deal then and a better deal now. The power does flatten a bit in the mid-range, but above 7k rpm in second gear is my favorite place to be for straight line acceleration – it will move. It is an excellent city bike and good for the highway. I just returned from a 1400 mile jaunt on the bike over five days. It gets tiring but that is a lot of miles – it’s doable. I’ve seen the numbers on the mpg, but I meticulously charted over the long trip, filling up every 200 miles, and it received 60-64 mpg, usually at cruising speeds of 55 to 80 – it shocked me too – no exaggeration. It typically gets about 30-35 in the city. Very happy with that! It is an excellent beginner bike and I have recommended it to my friends. Remember though, you are still on a motorcycle and the engine will surprise you with mis-execution – it got me once and a friend. Take the MSF course!
Forgot the ratings
I was lucky enough to get this bike a little over 2 years ago, new 2009 model. In those two years, I’ve driven it ~6,500 miles. I live in Florida, so I do a lot of flat road riding that either requires low speed or low angles. I’ve also driven it up to Tennessee, did the Dragon’s Tail(US129) on it, and drove around on other roads in Tennessee and North Carolina. Besides the 500r, we also have a 2008 650r. To tell the truth I prefer the 500r. It’s a much better on the twisties. Mainly because of lower ride height, sportier handle bars, and slightly sportier ride position. As for the performance of the bike, it’s enough to keep up people when the turns get tight. In comparison of the 650r, you can take the turns faster and with more confidence. When it comes to the price per performance, it is a great cheap bike that won’t leave you wanting like a 250cc bike might. Same with economy, but don’t expect 50 mpg if you want to do hard riding. Handling is the highpoint of this bike. It is very light and balanced and does not take much effort to flick the bike around.
Over all this motorcycle is might be the best starter bike available. It’s a shame that 2009 was its last production year.
One thing that makes this bike much better is the FOG airbox mod. With proper carburetor tuning, the power delivery becomes much smoother and the dead spot from 5k-6k rpm dissipates.